The Immortality Game

by Ted Cross

Moscow, 2138. With the world only beginning to recover from the complete societal collapse of the late 21st Century, Zoya scrapes by prepping corpses for funerals and dreams of saving enough money to have a child. When her brother forces her to bring him a mysterious package, she witnesses his murder and finds herself on the run from ruthless mobsters. Frantically trying to stay alive and save her loved ones, Zoya opens the package and discovers two unusual data cards, one that allows her to fight back against the mafia and another which may hold the key to everlasting life.

Genres: Science Fiction, Cyberpunk, Dystopia, Fiction

328 pages, Paperback

First published November 23, 2014

About the author

Ted Cross is from Arizona and has spent the past three decades traveling the world as a diplomat, all the time dreaming about writing fantasy and science fiction. He has visited nearly forty countries and lived in ten, including the U.S., Russia, China, Croatia, Iceland, Hungary, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Italy, and Luxembourg. He has witnessed coup attempts, mafia and terrorist attacks, played chess with several world champions, and had bit parts in a couple of movies. He is married with two sons and currently lives in Janesville, Wisconsin.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Immortality Game, admit it, we would all like to win that one, but at what cost? Ted Cross takes on a trip into the future to Moscow, the year is 2138 and the world has barely survived a complete meltdown. The poor struggle to scratch out a living serving the wealthy and elite. Science has made tremendous bounds, but is it going in the right direction? Citizens are required to have data ports implanted. Yeah, think built-in USB port for simplicity's sake, is it a scientific break-through or forced compliance? Has Big Brother gone Techno?

When Zoya is asked to deliver a package and witnesses the murder of the sender, she opens the package to discover two data cards that could change the world and its quest for power and immortality. Meanwhile, across the globe another is on the hunt for those cards. Marcus comes to Moscow, but is he alone? His father has been absorbed into the ether, his essence alive, but his body is gone. Could these cards be the answer to bringing him back to the land of humans? Do these cards represent a chance to populate far off planets? Are they meant only for the elite, the chosen few? The winner of the race to space and a possible Utopia called new Eden? Possession of these cards will mean death for Zoya, but using one herself could keep her alive as she and Marcus dodge the Russian mob bent on revenge and retrieval. Who can be trusted? At its best, the world is bleak and dangerous; it will take a miracle to survive.

Ted Cross’ version of the future is chaotic, cold and over-powering as seen by his choice of covers. They say one picture is worth a thousand words, and I think he nailed the atmosphere he has created perfectly. Is he telling us our futures will be decided by science? Are we headed down the path to self-destruction or hope? Mr. Cross gives us several characters to see this world through, to feel the constant tension, the need for secrecy, the mistrust and the wickedly divergent economic classes.

This is brilliant science fiction at its brutally raw best. There is no walk down a peaceful trail, this is grit and survival, but who says who is the fittest? I promise you, Ted Cross has created a world that may stop you in your tracks, make you believe in the sights, sounds and smells he describes, as his words get under your skin and keep bouncing around in your head. Fascinating and powerful!

I received this copy from Ted Cross in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: November 24, 2014
Publisher: Breakwater Harbor Books
Genre: Science Fiction |Thriller | Suspense
Print Length: 328 pages
Available from: Amazon |  Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slow start but then the tension rise.
Here is my full review

On 8th of January I read following post over at Pat's Fantasy Hotlist:

Calling on all self-published/indie speculative fiction writers: Final Update

There was a book mentioned in the post which aroused my interest. I was impressed when I read that the author paid 2000 USD out of his own pocket for the cover art done by the well known Stephan Martiniere.
I was surprised by the cheap price for the digital copy and based on price, cover and blurb I decided to buy a copy of The Immortality Game (digital November 2014) [Kindle ASIN: B00PGW5YZ8] by Ted Cross.
I had expectations and wanted to get the answer to the question:
Does the The Immortality Game lives up to its cover?


The Delivery

The 278 pages are divided into 35 named chapters followed by an epilogue.

The cover serve the main purpose - to raise attention - perfectly!
It seems a futuristic big city plays a certain role which the book description confirm.

Take place and fasten seat belt in Ted Cross' virtual time machine. The date display in front of you shows 2138 and a scarcely audible voice in your head murmurs "Welcome to Moscow".
A shiver cross your body when you see a young woman working with a corpse and your nose recognise the smell of embalming fluid and decay ......

The young woman is Zoya and her job is not the average eight to five office job. The world has changed and in order to survive one can't be picky ....

A package containing two data cards and the death of her brother Georgy set the story in motion which will keep you captivated until the unexpected end which is an end and an option for a sequel.

But there is much more between the beginning and the end which deserve to be mentioned.
As you assume right, Zoya is one of the main characters. She is strong and vulnerable at the same time. She does not hide her emotions and she always believe in the good in mankind which take her quite often into trouble.

There are a lot of other people who have an impact on Zoya's live on different levels and direct and indirect. Even Ted Cross does not tend to write extended description of beings and places, he deliver in a few words characterisations which blossom based on your skill of imagination or to use other words, the more imagination the better.

