Gamers and Gods: AES
Gamers and Gods
Publisher Description
A demigod fights for Earth's freedom -- in the mind of a computer -- as two pantheons fight for the right to guide the future of humans. But can Asklepios -- Homer's "Blameless Physician" -- defeat the The Devourer of Millions?
AES is the story of a man who wakes up after 3,000 years to find himself thrust into a fight for the independence of Earth from the control of alien superbeings.
His battle is real and the stakes are real, but he will fight in a simulated battlefield -- in the memory of an online gaming computer. He is as real as his comrades, but while they have real-world bodies, his self-driven avatar is all he has -- an incarnation as living software. For the mortals who log in to help him, the prize is freedom from the aliens who want to control humanity's development to further their own power. For Aes himself, the reward for success is his own apotheosis -- the right to dwell with the superbeings of Olympus.
His only chance is the help of Darla Kaplan and her gamer friends. In this struggle for the freedom of mankind, the most powerful weapon of all may be the love of a woman for a man who is only a ghost in the machine.
Customer Reviews
A very unique story
This book was not what I was expecting, which was just a fun relaxed read. Instead I was thrown into an action packed world that brings together characters from ancient Greek mythology and virtual gamers in 2051. So needless to say I was hooked quickly and instead of relaxing my heart was racing as I was pulled into this fantastic story. The author’s creativity and great writing is apparent very quickly as the characters are introduced and the story begins to unfold. I love when a story mixes folklore from the past with modern day (or future) settings. What makes this story so unique is the use of the virtual gaming, which is complicated but easy enough to follow. I really liked this story as I play online games (WOW anyone?) and I’m a big history / Greek mythology geek but I think anyone with a sense of adventure would also thoroughly enjoy this novel. I can’t wait to dive into the sequel.
From ancient mythology to the gaming future
Gamers and Gods: AES has been a fascinating story for me filled with mythology and futuristic multiplayer gaming with a strong plot and exciting action. Each chapter takes a different point of view of the players in the virtual reality game. I really liked the depths of the characters as they deal with their own issues. Set in the future, Darla escapes her real life by engaging in a role playing game. Aes finds himself trapped in the virtual world when all he could remember is his world of Ancient Greece. The author did not hold back on creativity when developing and connecting these two worlds. The theories and descriptions do not make it a fast read, but it is a satisfying one.