System Jazz
Arnim was born in the slums without a future, he has nobody and nothing but his wits and freedom. A run-in with the police threatens to change that. His only way to avoid jail is to join a crime prevention program and play a VRMMO game twelve hours a day.
The government offers subsidies, food, and hope for a better life, but they rigged the system. Soon, more than his freedom is at risk. Aided by a bugged AI, he fights the system through exploits. The line between real life and the game becomes blurred on his way to the top.
He uncovers the program's secret intentions and gets offered a choice. Give up his beliefs to gain wealth and security, or take on a battle for love and freedom he can't win. With everything he ever dreamed of and more at stake, his life spirals out of control.
Disclaimer: The characters occasionally use strong language, and the story is written in the first person present tense. You might want to skip this novel if it's jarring for you!
Hello There! This is your author speaking. What can you expect from this novel? 1, Slow Burn 2, The typical weak to strong, VRMMO, protagonist against the world type of story, but instead of the usual power creep, the story goes deeper and deeper as time passes. 3, The MC, Arnim works smarter, not harder, and won't shy away from exploits. He likes to solve everything solo, but this cheeky romantic subplot is also happening. 4, There are lots of EVE, Stalker, Minecraft, and D&D references in this fictional game, and an overcomplicated system that not even the developers understand. 5, Fun, hopefully. If you agree or disagree, please leave a review too, constructive criticism is always welcome to help me improve, and well, I don't mind the praises either! Good reading, B. A. Andrews
Reveal Spoiler
A beautiful novel that tackles a familiar yet intriguing topic. It has a consistent progression, though it feels a bit fast-paced, it's enjoyable to read. There may be some rookie mistakes at points, but based on the first ten chapters, I can say it's a novel worth reading. Well done to the author!
nice start, I already like the mc, though I'd say the birthday gift was great
Great story , don't read 1st person novel nor am I good at giving review, but this is good, also has potential.
I really like the fake names of real names... lol
This book deserves a few chapters of your time for sure. I can't wait to see where the author goes! His use of first person present tense is also awesome (not that I'm biased) - keep reading, you'll become Arnim before you know it!! I love a good VRMMO storyline, too!
I was beta-reading the author's previous novel and this one too, and I think going for a simple theme and sticking to a single POV helped make it more enjoyable. I like the slow-burn aspect (and spoiler, it's sloooooow-burn), the story-telling is linear, easy to follow, grounded, and the character is relatable. The world-building might be confusing initially, but give it some time as Arnim explores it slowly, and uncovers its secrets. But no spoilers here, I read it a bit further than what's been published yet...