There are at least to more characters which must be mentioned. There is Javier Saenz who is a well known computer scientist. Unfortunately you can't meet him in person because he died years ago. But he still exist in the digital world.He is a virtual person and highly interested in the data cards. His "body" in the real world is his only son Marcus who is a former mesh addicted. He is a kind and intelligent person. In order to get the data cards Javier Saenz send his son to Moscow where most of the action takes place.

Beside that a lot more persons and fractions each with their own agenda are involved in the action paced and emotional race to get the two data cards.

The world is not a pleasant one. It does not matter if you look at it world wide. Russia, China and America West work on different strategies to go to space in order to inhabit other planets. It is difficult because there is still no FLT drive available.

Millions of people are mesh addicted. Mesh is an all-consuming virtual reality place. There are people who live more or less constantly in the Mesh.

Russia. There is no democracy. Instead Army, Russian Mafia, Politicians and others like the group of people living in the underground fight for power. Not to forget a group of Russian scientists in the hand of the Army.


In the end more or less everything is related to the two unusual data cards which reminded me in a way of a small piece of jewelry well known as "my precious" .....
Is Zoya the female counterpart to someone with big naked feet?
Belong the Russian scientists to the fellowship of .... ?


Who will get the data cards and for what purpose they will be used?
The title of the book is the shortest description of what you can expect.
It is The Immortality Game - a game which is more like a war with a lot of violence and breakneck action, heartbreaking moments, thoughtful passages and a pinch of science.
Nevertheless it is the humanity in form of Zoya supported by Marcus and many more which shows that mankind is not lost as long as there are human beings like them.

Dear Ted Cross,

thank you very much for investing 2000 USD for the cover!
Without I would have missed your excellent story!

The content of The Immortality Game lives up to its cover and more!!

Please write more such excellent books.
I will definitely have a look at your boosk even the covers would be totally black.

[Patrick St-Denis · Rating 2 out of 5]

You guys are aware that my attempt to read and review a self-published SFF work sort of went down the crapper last year. I felt kind of bad, because I really wanted to give an indie speculative fiction author's book a fair shot and come what may. Most of the Hotlist's readers seemed to be against the idea, maintaining that it would likely be a total waste of time, that self-published novels sucked, yada yada yada. And yet, against my better judgement, I elected to do it anyway. Perhaps I should have listened to them. . .

Indie writer Ted Cross, long-time Hotlist follower, communicated with me last fall, touching base to see if perhaps I'd be interested in giving his self-published cyberpunk tale a go since I hadn't followed through with the experience in 2014. My curiosity was piqued when I discovered that he paid 2000$ out of his own pocket to have the gorgeous cover art done by the talented Stephan Martiniere because he wanted the novel to stand out from other self-published works out there.

They say that you can't judge a book by its cover and it's true in this case. Cross mentionned that he felt it was money well-spent, that it was maybe better than investing in a developmental editor. Having read the whole thing, I beg to differ. Although it's well-written, The Immortality Game wasn't ready to be published. Which, in light of the shortcomings on which I'll soon elaborate, is why agents and editors passed on the manuscript.

Here's the blurb:

Moscow, 2138. With the world only beginning to recover from the complete societal collapse of the late 21st Century, Zoya scrapes by prepping corpses for funerals and dreams of saving enough money to have a child. When her brother forces her to bring him a mysterious package, she witnesses his murder and finds herself on the run from ruthless mobsters. Frantically trying to stay alive and save her loved ones, Zoya opens the package and discovers two unusual data cards, one that allows her to fight back against the mafia and another which may hold the key to everlasting life.

One thing that most self-published authors appear to have in common is their low opinion of professional editors. Too often they are portrayed as evil monsters whose only desire in life is to make sure that said authors never get published. A minority expound on the fact that those same editors almost never take a chance on writers whose works don't fit within the confines of any of the popular speculative fiction labels. It's true that being an editor means that they must also wear a businessman or businesswoman's hat, as it's their job to buy and put together a novel that will sell, and that if one's work seems hard to market they may pass on it. But I feel that the bulk of self-published works don't fit in that category. Agents and editors are dying to find the next big thing, or any quality read that will sell for that matter. Ask any SFF authors and they will all acknowledge how their editors made their manuscripts better. True, publishing is a tough nut to crack, but that's the way love goes. Editors are there to make sure no author will release anything less than their best effort. If editors were just fucktards on power trips bent on dominating publishing and making it their life's work to prevent indie authors from ever ending up in bookstores, big names like Richard Morgan, Joe Abercrombie, and George R. R. Martin wouldn't praise Simon Spanton, Gillian Redfearn, and Anne Groell respectively for all the positive influence they have had on their many books. Nor would Patrick Rothfuss be professing his undying love for Betsy Wollheim for all that she has done for him since he signed with Daw Books.

The truth of the matter is that the aforementioned agents and editors are probably passing on these manuscripts because they are simply unfit to be published in their current form. Ted Cross' The Immortality Game sadly falls in that category. Like many other self-published works, Cross' novel contains the seeds of what could become a good and entertaining tale. But I fear that it needs a number of revisions and is probably quite a few rewrites away from ever being adequate to catch an agent or an editor's interest. Unfortunately, like many other writers before him, instead of going back to the drawing board and diving back into this manuscript to try to fix what isn't working, Cross took the path of least resistance and elected to self-publish it.

