Reviews

88 Names by Matt Ruff

tedpikul's review

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slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

lk_reads's review

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adventurous informative lighthearted tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I didn’t really enjoy this book, but it was a great concept and solid execution. I couldn’t get immersed in the story as much as I’d hoped, and there weren’t too many redeeming qualities that made you root for the characters. 

fsantoriello's review against another edition

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adventurous funny informative mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

duparker's review

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4.0

Great read. It is so different then The Mirage, and yet the flavor of the technique and the general sense that the author has a grasp of word usage that helps move the book forward is clear. This is not a rip off of Ready Player One, but is inspired by the sense that book gives the reader. It is a total page turner as was RPO, and you really get sucked into it.

ms_greenjeans's review

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3.0

I haven’t read Ready Player One and I don’t play MMORPGS, so this was a fun read even though when you’re done you kinda think, “Oh, yeah, he wrote this to be optioned for a movie” because it checks a lot of boxes—a little sex, some violence, gangsters, intrigue, diverse characters, and the adjective “badass” thrown around like a badge of honor. There’s even a screenwriter as a character. It’s like a testosterone version of chick lit.

rpych2's review against another edition

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4.0

I definitely need to read more of Matt Ruff’s stuff, because I loved Lovecraft Country and liked 88 Names. I’ve seen some reviews state that it’s sort of like Ready Player One, which is definitely enticing to me, and considering how this takes place inside of an MMORPG I definitely see that. It was a fun read as well, I enjoyed the plot line that the main character is being paid to show a person that he believes to be Kim Jong Un around the world of the game. It definitely goes a bit off the rails towards the end, but it was still a really fun story.

If you don’t play video games, you may not enjoy this story as much because a lot of it is terms that you may not get. But in terms of an actual story, it’s an entertaining one. However, if I had one problem with it that keeps it at 4 stars as opposed to 5, it’s that the ending was somewhat abrupt. The epilogue tied some things up, but I felt like the story was moving along at a good pace and then it just ended. I did enjoy this book and I’d read it again at some point in the future.

aconway96's review

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adventurous lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

almond's review against another edition

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4.0

Story was compelling, but ultimately a bit disappointing. The narrator's stilted delivery didn't do it any favors.

quossie's review against another edition

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3.0

A quick easy read. Obvious comparisons to Ready Player One, although this book is less of a fun romp, and has a much more convoluted ending (not necessarily in a good way).

tominator's review against another edition

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0