His characters are real and fully developed, the entire video game mind-set is perfectly represented here.

His characters are real and fully developed, the entire video game mind-set is perfectly represented here.  Read Less

His character development is excellent - his kids could be real kids easily.

His character development is excellent - his kids could be real kids easily.  Read Less

Despite the changes in video and computer games it hasn't dated much as the principles games are based on, which the story inte...  Read More

Despite the changes in video and computer games it hasn't dated much as the principles games are based on, which the story interrogates, just like the principles of war (equally interrogated), haven't changed much at all.  Read Less

He has no power in the "real" world; his parents are on the verge of splitting up and he feels like he's just drifting through life.

He has no power in the "real" world; his parents are on the verge of splitting up and he feels like he's just drifting through life.  Read Less

I enjoyed this book a great deal.

I enjoyed this book a great deal.  Read Less

While not one of his funniest, it still manages to keep his messages wrapped in pleasant packaging.

While not one of his funniest, it still manages to keep his messages wrapped in pleasant packaging.  Read Less

4 stars because it's not as good as the author's other works, but still recommended.

4 stars because it's not as good as the author's other works, but still recommended.  Read Less

And there’s yo-less, who is as far from the archetypal black kid (or what the others think an archetypal black kid should be) a...  Read More

And there’s yo-less, who is as far from the archetypal black kid (or what the others think an archetypal black kid should be) as it’s possible to get.  Read Less

Pratchett, of course, is clever enough to do this well, but reversing gender conventions is a dangerous black hole, because wha...  Read More

Pratchett, of course, is clever enough to do this well, but reversing gender conventions is a dangerous black hole, because what's behind our gender conventions and stereotypes is not at all what we think is there, and when you try to reverse them, even more than in other role reversals (role reversals are a dangerous business), often as not you end up upholding them even more.  Read Less