Now, Ted Cross' The Immortality Game could well be better than the majority of self-published books out there. But that's not saying much. It is extremely well-written and it's obvious that he polished this manuscript in a professional manner. The prose is fluid and easy to read, so there is no problem in that regard. Problem is, the storylines often make no sense and the characterization is at times mediocre and so-so at best. It's in those areas of the manuscript that a developmental editor could have helped Cross immensely. Authors are often too enamored with their works and aren't necessarily the best of judges when it comes to put their finger on what works well and what doesn't. A neutral party can usually focus on the strengths and weaknesses and offer constructive feedback on such matters. And evidently, Cross' test readers didn't do a good job in that regard. . . Indeed, the flaws that prevented him from getting an agent or an editor are quite flagrant. When I asked him about it, Cross replied that his beta readers didn't point out any such flaws. In which case, they did him a disservice. Needless to say, spending that 2000$ to hire an editor would have been a much better investment.

It appears that Cross wanted this one to read like a page-turning cyberpunk technothriller. Hence, for the sake of a crisp rhythm, it looks as though the worldbuilding was kept to a bare minimum. Trouble is, this robbed the story of any sort of depth, which doesn't work very well. Finding the right balance between good storytelling and a quick-moving pace can be tricky. But Ted Cross failed in that particular endeavor. The backdrop of this tale is a near-future world in which the proverbial shit has hit the fan. The bulk of the novel takes place in Russia, where various war lords have taken control of the country. On the other side of the Atlantic, it appears that Mormons now control a vast chunk of the USA. There are a few mentions of the Dark Times, the period during which everything collapsed around the world, but nothing which could give us a better grasp of what actually took place and why things are as they are now in 2138.

What truly killed the book for me was the characterization, especially the dialogue. The narrative itself isn't bad, but things immediately go downhill as soon as characters start to talk or think. To my dismay, the dialogue is full of exchanges worthy of B-movies featuring Steven Seagal or Jean-Claude Van Damme. Yes, it's that bad, especially any back-and-forth involving the scientist Tyoma or the mobster Tavik. I'm pretty sure that this is not what Ted Cross was aiming for. At first I thought that perhaps it was just me, so I did a copy-and-paste of a few scenes and sent them to six of my friends who are avid readers. I told them that I was beta reading a manuscript for my agent and didn't tell them that this was a self-published book that was already on the market. They (3 men and 3 women) opined that the dialogue was atrocious and the monologues going on inside the characters' mind brutal. Five out of six of them alluded to the B-movie-esque style of the exchanges, while another mentioned seeing better dialogue in a porn flick. . . Unless Cross was looking for something that could reach even the lowest common denominator, the dialogue truly kills this novel. Another major shortcoming of The Immortality Game is that the two main protagonists, Zoya and Marcus, never act the way genuine people would. I wouldn't call them dumb, but they excercise absolutely no judgement throughout the tale. They always make the wrong decision, and everything feels contrived to keep the story moving in the direction the author is aiming for. Unfortunately, by doing so they make the teenage cast of a Friday the 13th installment --you know, the ones running around almost naked, going down a dark cellar with the lights off, and getting murdered in the dumbest ways-- look like absolute geniuses. The storylines often make absolutely no sense. Especially Zoya's; this girl has such poor decision-making skills that she gets almost everyone she loves killed. And Marcus, sad puppie that he is, just goes along on this mad quest, putting his own life at risk at every turn for a girl he met a few hours before. The whole thing doesn't ring true and is hard to follow as nothing makes sense from the beginning. This is definitely something that an editor could have helped fix.

Another problem with The Immortality Game is that I feel it's a case of Cross biting off more than he could chew. His attempt to weave together this impossible love story with the cloning/immortality plotline, all the while involving the army and the Russian mafia, was just a bit too much. By exploring those various plotlines, the extraneous is often brought to the forefront and it feels as though the author often loses track of what matters. Once more, this is something an editor could have helped fix.

In the end, The Immortality Game is obviously Ted Cross' love child. It's the kind of tale he obviously loves and wants to read. And that's the kicker. His love for this story blinds him to its shortcomings and prevents him from seeing what's wrong with it. He came up with an interesting premise and the whole thing shows signs that with more work it could be a compelling and entertaining read. But in its current form, those shortcomings simply make it impossible for the book to stand well on its own. As such, paying 2000$ for that Martiniere cover turned out to be a mistake. He would have been better served with the services of an editor who would have helped him clean up his manucript and make everything better.

Normally, I would have stopped reading because I hate to waste time on inferior SFF works when my plate is already full with works from established authors. But I went public and I said I would do this, and I promised Cross to give his book a shot. I hate to give something a bad score, but the truth of the matter is that The Immortality Game wasn't ready to be published. It shows potential, true, but it's a number of rewrites away from being good enough to be read at large. Barring an editor, Ted Cross needs a number of honest and objective beta readers who are not afraid to tell him what doesn't work with his manuscripts. This guy has talent and good ideas. It's in the execution that he needs to improve.

