Justin Calderone

I had a lot of trouble getting into this book. I think it could have used a stronger editorial hand, because there's a gem of a tale in there and some interesting character interactions, but I found the beginning lagged. I also found it really hard to empathize with the characters given that they were basically uncomfortably ignoring how their buddy was harassing their one female friend despite her having made her lack of romantic interest clear -- sorry, I realize this happens, but it's hard to see hero material when they couldn't even get themselves together enough to help her out ("oh she can handle herself" is not an excuse when he's so clearly oblivious to her responses). I got more into it once the action really started (more than halfway through the book) and we didn't have to watch the friends be so painfully terrible to each other, and it was great seeing them become more self-aware as the story progressed. I feel like this had the bones of a great story, but it probably needs some heavy-handed re-writing to tighten up the pacing and not belabour the awkwardness so much that you lose love for the characters before they've even begun to shine.… (more)

I had a lot of trouble getting into this book. I think it could have used a stronger editorial hand, because there's a gem of a tale in there and some interesting character interactions, but I found the beginning lagged. I also found it really hard to empathize with the characters given that they were basically uncomfortably ignoring how their buddy was harassing their one female friend despite her having made her lack of romantic interest clear -- sorry, I realize this happens, but it's hard to see hero material when they couldn't even get themselves together enough to help her out ("oh she can handle herself" is not an excuse when he's so clearly oblivious to her responses). I got more into it once the action really started (more than halfway through the book) and we didn't have to watch the friends be so painfully terrible to each other, and it was great seeing them become more self-aware as the story progressed. I feel like this had the bones of a great story, but it probably needs some heavy-handed re-writing to tighten up the pacing and not belabour the awkwardness so much that you lose love for the characters before they've even begun to shine.… (more)

This review is of the epub version, from the Library Thing Early Release list.

LARP: The Battle for Verona is a modern day adventure story. A group of young adults spend weekends enacting "battles" (choreographed and planned encounters) for "kingdoms" (groups of people) using fiberglass and foam armor, swords, and weapons -- the intent is to live the combat, with only points and not wounds to decide the winner.

Four friends in LARP travel to a regional event, and return home to their island community off the coast of Washington State to find their island occupied by invading Mongols -- backed by North Korea. The Mongols intend to return the island to a level of technology and lifestyle of the Middle Ages -- with only LARP forces to oppose them.

I mostly enjoyed reading the book, at least after the off-putting first 20 pages, but the shallow treatment of characters, the social and military inaccuracies (role and actions of US Army, construction of community, hit-or-miss randomness of Mongol actions, boats and other resources magically appearing, etc.) were annoying and distracting.… (more)

I am a veteran of a few Live Action Role-Playing adventures and lots of running around in woodland armed with sticks and imagination, although both activities are now long ago. If I'd had a bit more money and a bit more transport in my late teens I might have done more but it was a hobby I was interested in and learned a fair bit about. Therefore, it was with a certain degree of fascination that I approached Justin Calderone's novel where a group of enthusiastic LARPers get the chance to use their skills to save the day.

Another fantasy related thing I remember from my youth is the infamous Dungeons and Dragons cartoon, which catupulted a bunch of kids into a fantasy land where they became the heroes they had previously dreamed of playing. Regretfully, I'd have to suggest that Calderone's novel does something similar except, remaining set in the "real world", it becomes even less plausible. Would years of LARPing equip the participants to take over from the US military to free an island captured by a force that appears to be made up of would-be medieval Mongol warriors? Would the US military really be so concerned about collateral damage that it would consider the idea, even if the state governor turned out to be a former LARPer himself?

It sounds like the kind of fantasy that someone might dream up after an exhiliarating adventure (where they have spent a few hours ignoring the fact that the scenery and people are very familiar in order to share in the imagination of the story) but it ends up sounding childish, with limited tensions and a wilful avoidance of the difficult questions I wanted to ask about the scenario. I think Calderone would have done better to make his heroes in their late teens and aim for an audience in their early teens, where believability might not have been such a stumbling block. As it is, I think the story falls flat and the writing, while okay, doesn't sparkle enough to make up for it. This isn't the book to make the world sympathetic to the hopes and dreams of live action roleplayers!… (more)