From Publishers Weekly Role-playing gamers will best appreciate Stevens's debut, a far-fetched thriller that reads almost like a YA novel. Jason Lind, a Stanford computer science grad student, becomes addicted to Fortuna, an online alternate reality game based on Renaissance Florence and Machiavellian economics. As the line blurs between Jason's RL (real life) and his gaming persona's role as Father Allesandro da Scala, he falls heavily into debt. Frantic to stay afloat, he drops out of Stanford to work for Global Packet Control under his uncle, Frank Stöcker, who once employed his father, Nicholas, who died nine years earlier in a car accident. At GPC, Jason discovers suspicious business dealings, but while the action hurtles toward surprising revelations, the worlds of role-playing and global economics never quite mesh. And some will find the portrayal of the romance between Jason and a fellow Stanford student less than sophisticated. (May) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Read more From Booklist Jason Lind discovers that being a computer-science geek at Stanford isn't quite as fulfilling as he thought it would be. So he signs up to join a new online virtual world called Fortuna. Bit by bit, Jason becomes obsessed with spending every moment he can in Florence at the time of the Renaissance, even though it's not real. Or is it? As his debts mount in the game, he discovers his real-world finances dwindling. Secrets and double crosses are the norm in Fortuna, and soon Jason's studies—and possibly even his life—are at risk if he can't uncover the truth behind the game. Debut author Stevens attempts to juggle two worlds here, but neither one really shines. The virtual scenario isn't as detailed or carefully put together as it would need to be to carry the story line, and the thriller elements are a bit tired. Still, computer geeks will find much of the novel intriguing, and fans of other virtual-world thrillers (e.g., Lev Grossman's much more successful Codex, 2004) may like Stevens' premise enough to forgive his novel's shortcomings. --Jeff Ayers Read more Review “Welcome to the game. Is it a game? Or is it RL (real life)? Is there a clear distinction, or does one bleed into the other? Jason Lind must call on all of his incredible intellectual gifts to determine which intrigues and threats are ‘in game’ and which are RL. His life depends on it. Fortuna is a breakneck thriller unlike any you’ve ever read.”―D. P. Lyle, Edgar Award nominee and Macavity Award-winning author“Wild and addicting! I couldn’t tear my eyes from Michael Stevens’s masterpiece, a blend of high-tech computer games, gangsters, and medieval Florence that rivals a Steve Berry thriller for chill-inducing fun.”―Shane Gericke, national best-selling author Read more About the Author Michael Stevens began his writing career in high school as a music columnist for the Vallejo Times Herald, his hometown newspaper. After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley as an English major, Michael served two years in the U.S. Army’s Berlin Brigade, then began a career in high-tech marketing, first as a writer and later as a creative director and Silicon Valley ad agency executive. Concurrently, he managed the technical development and marketing of two successful software products. At present, Michael is a contributing editor for several high-profile web sites in the technology arena. In addition to writing, Michael Stevens is a serious amateur musician who has produced four CDs. He lives in Berkeley, California. Fortuna is his first novel. Read more
K**S
Serviceable sci-fi thriller
A perfectly adequate sci-fi thriller about an immersive MMORPG based on Renaissance Florence, and a Stanford comp-sci grad student who gets enmeshed in the game and its politics, only to discover real-world consequences to his online actions, and vice versa.The concept behind the game and the ever-so-slightly fantastical sci-fi aspects of the setting (ubiquitous GPS tracking in phones, really mind-blowing graphical and avatar capabilities in the game) were quite engrossing, and the idea of having a meticulously researched, immersive online gaming environment with near-perfect anonymity and historical accuracy and beauty was a good twist on your usual MMORPG. Unfortunately, the plot twists were pretty darn predictable - I spent a large portion of the book cringing and going "Noooo, you idiot!" at the main character - though they were quick enough to keep my interest sustained. Some of the prose was clunky, but not distractingly so, and the in-game scenes were vividly rendered and quite interesting.Unfortunately, I was really put off by the characterization of women in the novel. Where they appeared at all, they were merely objects, something for the main character to lust after and pursue or swoon over, and several passages near the end REALLY upset me, given that they retroactively stripped the women of almost all agency or purpose other than to pursue the main character, even when they might have been powerful or interesting in their own right. That right there downgraded the book from a solid, adequate three-star rating to two stars for me. Prosaic plotting and a serviceable action/thriller plot with sparks of interest in the form of vivid imagery and a neat MMORPG model are NOT improved by adding casual, unthinking sexism.
L**L
Loved the unique concept of this book
One of the things I really liked about this book is the double role of the main character, Jason. In RL (real life) he's a graduate student and teaching assistant at Stanford. In cyber life, deeply embedded in the online game Fortuna, he's a priest in Renaissance Italy. He plays both roles well and in fact the lines between his RL and Ingame world become blurred as he becomes more and more addicted to the game. His life at Stanford is nicely plotted, realistic, and interesting. As can be expected, his obligations begin to suffer as the game overtakes his life. However, I really liked the make-believe world of Father Allesandro; the detailed descriptions of both Renaissance Italy and the rules of Fortuna make it captivating and hard to put down. These were dangerous times to live in and the game is historically accurate which adds suspense and intrigue. The book takes a surprising turn about midway, which although improbable is very enjoyable and builds to a really climatic ending.
D**K
An entertaining read
I was intrigued by the plot idea of "Fortuna," so I decided to give it a try. At first, I had a hard time getting in to it, mostly because I was trying to take in the various details of the game (Fortuna) and its world (Renaissance Florence), but once those settled in, I found myself moving with relative ease through the book, enjoying the various plot twists and turns. I was a bit thrown when I reached part II, and I found myself wishing that the author had woven parts I and II together throughout the story, but it didn't detract from my ability to enjoy the book. I also found certain parts predictable, but this also didn't deter me. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and will definitely be checking out other books that Stevens has to offer!
A**R
Enjoyable read, simple and easy enough on the eyes.
"Fortuna" is not a complex novel. It is simple and straight forward. The author's style is readable and engaging. The blending of RL (real life) vs. fantasy is evident through out the story's arc and is, in my opinion, the primary metaphor and exercise, and I would judge that the author succeeded.If not for some of the more mature content (nothing too explicit) I would recommend this to an audience between the ages of 13 and 30. As it is, I would amend that to "between the ages of 16 and 30".I consumed this novel in a mere evening and while some parts felt contrived, it didn't detract from the rest of the novel. It belongs in the category of young adult male modern romantic fantasy and if you don't bring expectations of epic fantasy or high tech wizardry to the table you may just enjoy it.
K**Y
Enjoyable Journey
I was immediately drawn into this story while reading the "look inside" preview. The rest of the book did not disappoint. Prior reviews have done a nice job of discussing the plot points, so I won't repeat. I enjoyed my journey into the beautifully depicted world of Fortuna and was caught up in the events resulting from the main character's addiction to the game. I do want to comment that I'm not a "gamer", so the book dragged a bit for me in the middle and during some of the technical parts. However, this did not draw me out of the story nor detract significantly from the flow of the book as they were seamlessly included into the story and were important to understanding the game of "Fortuna". If you like the preview, I don't think you'll be disappointed in the rest of the story. I picked this up for free when it was on promotion. 3 1/2 stars.
R**S
This author likes and understands computer games. I was ...
This author likes and understands computer games. I was fascinated, since I don't play them. After reading this, ?????????
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