The final verdict: 4/10

For more reviews: www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

[Regina Foo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

It's year 2138 in Moscow. Zoya is working with a corpse when her brother, Georgy suddenly appears at the morgue. He thrusts a package to her and asks her help to deliver the package back to him the next day. Zoya never thought that day would change her life, forever.

The Immortal Game is a cyberpunk, dystopian science fiction that sets in the future where everyone has some sort of network connection port and card slot that is implanted into their bodies. Wealthier people could even get wireless device"installed" into their system to allow wireless communications among users. How convenient is that.

I purchased The Immortal Game on Amazon with only $ 0.99. My original purpose is to read some science fiction with premise like biotechnology for one of my story ideas. At first, I felt obliged to read it since it's a "reference book" and the pace at the beginning of the book is quite slow. It's understandable as usually science fiction will need some time to getting the environment setup for the readers.

So, I started reading it in October 2015 then I set it aside after reading about 12% of the book. Then since 15th March 2016, I resumed reading the book, thanks to the Amazon Cloud Reader which provides me convenience of reading at my work desk. :)

Ted's idea of having human bodies implanted with data ports and slots might not be original but I personally find it amusing because I'm a programmer. Having an ability to read from a data card through the port/slot is a very cool idea and it makes human a cyborg! Imagine that you don't need a cellphone to make phone calls to your friend, all you need is a wireless device implanted in your body!

The character of Zoya undergoing a very great development in this book. The lost of her beloved family members and friends having a great impact on how she behaves, not to say that something critical happened in between that allows her to become Lara Croft.

The story picked up its pace after Zoya encountered with the mobsters that are hunting for the two data cards that exists in the package she reluctantly received from Georgy. Apparently the content of the cards might change the world in a disastrous way if they landed on the hands of the bad guys. It starts to get more intense when Marcus joins Zoya in her suicidal mission.

I found the resolution comes in too quickly, I expect to have more explanations going on. But in overall, it's a satisfying ending which triggered my serious thought in this topic. Do I want to be immortal? It's interesting to have another version of me in different body. How would "we" interact with each other? Could we get along well simply because we're having the same thought?

I definitely think this book is worth reading if you're a big fan of science fiction, especially on cyberpunk. That'll be great if this story is made into a movie.

This review is originally posted on: http://wp.me/p6Uw1h-k2

[Michael Offutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first line begins, "Zoya hummed along to a pre-dark times rock tune as she sketched a final line of purple lipstick onto the grossly fat man on the stainless steel slab." It pretty much sets the tone of this science-fiction thriller, and Ted Cross' ability to wield words reminds me of Martin Cruz Smith, author of Three Stations, who has an equally torrid ability to bring life to black and white letters on a page. I guess it's kind of eerie then that in my comparison, the first chapter begins in Moscow of all places. But if you want something to come across as gritty, harsh, and cold is there a better place to start than Mother Russia?

In the Immortality Game, China and America West are racing to be the first to reach New Eden using ponderous space ships that will take centuries to bridge the gulf of space. However, the Russians have a different idea. A small and fast ship carrying a precious cargo of D.N.A.

And therein is the answer to the question of "how we can sail across the stars?" The plot doesn't seek to reinvent a spin on the creation of a FTL drive. Rather, it's in the roots of modern science and a bold statement that space colonization will not be done by those who live now, but by those who have yet to be born.

If you are a fan of Orphan Black, the idea of cloning humans from DNA samples, and aging them not only to create other humans but to give them a mind, then this is a book for you. "The Immortality Game" is on the cutting edge of hard science fiction, and provides a solution to colonialism that's pretty original considering that I've only seen it in use in Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar."

This is a thrilling ride for anyone that loves exciting science fiction books.

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished THE IMMORTALITY GAME by Ted Cross and decided to do a write-up. It's a story about brain upload technology and how a bunch of Russian gangsters are chasing this poor Russian girl and the overweight American nerd in love with her. It'd be hilarious if they weren't murdering everyone she knows (which is counter productive to getting her cooperation).

I really enjoy cyberpunk stories and I had a lot of fun with this one. It's pretty much one long chase scene as our heroine slowly gets driven to the brink by the Russian Mob's heavy handed tactics. There's also an interesting father-son relationship between Marcus and an AI based around his father. There's a twist in the ending that I was entertained by but also intrigued enough that I wonder if Ted Cross will consider making a sequel for.

I preferred the audiobook version as narrated by Sam Atlas but the ebook version was something I also acquired and read in a couple of days.

[Tyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. I don't know, maybe I'm just not in the right frame of mind for this book. I found it boring and each page I read I got distracted and found something more interesting to do. The different POVs really chopped up the flow too, and I already found myself groaning in the few first pages of the book. You know what I'm talking about. It gets to a semi-interesting part and BAM, change POV to something completely different. I wasn't in the mood for that kind of crap. I'll probably come back to it later, seeing as it's cyberpunk (one of my favourite genres/sub genres), but for now I'm dnf'ing it.

