Book Review #20 : God Is A Gamer

Title: God is a Gamer

Author: Ravi Subramanian

Publishers: Penguin

ISBN: 978-0-143-42139-9

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 309

Ravi Subramanian has been famous for his thriller novels related to money and banking and the recent one is definitely not an exception. He has an innate ability to stitch a wonderful plot using the current happenings in the financial sector. I know what to expect and he does not disappoint in any way and delivers an easy to read, impossible to put down, pointless to criticize and a globetrotting thriller.

The novel has a gamer, a politician, a banker, and a terrorist. This book is focused around the idea of Bitcoin, the virtual currency in the online world. I liked the book cover.

The novel is a perfect blend of emotions. There is love, lust, lies and secrets in various shades adding new dimensions to the story. Readers are allowed to work on all possible logics to get an answer to all these problems on scene and yet are proven wrong when the novel comes to an end.

The author has also been successful in pointing out the importance of  social media and smart phones.

Ravi has used names of real companies all over the book- Visa, Mastercard, etc. even stating that they lobbied to prevent other payment processing companies from coming into existence.

At 310 pages, divided into 89 Chapters, most of them 2-3 pages long, the plot is carefully constructed and brings all the elements of Banking, Gaming, BPO Operations, Investigation and Interrogation, into picture once it sets up all the key players and their stakes at a breakneck pace throughout.

The book is fast paced and has multiple stories running together in different geographies. The number of characters, their motives and their struggles which prompt their actions may overwhelm you by the sheer volume of them, and may seem difficult to keep a track of at times. Every stroke is broad and each page covers a lot of action, juggling between nations like an enthusiastic performer at a circus. 

Ravi’s plot is so vast that he does not indulge in any detailing or subtlety in dealing with his characters or scenarios. They lack any depth whatsoever and one can't invest anything in them and finds it hard to care about what happens to any of them.

Ravi has painstakingly incorporated some twists which could have been avoided, and the ones retained could have been woven better, I feel.

The plot is tight and pushes a reader to skip a couple of pages to know what's going to happen next and who is pulling the strings. The author's research regarding the world of Bitcoins is extensive. The book is packed with an adrenaline rush which will not let you sleep till you finish reading it.

Despite a few lows, God is a Gamer is his best work so far. It is neatly edited too. This and a lot more, God Is A Gamer is a roller coaster ride with many surprises and shocks in equal amounts. It deserves to be in your bookshelf. 

Rating: 4/5

Book Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ruba41fF1Ag

P.S: This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!