The Mind Game

by Hector Macdonald

Book Overview

Cutting-edge science and the logic of game theory combine to form an utterly original, spellbinding novel of suspense. "First rule of game theory: do whatever produces the optimal final outcome for you." "I didn't know we were playing a game." "But of course we are. . . ." An expert in animal behavior with a brilliant analytical mind, charismatic Oxford professor James Fieldhead needs a willing subject to test a groundbreaking device that may offer...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345440226
• ISBN13: 9780345440228
• Release Date: February 2001
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 360 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

a great debut

This is a great debut novel by young British author Hector Macdonald who impresses immediately with his great and very involving style. His characters are well-drawn and the concept of the book is immediately highly intriguing. Oxford student Ben Ashurst is your average Oxford student who leeds a fairly uneventful life all the way down to his fairly dull girl friend Jenni. Trying to keep up with the ritzier and glitzier crowd in town he attends the parties of his aquaintance Pierce who leeds the life of a rich dandy. When the exotic and very attractive Cara turns up at one of these events, Ben is smitten and drawn into a stream of events that soon is beyond his control. To gain Cara's interest he tells her about an exciting emotions study that his tutor, Professor Fieldhead is planning, and for which he refused to be the guinea pig. In no time Cara has changed his mind and the two of them are on a plane to Africa, courtesy of Dr. Fieldhead and the research on his breakthrough emotion sensor. But what starts as an apparent dream holiday in a paradise resort to study the somatic responses to pleasure, very soon turns into a shocking nightmare for Ben, as he finds himself caught in a cobweb of lies and paranoia.The storyline of the book is very imaginative and well thought-out, impossible to figure out even for the seasoned suspense buff. Every time you think you know what will happen, there is a well-designed twist, and the author effortlessly keeps you going to the highly entertaining conclusion.A very enjoyable book and an impressive debut for a young author. One hopes that more of these will follow

Exciting new writer

The Mind Game is a psychological thriller that exercises the readers powers of deduction within the framework of Game Theory. Taken together with the utterly believable characters and beautiful locations, this creates an exciting and intelligent page-turner. MacDonald's writing brings every page to life and makes the book an absorbing journey into the murkier side of scientific research. A thoroughly recommendable read. I am already looking forward to MacDonald's next book!

An excellent novel

The mind game is an excellent first novel by Hector Macdonald. A young undergraduate student is convinced by his charismatic professor at Oxford to be part of a study into emotions, at a resort in Kenya, with his assertive girlfriend Cara. The experiment is going well until Ben (the student) is wrongly arrested for buying drugs and thrown into jail...Overall I thought it was an excellent novel. There was plenty of action at the start that slowly evolved into a psychological thriller. The clues to the twists, I found were a little obvious, except I must say that I didn't see the final twist coming. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a thriller away from the stock standard medical, crime, murder thrillers that seem to flood the market.

Smart and Speedy

A new door for fans of intrigue has been deftly and intelligently opened. Game theory (as exemplified by the well-known Prisoners Dilemma) as a backdrop for a novel is unique and refreshing. And MacDonald is a great writer. His choice of writing the book in first person, rather unusual for a thriller, was a good one because readers can really get into the main character's head as the mind games unfold and explode. The settings are fun - delightfully sunny African beaches and dusty stoic Oxford brick. Fast-paced and memorable.

Fabulous

MacDonald may be one of the best storytellers I've ever read, especially for a first time novelist. Tightly blending story, science and game theory "The Mind Game" is a masterfully plotted piece that moves along so fast you feel like you're being dragged, but not so fast that you feel you're being left behind and lost. The intricacies of Ben's efforts to untangle the layers of deceit that are woven around him are stimulating and in a word, fabulous.