[Donna Hole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not normally a quick reader, but I was drawn into the world of The Immortality Game from the opening chapter through the ending. The futuristic setting was immediately and expertly introduced, and the female lead character, Zoya, had a good-girl appeal from the opening dialogue with her roguish brother. The world after The Dark Times is further built through the perspective of Marcus, the young son of a deceased millionaire who invented the program- cure for the “internet virus” that hackers used to topple governments and cripple the business world. The program also made possible a widespread addiction called “meshing”, which nearly destroys humanity to the point of extinction.

This story is action packed, but has a steady pace that drew me completely into the world. Although filled with cyber-speak, it doesn't take a degree or interest in science or engineering to relate to the simple terminology. If you've watch the world news or own your own computer, you’ll be familiar with slots, discs, wireless, clones, air cars, intergalactic space travel, and the concept that “there is always a war somewhere.” Mr. Cross takes exploratory technology of today, sets it in a world little more than a hundred years in the future, and adds an intense twist to world politics and everyday game playing and vice.

I enjoyed how the author took two average people who would likely never meet, and who have no extra-ordinary skills, placed them in a situation to make choices between loyalty, family, and basic morality, and used the available technology and societal rules of the time to force them to rise to the challenges. And who isn't curious about the inner workings of the Russian Mafia, and how normal citizens survive in such a hostile environment?

The Immortality Game gave me a sense of hope for the future, even while it listed the devastation of relying on the virtual pleasures of cyber-space and cyber lovers, the loss of individuality and connection with people, even the loss of life. Marcus’ deceased father integrated his genius mind into the internet and retains his basic personality while seeking the genetic compatibility of a clone body to restore his humanity, and he uses his world wide connection to protect his only son from the oblivion of “meshing.” Zoya has hope of using the found technology to assist her in rescuing her brother, her friends, and her hope of having a child of her own. Marcus is searching for his purpose in life and a reason to remain addiction free without the protective firewalls of his father’s intervention.

I think this story would appeal to readers who enjoy “a little romance and technology” in the story without it overwhelming the concepts of intrigue and the search for immortality. I give The Immortality Game five stars and would definitely read more titles by the author Ted Cross.

[Christopher Gerrib · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was attracted to this book by two things. First, Ted Cross, the author, has spent serious time in Moscow, where the story is set, and currently resides in lovely Baku, Azerbaijan. Second, just look at that cover! It’s from Stephan Martiniere, one of the premier SF illustrators.

Fortunately, The Immortality Game lives up to its cover. Set primarily in Moscow in the summer of 2138, the book is the story of Zoya and Marcus. Zoya is a Russian teenager, who by accident comes in possession of some military cyber-ware. Marcus is a twenty-something American and former addict of “The Mesh,” an all-consuming virtual reality place.

Marcus is also being led around by his “dad” – or rather an AI construct that has his dad’s memories and personalities. Marcus’s dad thinks that Zoya’s cyber-ware, or rather the folks that made it, can be used to download him into a real body. Alas, said Russian cyber-tech is valuable, and the Russian mob wants it. Also, the world of 2138 is a radically different place, with what’s left of America being ruled by the Mormon Church.

This basic setup leads to an action-packed series of events, as the two young people struggle to survive. Also struggling are the Russian scientists who invented the tech, and pretty much all of the good guys are way out of their depth. While all of this action is going on, the author doesn’t skimp on character-building. Everybody, from our leads to the Russian hit men and their bosses, has at least some character arc and development.

I have to say I also liked the ending. The author has a chance to go with the conventional “happy ever after” ending but he doesn’t, subverting it while not being a complete downer. Zoya, Marcus and his “dad” all have more substantial development, which leads them to some interesting places. I also liked Mr. Cross’s eye for detail. For example, his Moscow is full of poplar seeds floating like snowflakes in the summer breeze.

If you can’t tell, I really enjoyed reading The Immortality Game.

[Hart Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is gratifying to me, and it comes along so rarely, that a story has the trifecta of important pieces, all developed well: character, setting and plot. Zoya and Marcus are 'everyman' in different ways, Marcus in recovery from a “Mesh” addiction (that escape to a fantasy world of his choosing where his body is stabilized in a bed and his head hooked into escape instead of reality), son of a very wealthy (but mostly dead) man who had managed to finally eradicate viruses from the online world. Zoya is working poor in a place with DRASTIC disparities between people who can do pretty much anything they want and people barely getting by. And Ted manages to give them realistic motive to get involved and realistic means to 'up their game' to the necessary skills. The setting is fascinating and seems realistic, given the distance in the future, and the plot is highly tense and comes together (several PoV characters start in different places) well.

More than all this though, this is the first book I've read in quite some time that was completely Un-put-downable. I found myself reaching for it every chance I got. Even if you are not a Sci-Fi or Cyberpunk fan normally, the thriller nature of this and the great characters will pull you in.

Note: I received an advanced copy of this book in preparation for an author interview.

