[HEADING=1]CosmicCommander reviews...[/HEADING]
The greatest irony in the known universe is probably occurring as of now; I?m reviewing the work of a reviewer, infamous for his high standards and bluntness on his target. I suppose that the greatest irony is that I am going to declare this book being absolutely shite.
Okay, I kid, it?s a pretty damn good read.
[HEADING=2]Overview[/HEADING]
Mogworld, as we all bloody know, is the début novel of our collective mascot and
Following the adventures of the undead trainee mage, Jim, after his resurrection by the necromancer Dreadgrave, Mogworld shows us Jim?s quest to just put an end to it all, and his unwitting involvement with the unravelling truth behind the universe itself.
I?m not really going to risk giving to much detail on this?I know everyone here knows the premise of the novel and the universe it?s set in, but there is a damn myriad of extra references, gags, and premises that really shouldn?t be elaborated on, lest the joke be spoilt.
[HEADING=2]The Upsides[/HEADING]
Let?s get down to the bone of the novel; the comedy. If you were to judge Mogworld solely on the comedic value of it, you would probably be blinded because of the thing?s radiance. This book is really fucking funny, I kid you not. There is a constant barrage of gags and jokes being chucked at the reader, all of which at least rendering a smile, but usually resulting in a score of laughter. All of the jokes are intelligent and witty, the characters are all quirky and guaranteed to force at least one smile out of you, and the satire that is constantly bashing you over the head (in a good way, I mean). Special credit in the area of characters has to go to the fantastically incompetent and childish game developers, of whom I ended up close to tears by the end of every single one of their conversations within the novel. It?s a brilliant caricature of the stereotypical game developer; an idiotic, childish, self-absorbed tosspot.
The book is really immersive, and it sucks you in rapidly; you find yourself really bound to the narrative, and unable to tear away a lot of the time. Yahtzee obviously evaluated his strengths and weaknesses before writing this, and he knew that drama and tension is not one of them; and although some may interject saying that the final few chapters and the epilogue make for some good drama, I?d say that there?s more of a soft melancholy at the end of the book. The ending is satisfying and nice, so... No complaints there.
[HEADING=2]The Downsides[/HEADING]
[img_inline caption= Mogworld, while not perfect, really doesn?t have any solid problems with it. My gripes here are pretty petty in comparison to... Say... width=260 align=left] http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/replicate/EXID4908/images/Twilight2(5).jpg[/img_inline]
The last several chapters and the epilogue lack the comedic punch of the rest of the novel; I?m not sure whether this is a product of the reader getting slightly bored with the humour, or it may be to do with the ending having a bit more deepness and melancholy than the rest of the novel? I suspect the latter.
Sometimes Yahtzee can be a bit confusing and ambiguous in his writing and descriptions of events and such, I occasionally find it hard to catch on what is going on in a particular event until I re-read the previous paragraph, or I have to take a second to piece together the events.
[HEADING=2]Wrapping Up[/HEADING]
If you?re looking for a dramatic critique of games, specifically MMOs, you?re not going to get it in here. Many people are going to be plunging into this book with the impression it?s a 400-Page Zero Punctuation novel; and while the book does pack a lot of jibes at the industry, it isn?t a rant on the state of Gaming; Mogworld is a really funny and enjoyable book, that is designed to make you laugh. I believe it deserves that £5 investment. It?s highly readable, and it?s something that will find universal ground amongst anyone familiar with fantasy, or MMOs.
In summary; Yahtzee?s début novel is fun, immersive, and satisfying, and a definite buy for anyone who finds him funny, or just likes fantasy or MMOs.
[HEADING=1]In Short, Buy It.[/HEADING]
I hoped you enjoyed this review, and feel free to give me your feedback.
Awesome book.
