Name: Dream Park
ISBN: 9780441167302

Larry Niven

Steven Barnes

A deadly murderer adds real danger to the simulated challenges of a computerized fantasy world

Dream Park

A group of pretend adventurers suit up for a campaign called "The South Seas Treasure Game." As in the early Role Playing Games, there are Dungeon Masters, warriors, magicians, and thieves. The difference? At Dream Park, a futuristic fantasy theme park full of holographic attractions and the latest in VR technology, they play in an artificial enclosure that has been enhanced with special effects, holograms, actors, and a clever storyline. The players get as close as possible to truly living their adventure. All's fun and games until a Park security guard is murdered, a valuable research property is stolen, and all evidence points to someone inside the game. The park's head of security, Alex Griffin, joins the game to find the killer, but finds new meaning in the games he helps keep alive.

Sarah Escorsa

Although I've never been involved in role-playing, I really enjoyed this book and loved the idea of an amusement park entirely dedicated to real-life "gaming". I was pretty impressed when I saw that the book had been written in 1981, it's aged particularly well! A great read, I can't wait to read other books written by Larry Niven!

cygnoir

perhaps i just don't understand what's so compelling about this story, or any story, riddled with ungrammatical clichés. one star for the premise.