[Scott Toney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, intelligent, fast-paced sci-fi fun! I picked up The Immortality Game and could not put it down. Usually I read several books at a time, but nothing made its way into my reading time other than The Immortality Game and I read it in 1/3 the time it normally takes me to read a novel. The author clearly has great strength in world creation and in making characters feel real, like they could be someone you know. I love it when an author can make me feel that way about their characters, especially when we’re talking a Sci-Fi or Fantasy book.
Zora is strong willed, with quick decision making skills as she first reacts with the stunningly cool (and disastrous) events that come her way. And her male counterpart, Marcus, is what the everyman would be like when plunged into an awesome sci-fi technothriller.
I loved the futuristic Russian setting as well and also Cross’ descriptions of what other portions of the world have become.
This is a book that quite simply, if you love Sci-Fi or Thrilling reads, you just must pick up. I’m beginning reading Cross’ newest release, The Shard, today!

P.s. On a side note, the cover is stunning!

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good premise, very well developed world, extremely well-developed, rounded characters. All of it just tacked on to a good, but not special plot.

The plot of this book is a chase story, our wonderful protagonist Zoya and her foil Marcus are chased through a moderately far future Russian city. This is all well and good, but the middle of it is just the same couple scenes over and over again. This is where I got frustrated. Thankfully it was saved by the well written characters. And of special note the plot device of "Oh no I have been given the skills of a super soldier, I'm scared and can't use them against bad guys" was handily avoided.

So while I was frustrated by the repetitiveness at times, Ted Cross really did a good job of subverting my expectations and making a fairly decent story. I'm afraid this book isn't one of my top, but I could be convinced to read some of his other stuff. This was, after all, his debut novel.

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a novel version of Taken and with a female protagonist instead of Liam Neeson. And Ruskies.

[Mary Enck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ted Cross is a stellar creator of amazing stories and a master world builder. As I read The Immortality Game I witnessed a stunning look into the future world and what may come. We can only imagine how it will be in those mists of tomorrow. Ted brings us there as we read his view of those times and the story he plays out for us.

I love a novel that excites my senses in the way of sitting on the edge of ones seat breathless and waiting to see what comes on the future pages. I was so wrapped up in this story, I feel as if I lived it for a while. Long before the last pages I knew I was going to wish for more and realized I would need to wait for the next adventure Ted has in his mind.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fourteen year old with a love for classic rock and other such genres, the Immortality Game really appealed to me in almost every sense. This action packed thriller is a great read, and the clever twists and turns will keep you entertained all the way. The world is wonderfully realistic; in fact I could easily imagine the world turning out not much different in the future. Altogether this book is amazing when you just want to sit down and stay sitting.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, not what I thought. I am not a huge science fiction fan, but the idea of living on the Web was fascinating. It also was scary in its implications and in the future world the author created. Bravo.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Ted Cross takes the reader into a future world where technology is both a great blessing and a terrible curse. His vision of medical nanobots, human-machine interfaces and flying cars is balanced by his development of real characters facing extraordinary challenges. Millions are trapped in virtual realities more addictive than heroin. Others are forced to live underground. As with our current world, those without means suffer the greatest deprivations.
The Immortality Game’s core protagonist is a tough woman, Zoya, who is dragged into the brutal realm of Moscow’s mafia when her brother entrusts her with stolen goods. This one act propels her on a journey fraught with danger, death and the chance to discover herself.
Throughout the read you are enthralled by chase sequences through the city’s long abandoned subway system and ghost town apartment highrises. You feel the terror Zoya feels being pursued by relentless thugs and the exhilaration she experiences when she triumphs over the toughest of adversaries.
Her adventures are interleaved with those of another, almost hapless figure who is forced to chase after those same stolen goods to save his father’s life. Zoya’s interactions with him are not pleasant, but he is enchanted by her force of will and he is compelled to help her face the many dangers she must brave on her journey.
Throughout the read you are introduced to interesting characters. Some of them get what they want. Some die. The Immortality Game gives you a glimpse into a future full of intrigue and adventure. A strongly recommended read.

[Sherry Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved The Immortality Game by Ted cross! The cover is well done and fits the story very well. I like the futuristic feel of the cover, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The characters are well-rounded and fleshed out splendidly to make them feel like real people. 

The first chapter hooked me so hard, I couldn’t put The Immortality Game down, and the story kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. I loved all the futuristic Scifi stuff, and I think Ted Cross did a fantastic job with the world building. There are no huge chunks of “explanation”, there are no info dumps of techy stuff. Ted simply puts them into the story as if we are already as familiar with them as we are with televisions or cell-phones. I fell effortlessly into the setting, picturing everything with ease. His world-building abilities should be studies, in my opinion. 

The main character, Zoya leaps off the page to have you on her side from the start, and you can’t help but cheer her on as she not only survives, she becomes a bad-ass. 
There were a few sentences I felt could be a little stronger, and several characters are introduced at once, which had me a tiny confused for a moment at the beginning. For this reason I give the story 4.8-stars. Overall, this did not impede my enjoyment of this story one bit. 

