For whatever reason I’d decided this would be a breezy sci-fi romp that I could fly through in a few days despite being a solid NOV at 567 pages, but I should have heeded the Neal Stephenson comparison in the blurbs and realized I was in for a book dense with world building, tech details, and a whole lot of plot. None of which is a criticism! I thoroughly loved this book, it’s just definitely got the most complex world building I’ve read in a sci-fi novel in a minute, and I spent a lot of time digesting details and drawing together connections. ⁣
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Set in the near future where humankind is fighting their way back from the brink of environmental collapse, Gamechanger is pumped to bursting with details of our imagined future, with deeply integrated virtual reality and artificial intelligence taking center stage. The novel follows a sizable cast of characters, helmed by environmental activist, legal advocate, and semi-pro video gamer Rubi Whiting, her famous musical genius with a troubled past father Drow, and her genderqueer gamer rival/love interest Gimlet (naming your kids after retro alcoholic beverages is a hot trend in the future). Tbh Gimlet’s storyline, surrounding taking care of their nine year old daughter Frankie as their polyamorous marriage dissolves, with one partner receiving cancer treatment and another bailing under the pressure, kinda stole the show for me. ⁣
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Come for the complex and richly imagined world building, stay for the lovable cast of characters and the white-knuckled struggle for the fate of humanity played out in a giant VR video game, which somehow manages to not feel contrived once it’s fit into the context of this brilliant and delightful novel. The whole thing ends beautifully, but I’m clamoring for a sequel. Will settle for more Beckett novels.