The Lazarus Game: A Book Review

I was given a copy of the Lazarus Game to review.  

The Book:
   Carter Chance is the boy who thinks he has it all figured out. He is a boy genius, still in high school by choice of course as he is a boy-genius, smart enough he could already graduate.  He likes to use his genius and the help of his friends to solve crimes around the city. 
   When a new video store comes into town, the entire town soon seems to be sucked into and addicted to this new store and the games it offers. While Carter is trying to figure what it is about this game that has the whole city's attention, he meets the creator of the store and the Lazarus Game. Carter is offered riches and opportunities beyond his wildest dreams in exchange for his help to create the new version of the Lazarus Game. The more Carter learns, the more he realizes there is much more to the game than he originally thought.  

The Lazarus Game by Stephen J. Valentine is a fast paced adventure story that leaves you wondering what sacrifices are okay if it means helping the greater good. 

My review:
    I will admit, it took me a while to get into this book. Carter is extremely intelligent and extremely arrogant because of it. Not only was he not very relatable but also annoyed me quite a bit. While I knew right away there was something off with the game store and the game, I did not predict or guess the true depth of the game.  
   As Carter begins to realize the truth, his understanding and his character become much more likable. In that sense, it feels like someone truly growing and maturing in a way that made me almost forgive him for how he was in the beginning.  

   As the true nature of the Lazarus Game is discovered it raises some great questions about the value of life and what should and should not be sacrificed. This book is free of language. It does have fighting, death, and even some subject matters that might be a little intense for a younger reader, however it is written in a way that makes it not too morbid or graphic.

While this book was a very rough start for me, I did enjoy the story and the progression of the characters in the end.   I think teenage boys would truly enjoy this book and it raises a lot of good questions to discuss in the end. 

You can find out more about the book and the author on his website or on Facebook. 

You can purchase your own copy of the book at: Amazon// Barnes and Noble