I highly recommend The Immortality Game by Ted Cross to everyone who enjoys reading science fiction, cyberpunk, mystery, suspenseful thrillers.

[Rob Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book in a very short time, compelled to find out what would happen to this fascinating and well-written cast of characters. Ted Cross creates a believable and incredibly creative future earth following a catastrophic depopulation and destabilization that leads to a future where people surrender themselves to an alternate reality much kinder than the harsh conditions the poor face. In the 22nd century, the remnants of civilization house ultra rich thrill seekers alongside the abjectly impoverished, each using whatever means they can to survive this dystopian futurescape.

The story moves rapidly through a series of character tracks that weave towards one another, creating a masterfully conceived and breathtakingly imaginative final tapestry that blends science fiction and action/thriller genres with an artful hand. The characters are three dimensional and relatable and the plot keeps a relentless pace that had me flipping screens to keep up with them. The creativity and scientific imagination, meted out at exactly the right pace acts as a compelling backdrop to this gripping story. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zoya is doing what she needs to do to survive, so when her brother strongly asks her to do a package pick up for him she does it. But things go sideways and she finds two chips in the bag one helps her fight off all foes even a mafia, the other might have a even more significant use, but for now she is on the run, with only a strange American boy, Marcus, that can talk to his dad inside his head and has loads of money to help. The more of her world that crashes down the more she runs and it becomes a vicious cycle until she makes her stand.

This is a very interesting book, science isn't close to what is described in this book yet, but maybe someday. Just something to keep in mind as reading or listening to this book. This book is well thought out and the plot is tight. I liked this book with its non stop action and how it filled me with intrigue over what some day the future might hold. I had the audio version narrated by Sam Atlas. The audio will drop you right down with Zoya and Marcus and you can become part of the race across the city and you too can play the game, the immortality game.

[Tammy Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! The concept is interesting, and the story had an excellent flow. I look forward to reading anything this author puts out.

[Bruce Screws jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an interesting take on the cyberpunk genre.

[J.B. Garner · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the Musings of a Starving Author:

Future worlds, thrills, crime, action, and foreign lands … these are the ingredients that are dangled before the diners sitting at Mr. Cross’s table. We’ve sampled technothrillers before, but The Immortality Game promises to take things a step beyond the near-now. Will taking the technothriller formula forward another century add a swirl of delicious flavor to our dish or will it simply confuse the literary palate?

Before we find out, let’s recount the Starving Review creed:

I attempt to rate every book from the perspective of a fan of the genre
I attempt to make every review as spoiler-free as possible.

My fellow literary foodies, the real trick is that Mr. Cross takes us across the technological gulf from technothriller to true cyberpunk. I’m not talking the crunchy recycled hash full of Mr. Johnsons and cyber-samurai that’s been rehashed so many times. Game is more akin to the progenitors of the genre and there’s a certain form of purity of flavor that comes from that. More than that, by sticking to its own story and alternate history, this particular slice of cake creates its own unique flavor while still giving that bit of nostalgic tang that reminds you of other meals you’ve loved in the past.

While that speaks volumes of the chef’s mastery of the genre ingredient, that’s only one part of a good literary meal. There are other vital concerns: characters, plot, pacing, style, all that sort of thing. I could easily generalize here, but it would be a disservice to Mr. Cross to do so. Let’s take it from the top then!

The chef of Game juggles a platterful of characters, primarily focusing on a small group of point-of-view characters. The cast is large enough to risk being muddled, lost in the rest of the literary batter, but Mr. Cross does an admirable job of keeping it all straight. Clear, concise scene shifts and strong character identities serve to keep the reader straight on the action, while the chef makes certain to lay tracks and run distinct character arcs for our protagonists. There is a certain stark realism mixed in with the cyberpunk conventions that makes our two main protagonists utterly believable. The only thing that seemed potentially odd at the start was the seeds of a romantic subplot, but even that makes sense as more of the plot and the world are revealed. Kudos, as well, to the chef for his resolution of this (I can say no more because SPOILERS)!

I don’t think I need to say that the plot is well-blended and laid out at this point. As I said, our characters follow a smooth arc and the plot moves with it. What I find rather interesting is the themes of agency and lack of agency woven throughout every course of the meal. Again, I cannot breach my contract to give specifics, but I will only say that there are some rather deep ideas here if you wish to look for them. At the same time, you can simply approach it as the cyberpunk thriller it is and enjoy it just as much.

Really, while I could go on for paragraphs, let’s cut to the chase. The Immortality Game is a flavorful, spicy serving of cyberpunk thriller delight! If you like thrillers, science-fiction, and especially the cyberpunk genre, this is a must-read. Even if you don’t, you should seriously consider sitting down at Mr. Cross’ table for the well-written characters, just so long as you can stand a little grit and violence.

FINAL VERDICT: ***** (A flavorful, spicy serving of cyberpunk thriller delight!)

[Minki Pool · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a tense, fast-paced read that included many characters with complicated and often morally ambiguous motivations, which made it seem as messy and real and sometimes downright contradictory as only real humans can be. Set in a future that feels partly very probable and partly like a sly joke about the current political climate, it offers, among other things, a very interesting look at the question of human cloning and how a clone is in no way an exact copy unless you also duplicate the mind. And that's without adding free will into the mix. Another interesting complication was the suggestion that, once we humans start messing with our brains Matrix-style, there is a very big chance that the new abilities and knowledge can start to influence who we are and how we react.

It's also great to see a female lead who isn't a femme fatale or a damsel in distress: Zoya is real person who has her own plans for her life and her own network of support that she calls on for help. She doesn't want or need any interference by well-meaning male bystanders, as is proven by Marcus's desire to 'save' her and his comically obvious inability to do so. Zoya also dispatches with the notion that women are the 'preservers of life' and so are naturally and stoically opposed to violence. In the beginning she IS opposed to violence, but it doesn't take a major growth of character for her to decide that she wants to avenge her family with all the bloodshed that such an act would entail. She also gets angry, despondent, annoyed, rational, relieved and frightened, to mention a few, so runs the full gamut of emotions one would expect a normal human being to feel in such a situation.

Special mention to the fact that Zoya and Marcus attend the call of nature and has a quick meal while hiding from mobsters, and again actually visits the toilets just before getting ready for heir final confrontation, because, you know, no matter how many chips you have in your head or how much you are playing the action hero, at some point you are going to need a bathroom...

[Erika *and her little dog too* · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a late Saturday afternoon when Zoya's brother Georgy shows up at her job with a package he needs her to hold on to and deliver to him the following morning. Zoya is understandably hesitant; her brother's mixed up with the Russian mob. I mean, who would willingly take possession of a package that likely has ties to the Russian mob? Eventually she's convinced, and she sets off the following morning to bring the package to her brother and instead becomes witness to his murder. Turns out the package contains two chips--a combat chip which can turn virtually any human into an ass-kicking weapon, and another chip which could be the key to immortality. Over the next 24ish hours, adventure and shenanigans and a whole lot of killing ensue.

This gets 3 stars for entertainment value and some pretty cool sci-fi elements. As far as self-published books go, it's actually one of the betters ones I've read. There were a few things I didn't understand, which I'm willing to admit might be my shortcomings as a reader. I'm not entirely sure what the general's ties were to the mob. I think I just missed something there. I get that he wanted the combat chip, but he seemed to be unaware of its existence prior to his visit to the research facility, and it was stolen before then, so... *scratches head*. Also, I was not shipping Marcus and Zoya. At all. He was just like this infatuated little puppy who fell instantly and insanely in love because she was soo purrdy. In the words of Zoya: "I'm the one who's had the day from hell. You've just been following me around for some crazy reason" which pretty much sums up their entire relationship.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fast paced Sci-Fi thriller for sure. I have to say I just simply love this cover. It's fantastic! I was given a copy of this book to give a honest opinion. But this cover seriously screams the future to me. I would buy this book just based on this cover.

The Immortality Game is a great game indeed. Well more like a chase in Moscow in the year 2138. The world is a mess to say the least. Science has gone above and beyond requiring ports which I love this idea concept to go on.

Zoya is a fantastic character who's caught in the chase without even knowing it. Nor is she very willing to listen. Poor Marcus gets stuck for a ride of a lifetime. All for data cards. Who knew such important info would be on those cards and worth dying for.

Ted Cross did a excellent job with this novel. Sci-Fi is very hard to pull off to make it easy reading. He did a splendid job of making it easy to understand and the story line flowed very nicely in this quick paced novel. The ending was perfect. While i kinda had a feeling it was heading that way I was still happy with the overall outcome.

While this is a horrible future that may one day happen Ted Cross made it quite realistic to the real dangers of what science might be able to pull off one day in the future. This is a techno thriller for sure.

If you are a fan of techno thrillers/sci-fi you'll love this world that was created. I highly recommend if you want a fix of some sci-fi that's well written.

[Kurt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, quick read. The universe Cross creates is an interesting one, with enough detail to give proper context, but not so much to detract from the plot. It's a fast-paced, action-filled book that's a good page turner for an airplane trip or a lazy afternoon by the pool. Not really long enough to grip you or draw you in, but still very entertaining.

My biggest gripe was the forced love story. It felt incredibly false and unrealistic that two people could fall for each other as fast and far as they apparently did. But, if you overlook that, the rest of the book was great.

[Anton Müller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy and entertaining narrative flow, some bright ideas about what the future might be regarding artificial intelligence; other than that has all the trappings of a classic thriller involving heroes and villains - quite enjoyable without being a great novel

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is talented at world building and well developed characters.I enjoyed this book and found myself caring about the characters and their futures.I would recommend this book to any fan of the sci-fi genre.I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review .

[Maria.J · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dark, exciting, dystopian novel that was well worth the read. Follows a girl named Zoya in the year 2138 in Moscow who gets a package from who brother (who then dies), and she finds herself running from the mob who killed him. It's intense, thrilling, and all around a great read.

[Canadian 135 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly fast-paced thriller sci-fi. Near future Moscow, where kick-ass female lead has to run for her life to protect two data-chips left in her care by her brother. Lots of fun.