Danny Tobey’s second novel, The God Game (Gollancz, £16.99), is a fast-paced satirical techno-thriller examining the fault lines of morality within a group of five Texan teenagers. Grieving the death of his mother and negotiating a fraught relationship with his father, 17-year-old Charlie finds himself drawn into a dangerously compelling online game with a controller that calls itself God. Charlie and his nerdish friends become the playthings of an artificial intelligence that sends them out on missions in the real world. Tempting them with cash and other rewards, the AI gradually inveigles the group into committing morally dubious acts, leading to betrayal and even the threat of death. Tobey brilliantly captures the immersive, claustrophobic atmosphere of the malign game and its addictive allure for a collection of flawed and needy characters. Slick, pared-down prose and short chapters propel the reader towards a disturbing climax.
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