dryhop's review against another edition
4.0
I did not know what to expect with this book. I bought it at Salt Lake City Comic Con because I had seen the author in a few panels and happened to wander by his booth out on the floor. He is a funny guy and was happy to answer questions about writing or whatever else you may want to talk about.
On to the book itself. The book is an indictment of ridiculous tabletop gaming shortcomings, mostly in being realistic. The main character is murdered and become a character in his own game that is being run by the man that just murdered him (this is only a spoiler if you don't read the back of the book). You are immediately assaulted with perfectly cuboidal rooms and flaming women's undergarments. It goes on from there, pointing out shortcoming after shortcoming in a world where the creator clearly didn't do their homework or take the time to give any non-player characters any in depth form of personality.
I found a great many moments of this book to be laugh out loud funny. It manages to run the same gags just long enough before switching to something new so it never gets stale. And the primary character, while only mildly competent in the real world, knows the rules of this one and uses that to his best advantage. It really was a fun book with a far more compelling protagonist than you would really expect from a book that started out just poking fun at table top gamers. I definitely recommend it.
On to the book itself. The book is an indictment of ridiculous tabletop gaming shortcomings, mostly in being realistic. The main character is murdered and become a character in his own game that is being run by the man that just murdered him (this is only a spoiler if you don't read the back of the book). You are immediately assaulted with perfectly cuboidal rooms and flaming women's undergarments. It goes on from there, pointing out shortcoming after shortcoming in a world where the creator clearly didn't do their homework or take the time to give any non-player characters any in depth form of personality.
I found a great many moments of this book to be laugh out loud funny. It manages to run the same gags just long enough before switching to something new so it never gets stale. And the primary character, while only mildly competent in the real world, knows the rules of this one and uses that to his best advantage. It really was a fun book with a far more compelling protagonist than you would really expect from a book that started out just poking fun at table top gamers. I definitely recommend it.
urlphantomhive's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 Stars
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
Damico is a game designer who gets shot in the head for disagreeing to publish the worst game ever. To his annoyance he doesn't end up dead but instead wakes inside said game. It is worse than Hell, especially since it's filled with every trope ever.
Of course, the title kind of gave it away, if you don't want to read clichés stay far away from this book. However, from time to time, this book offered a nice view to this clichés. At other times it worked less well. I found the story also a bit repetitive and could only read small parts in one read otherwise I would get slightly annoyed by it.
All in all, I have some mixed feelings about this book and still haven't really decided what to think about it...
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
Damico is a game designer who gets shot in the head for disagreeing to publish the worst game ever. To his annoyance he doesn't end up dead but instead wakes inside said game. It is worse than Hell, especially since it's filled with every trope ever.
Of course, the title kind of gave it away, if you don't want to read clichés stay far away from this book. However, from time to time, this book offered a nice view to this clichés. At other times it worked less well. I found the story also a bit repetitive and could only read small parts in one read otherwise I would get slightly annoyed by it.
All in all, I have some mixed feelings about this book and still haven't really decided what to think about it...
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
booksavvyreviews's review against another edition
3.0
Admittedly, I am a nerd. Not just a book nerd, but the kind of nerd that would dress up and go to renaissance faires, [I was a pretty pretty princess. Don't believe me?]
I enjoy video games, and even roleplaying [writing! unless you count me as a pretty pretty princess..and that one time I was an elf for Halloween. Ears included.]
That aside! I can relate to the nerdisms and the cliches that are strewn throughout this book.
Damico is a Video Game creator and is approached by a crazed and not so nice fan who shoots him in the head. When Damico awakens he's a terrible game with every cliche known to mankind inside of it, he has to work his way through the game and face these terrible, terrible cliches!
The style is comparable to Douglas Adams HHGTTG, there is wit a-plenty, action galore, but in the end, it left me as just an "Okay" read. It's good for a giggle, but sometimes it was just a bit over the top and left me sighing a touch.
It was a fun read, though, if not a little too silly. It does well to paint pictures of being inside this digital world where he has no choice but to follow through with the game's plot, and if he dares to speak a word of what is actually transpiring the other players respond with a "What was that? I'm sorry I didn't hear you."
While it was fun, I simply couldn't find myself really getting into it. Still, a fun read for equally nerdy individuals such as myself.
Website - Facebook - Instagram
I enjoy video games, and even roleplaying [writing! unless you count me as a pretty pretty princess..and that one time I was an elf for Halloween. Ears included.]
That aside! I can relate to the nerdisms and the cliches that are strewn throughout this book.
Damico is a Video Game creator and is approached by a crazed and not so nice fan who shoots him in the head. When Damico awakens he's a terrible game with every cliche known to mankind inside of it, he has to work his way through the game and face these terrible, terrible cliches!
The style is comparable to Douglas Adams HHGTTG, there is wit a-plenty, action galore, but in the end, it left me as just an "Okay" read. It's good for a giggle, but sometimes it was just a bit over the top and left me sighing a touch.
It was a fun read, though, if not a little too silly. It does well to paint pictures of being inside this digital world where he has no choice but to follow through with the game's plot, and if he dares to speak a word of what is actually transpiring the other players respond with a "What was that? I'm sorry I didn't hear you."
While it was fun, I simply couldn't find myself really getting into it. Still, a fun read for equally nerdy individuals such as myself.
Website - Facebook - Instagram
danwillis's review against another edition
5.0
They say you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover. A less well known corollary is that you should never judge a book by it’s cliches. In Death by Cliche, Bob Defendi delivers the best of the worst cliches that Role Playing Games (RPGs) have to offer and turns them on their heads for the reader’s amusement. Anyone who’s ever played an RPG has found themselves in some version of The Worst Game Ever. The Worst Game Ever starts in a tavern, mysteriously built and flourishing in the middle of nowhere where the party is met by a mysterious stranger with a tale of a-little-to-obvious mystery or adventure. This is followed by the party being led around by the nose, conveniently encountering just the right strangers with just the right pieces of information to keep the plot going. It’s practically a rite of passage for gamers. What Bob has so diligently and lovingly done is take The Worst Game Ever, and force a professional writer and game designer to live every grueling minute of it to hilarious effect for the reader. From “Convenient Plot Exposition Man,” to one of the only self-aware villains in the history of game fiction, Death by Cliche is an enjoyable ride through the main character’s pain and eventual triumph. If you’re a fan of RPGs, Cliches, or just regular old human, Death by Cliche is for you. It’s the cat’s meow.
eternity21's review against another edition
3.0
The story begins with a bang with the main character Damico getting shot in the head by Carl a disgruntled writer of D & D games. Damico wakes up inside of a D & D game and the proceeds to try figure out if he is dead or not. He team up with a band of people intent on stopping Hraldolf from destroying the world. Omar, Gorthander, Arithian, Jurkand and Lotianna who seems to be love interest although she keeps changing personalities depending on who is playing her in real life.
The story gets a little repetitive at times but still enjoyable. There was a lot of tongue in cheek type humor which was very much in the style of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams.
I was given a free digital copy from the publishers for an honest opinion of this book.
The story gets a little repetitive at times but still enjoyable. There was a lot of tongue in cheek type humor which was very much in the style of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams.
I was given a free digital copy from the publishers for an honest opinion of this book.
missjackieoh's review against another edition
2.0
Okay, so I am going to start off by saying that choosing this book had been a bad decision on my part. I am NOT a gamer; I am not good at games and I don't particularly like them. Ready Player One had been a flop for me but I really, REALLY enjoyed The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss. So really these kinds of books are a hit or miss with me.
I chose Death By Cliche mainly for its humor. Which really fell flat for me. It felt very much like an insider joke that I 'had to have been there' for. Well, I wasn't there. I didn't get a single reference or joke and the ones I did get were more of a chuckle for me. The author also had quotes at the beginning of the chapters, and apparently either ran out of nerdy quotes (highly improbable) or thought it would be funny to act like he ran out of them, but still had to go through with the quotes. It mostly seemed weird for me.
I can't say I really felt much for the characters. I was really rooting for Damico though, because being shot in the head by crazy fan is REALLY messed up!
The premise of this story, being trapped in a D&D game, is very interesting. I wish I had enjoyed it more.
Happy Reading
Jackie
I chose Death By Cliche mainly for its humor. Which really fell flat for me. It felt very much like an insider joke that I 'had to have been there' for. Well, I wasn't there. I didn't get a single reference or joke and the ones I did get were more of a chuckle for me. The author also had quotes at the beginning of the chapters, and apparently either ran out of nerdy quotes (highly improbable) or thought it would be funny to act like he ran out of them, but still had to go through with the quotes. It mostly seemed weird for me.
I can't say I really felt much for the characters. I was really rooting for Damico though, because being shot in the head by crazy fan is REALLY messed up!
The premise of this story, being trapped in a D&D game, is very interesting. I wish I had enjoyed it more.
Happy Reading
Jackie
leons1701's review
3.0
Well, that was interesting. Cliche indeed, deadly or not. We've seen any number of portal fantasies that drop players into the game, but I'm not sure we've ever seen one where the game was deliberately bad before. Defendi trots out most of the tropes of bad D&D and dysfunctional players in the service of humor, unfortunately, we've seen it all before. He keeps things stirred up just enough to be interesting but ultimately doesn't have anything all that important to say. It's a fun enough ride but it doesn't actually go anywhere and that's a shame.
ptrhansen's review
5.0
Hilarious fun!
Really enjoyed the tale told with tongue firmly in cheek. You don't need to be a Dungeons and Dragons player to enjoy it.
Really enjoyed the tale told with tongue firmly in cheek. You don't need to be a Dungeons and Dragons player to enjoy it.
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