Home :: Books :: Teens  

Arts & Photography
Audio CDs
Audiocassettes
Biographies & Memoirs
Business & Investing
Children's Books
Christianity
Comics & Graphic Novels
Computers & Internet
Cooking, Food & Wine
Entertainment
Gay & Lesbian
Health, Mind & Body
History
Home & Garden
Horror
Literature & Fiction
Mystery & Thrillers
Nonfiction
Outdoors & Nature
Parenting & Families
Professional & Technical
Reference
Religion & Spirituality
Romance
Science
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Sports
Teens

Travel
Women's Fiction
User Unfriendly

User Unfriendly

List Price: $6.00
Your Price: $5.40
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 >>

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Blah!
Review: As I usually find Velde's stories captivating, not only did I find this one just as good as the last ones, but I also found it very realistic to the world of RPGs. Being a thirteen-year-old girl, you would not think that I'd enjoy many video games; quite the opposite. I found this story was staying true to its roots, having a variety of monster's, characters and weapons. The only thing I didn't get was the age limit on this; ages 9-12. Not only does it have some explicit moments of violence, it also uses words I probably wouldn't have known back then. Overall, good use of monsters, and fighting scenes. Only lacking an ending that doesn't leave anything to the imagination--but then, how many books do?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: RPG/Fantasy Masterpiece
Review: As I usually find Velde's stories captivating, not only did I find this one just as good as the last ones, but I also found it very realistic to the world of RPGs. Being a thirteen-year-old girl, you would not think that I'd enjoy many video games; quite the opposite. I found this story was staying true to its roots, having a variety of monster's, characters and weapons. The only thing I didn't get was the age limit on this; ages 9-12. Not only does it have some explicit moments of violence, it also uses words I probably wouldn't have known back then. Overall, good use of monsters, and fighting scenes. Only lacking an ending that doesn't leave anything to the imagination--but then, how many books do?

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good RPG Book
Review: I think this is a very good Role Playing book. Personally, I like to RP, and I think the idea of practically living in the RP world would be really fun.

User Unfriendly has very descriptive setting; it makes you feel like you're almost living there. One thing I don't understand is why all of Arvin's friends seem to despise him so much. I didn't find his comments, (maybe his thoughts), annoying so I don't understand why they act so bitterly toward him.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Roleplaying game?
Review: I thought Velde spun a very interesting story, but it wasn't as good as her other books becuase she based it on role playing games. I play a number of rpgs and was very disappointed in the way Velde tried to keep her story origional and yet to conform with the rpg theme. It really didn't work. While reading it I couldn't help wanting it to be more like the rpgs because it was so similar, yet it was not quite there. But despite this Velde definatly wrote an interesting and captivating story.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Unimpressed
Review: Maybe I missed something when I read this book. I have never been involved with "Dungeons and Dragons" and similar RPG games, so perhaps there was something in this book that I didn't get. But as a fantasy on its own, I found it to be dull, plodding and badly characterized.

We plunge straight into the plot with little fanfare. Arvin Rizalli is the main character, a young boy who is going with his friends - and his Mom - on a cyber-adventure. But the Rasmussem program is not like any ordinary video or computer game - it plugs directly into the brain. It feels as real as real life does. Arvin and his friends (I use the term loosely) are Generic Elves, Generic Dwarves, a Generic Wizard, Generic Thieves, and an American Indian warrior. (Don't ask) For a while all is fun and games (pun intended). They battle sinister creatures in a typical S&S world, but then something goes incredibly wrong...

I have read and liked other Vivian Vande Velde books, and this is an exception. I'm not too clear on why I disliked it. I found her other books to be witty and entertaining. This simply stumps along, without making the reader really care about the characters.

The writing is mediocre. We leap straight into the plot with little feeling for the protagonist or his buddies. Descriptions are pretty minimal, and what there is is mostly filtered through Arvin's eyes (or, if you prefer, Harek Longbow's eyes). The characters constantly debate what they're going to do, resulting in a lot of realistic but dull dialogue about what spells, skills or actions they plan to use. No surprise at all.

The characterizations are almost all flat. The characters (who all act essentially the same) bicker and snap at each other -- with the exception of Mom -- and sooner or later I wished a cave troll would crash in and squish them all. They were that unsympathetic. The book also sort of fizzles to the finale, rather than a heart-pounding build-up. I couldn't feel any real emotion. (Especially on the last four or five pages -- bleah)

If you're a fan of such RPG games, you might like this book better than I did. I found it unworthy of VVV's talents.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ
Review: now this book is very good.it's descriptive.it's itresting.and it's a game. a tenth grader named arvin and his friends are unaware when the get sucked into a virtual reality game.now in this game they all are a generated charecter and are really that person the whole game with that persons memory and fellings.in there case a princess needs to be rescued.now your thinking how original.we'll if you said that read the book.they have tough challenges ahead like arvins mom has a headache the whole time.what's wrong? also they are stuck with computer players. that is until they start to loop.
pros:
descriptive
orginal
page turner

cons:
too short
no sequal[s] as of yet
can't find a book to match it

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Blah!
Review: okay, it's possible I missed something, seeing as I don't play RPG's, but I thought this book had some serious flaws in it! The characters were shallow and unpleasent (always bickering amongst themselves),shallow, unpleasent, and did I mention shallow? I have no sympathy whatsoever for any of them. As soon as I finished reading it, I stuck the book back on my shelf and it will probably stay there and gather dust for years.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: User Unfriendly...Friendly?
Review: There is only one word for how good this book was...amazing. Possibly because I am a huge role-playing game (RPG) fan and this book illustrated the life inside of an RPG. The story was portrayed magnificently and the details sounded realistic in comparison to common RPGs in the world today, although much more interesting since it was like being inside of the game instead of just playing it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: One of VVV's different tales...
Review: This story has to be given a lot of credit for the origanal take on the story line of "Kids go into a computer game and hell breaks loose!" The plot is full of brilliant twists and turns, and the characters, are all entertaining enough- especially when their competetive natures to win come out. It's a good journey of showing how in an hour our lives can change completely- for the better or for the worst. Friendships can be broken, lives can be taken, new friends can be made, people can be saved; it's a great book about choices and how they effect us all. It's really worth the read, though a lot of the RPG cliche moments aren't as entertaining if you don't get them. Check it out, it's one of my favorites from this author.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Reader Friendly
Review: When I first read this, a while ago, all I could think after I read it, was,"WOW". To tell the truth, that book was the book that turned me on to her other books. "User Unfriendly" is a funny, imaginative journey through a computer game that transports the players to a far off land, where they must complete their quest, or one of the members will die.


<< 1 2 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates