Kerickson was the main programmer of the Imperium Game, a three-dimensional recreation of the Roman Empire, complete with a slave market, public baths, gladiatorial combat, and a pantheon of ingeniously programmed deities. The Game was incredibly popular, exciting, and flawless–or so it seemed, until the god programs unexpectedly began to exceed their parameters. Suddenly, the Game was out of control. The gods ran rampant, life became violent and chaotic, the Roman emperor turned up dead–for real--and Kerickson was the prime suspect. Pursued by a policeman convinced of his guilt, Kerickson fled into the increasingly dangerous world of the Game. Now a lowly gladiator trainee, Kerickson must find the identity of the true murderer, and quick–because if the authorities don't get him, the gods surely will.
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Review
"An ingenious mystery with a background combining the glitz of high tech with the decadence of ancient Rome." -- Walter Jon Williams, author of Rift
"K.D. Wentworth is an uncommonly good writer." -- Algis Budrys, author or Rogue Moon
"This is old fashioned heroic adventure, mixing sf and fantasy with a reckless abandon that makes it fun." -- Locus
"K.D. Wentworth is an uncommonly good writer." -- Algis Budrys, author or Rogue Moon
"This is old fashioned heroic adventure, mixing sf and fantasy with a reckless abandon that makes it fun." -- Locus
From the Back Cover
ARE YOU READY FOR THE ULTIMATE ROLE-PLAYING EXPERIENCE?
Kerickson was the main programmer of the Imperium Game, a three-dimensional recreation of the Roman Empire, complete with a slave market, public baths, gladiatorial combat, and a pantheon of ingeniously programmed deities. The Game was incredibly popular, exciting, and flawless-or so it seemed, until the god programs unexpectedly began to exceed their parameters. Suddenly, the Game was out of control. The gods ran rampant, life became violent and chaotic, the Roman emperor turned up dead-for real--and Kerickson was the prime suspect. Pursued by a policeman convinced of his guilt, Kerickson fled into the increasingly dangerous world of the Game. Now a lowly gladiator trainee, Kerickson must find the identity of the true murderer, and quick-because if the authorities don't get him, the gods surely will.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By A Customer
Time and place: New York City of the future, where role playing is taken to its pinnacle at a theme park using physically interactive computer holographic gods and goddesses. The colorful and occasionally gritty streets of ancient Rome come to life in Wentworth's intense imagery, the written equivalent of a Maxfield Parrish painting. But mystery and romance also color the pages.
A hapless programmer named Kerickson is framed for murder of the most important player of the Imperium Game, the Emperior Micio Metullus. It just so happens that Kerickson's ex-wife was Micio's wife in the game, the bewitching Demea, with emphasis on 'witch'. Kerickson soon discovers that Amaelia, the Emperor's daughter is pursued by her jealous stepmother and by Quintis Gracchus, sinister Captain of the Praetorian Guards. Gracchus seems determined to become the next Emperor by any means and change the nature of the game to serve his own dark purpose. With the sometimes-helpful aid of the malfunctioning gods, Kerickson enters the game and strives to save both it and Amaelia as the programs run amok.
The happy ending hoists Kerickson out of his previous wretched state but leaves room for a fun sequel should the author ever feel inspired to write one. THE IMPERIUM GAME provides a winning combination of sci-fi, mystery and romance that leaves you eager to read more.
By "veroyse"
Time and place: New York City of the future, where role playing is taken to its pinnacle at a theme park using physically interactive computer holographic gods and goddesses. The colorful and occasionally gritty streets of ancient Rome come to life in Wentworth's intense imagery, the written equivalent of a Maxfield Parrish painting. But mystery and romance also color the pages.
A hapless programmer named Kerickson is framed for murder of the most important player of The Imperium Game, the Emperor Micio Metullus. It just so happens that Kerickson's ex-wife was Micio's wife in the game, the bewitching Demea, with emphasis on 'witch'. Kerickson soon discovers that Amaelia, the late Emperor's daughter is pursued by her jealous stepmother and by Quintis Gracchus, sinster Captain of the Praetorian Guards. Gracchus seems determined to become the next Emperor by any means and change the nature of the game to serve his own dark purpose. With the sometimes-helpful aid of the malfunctioning gods, Kerickson enters the game and strives to save both it and Amaelia as the programs run amok.
The happy ending hoist Kerickson out of his previous wretched state but leaves room for a fun sequel. The Imperium Game provides a winning combination of sci-fi, mystery and romance.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.6 out of 5 stars
5 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Job Reassignment: Computer Geek to Gladiator
Dec 5 2000
By "veroyse"
- Published on Amazon.com
Time and place: New York City of the future, where role playing is taken to its pinnacle at a theme park using physically interactive computer holographic gods and goddesses. The colorful and occasionally gritty streets of ancient Rome come to life in Wentworth's intense imagery, the written equivalent of a Maxfield Parrish painting. But mystery and romance also color the pages.
A hapless programmer named Kerickson is framed for murder of the most important player of The Imperium Game, the Emperor Micio Metullus. It just so happens that Kerickson's ex-wife was Micio's wife in the game, the bewitching Demea, with emphasis on 'witch'. Kerickson soon discovers that Amaelia, the late Emperor's daughter is pursued by her jealous stepmother and by Quintis Gracchus, sinster Captain of the Praetorian Guards. Gracchus seems determined to become the next Emperor by any means and change the nature of the game to serve his own dark purpose. With the sometimes-helpful aid of the malfunctioning gods, Kerickson enters the game and strives to save both it and Amaelia as the programs run amok.
The happy ending hoist Kerickson out of his previous wretched state but leaves room for a fun sequel. The Imperium Game provides a winning combination of sci-fi, mystery and romance.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Job Reassignment: Computer Geek to Gladiator
Dec 7 2000
By A Customer
- Published on Amazon.com
Time and place: New York City of the future, where role playing is taken to its pinnacle at a theme park using physically interactive computer holographic gods and goddesses. The colorful and occasionally gritty streets of ancient Rome come to life in Wentworth's intense imagery, the written equivalent of a Maxfield Parrish painting. But mystery and romance also color the pages.
A hapless programmer named Kerickson is framed for murder of the most important player of the Imperium Game, the Emperior Micio Metullus. It just so happens that Kerickson's ex-wife was Micio's wife in the game, the bewitching Demea, with emphasis on 'witch'. Kerickson soon discovers that Amaelia, the Emperor's daughter is pursued by her jealous stepmother and by Quintis Gracchus, sinister Captain of the Praetorian Guards. Gracchus seems determined to become the next Emperor by any means and change the nature of the game to serve his own dark purpose. With the sometimes-helpful aid of the malfunctioning gods, Kerickson enters the game and strives to save both it and Amaelia as the programs run amok.
The happy ending hoists Kerickson out of his previous wretched state but leaves room for a fun sequel should the author ever feel inspired to write one. THE IMPERIUM GAME provides a winning combination of sci-fi, mystery and romance that leaves you eager to read more.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
when in Rome...
Sep 23 2005
By Jacob Weisman
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Taking place in a world where medieval role-playing games, like the popular Dungeons & Dragons, are conducted on a grand scale, K.D. Wentworth's The Imperium Game is surprisingly well written, full of twists and turns as well as elegant detail. The arena of The Imperium Game is a full-scale recreation of ancient Rome--complete with computor simulated, holographic dieties who assist players in exchange for ritual sacrafices at their temples. The players, who pay a fee to live and work in the city, are given points based on their experience and the authenticity of their role playing, competing to move up in rank and ultimately to assume the role of Emperor. Full of humor and unique creative touches, Wentworth succeeds in turning what may have been an average sf novel into a delightful, lightweight farce that reads more like a crime novel by Donald Westlake than anything else.
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 5 reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
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