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| "I'm Felicity, and this is my story." Her voice is singsong, kind of like a canary. It's a story of love and betrayal. And blood. My blood." With her head still facing the viewer, she turns her body sideways and rests her right forearm on the bar, her green eyes narrowing to sultry slits. By Robert Rotstein Author of Corrupt Practices |
A Parker Stern Novel
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| ""Did you ever get lost? So lost you can't find your way our of the darkness? I did. One day..." She sits up with a start, places an index finger to her lower lip, and shakes her head vigorously, each computer-generated dreadlock swaying swaying in perfect rhythm to her movements. Nobody but Poniard can make a game seem so real. |
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| "That's sooo wrong," she says in her flury voice. "That's what they want you to think. But it's a lie. I didn't get lost at all. I was taken. Abducted by William the Conqueror and his band of thugs. You see, in this game, you not only know what the crime was, you know who committed it. But this game's not over. It's just beginning. All you have to do is find out how it all happened. Easy, huh? Hardly. An unattainable goal, because you can't rescue me. But there's an answer to what happened to me, I assure you. Let me show you something." |
Felicity sits in a booth alone, sipping a glass of amber liquid. Everything in the scene is old fashioned. Felicity's hair, auburn now, is piled on top of her head. She wears a black jacket over a tight black dress. The scene starts with a classic rock song, Money for Nothing. He knows from an Internet search that the song must have happened in the eighties, a clue. One of the things that make Poniard's games so hard to beat is that you often have to get outside knowledge to advance from level to level...
~~~
The game is far from over! And if you have no or little experience playing videos, fortunately there are various characters, such as the 10-year-old boy, Brighton, that's playing as the book opens... Even more of importance, he wounds up playing a great part as the book is ending...but that's quite a bit further! If you're wondering why so much time is spent on the games, well that's the basis upon which the legal case is taking place!
The game, Abduction, has been created by a well-known, established gamer who goes by the handle Poniard,,, The villain is the character called William the Conqueror... It is an actual nickname that is known for an extremely wealth movie mogul,
He is not happy! He has filed suit against Poniard...
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| I've spent the last twenty-five years trying to keep this secret. My celebrity almost ruined me, and I don't want it back, not even a vestige of it. I'm a lawyer...I closely guard the truth about my past and have kept it secret through luck and hard work mostly luck... ~~~ |
Hopefully you read the opening novel of this series, starring Parker Stern (Click above to read my review if not). I can guarantee there is no overlap in this one! Whew, it is so complex and amazingly drawn together that you might think you are actually playing the game and can't get past the first level!
When you do it, though, you'll definitely know it because letters start flying right outside the game scene!
Parker Stern is a great lawyer, but he burnt out! Well, you all know why I immediately became a fan, having gone through it myself on the job. Parker became crippled--fearful of entering the courtroom. He became a mediator so that he wouldn't have to try cases any more. Stern's negative response was worthless because Poniard knew how good he was...and had a piece of information that could be used to blackmail Stern...and he played that card almost immediately.
The firm where Parker was working was upset when he took on this case, especially when "characters" from the game started hanging around (i.e., fans dressed as characters) and finally was part of a major disruption and Parker was fired...so was his secretary. He offered her a job with him and then called one of his former researchers to help...
Essentially what Poniard accused William the Conqueror was for the disappearance, and probable murder of Felicity (in the game) who was once an actress, said to be involved with William. Of course, William's lawyers initially began to claim they'd never known her and were seeking that all games be collected and destroyed! The key thing is that Poniard refused to identify himself in any way, or at any time, even when required by court procedures. Somehow Parker was always able to figure out how that could be permitted but, there was no way he could get around:
One interestingly little twist is that Parker is face-to-face with his lover who is now the trial lawyer for William...Of course, that is fun to watch! You didn't need to ask that, now did you?
But this is even more complicated personally...See if you can guess who else is connected to that trial lawyer!
As you can see, the more investigation that occurs, the more past lies are being found of William's past...His embarrassment can't stop it though--neither can all the money he has... It's all being unraveled!
But...what is? Because the twists and turns in this novel are many and complex...some discovered through the game, others found in deep dark archives or from those people still living after all the time has passed! And nobody is going to know what they discover!
Don't Miss This One if You're a Gamer! Or a Fan of Legal Thrillers!!!
GABixlerReviews
The firm where Parker was working was upset when he took on this case, especially when "characters" from the game started hanging around (i.e., fans dressed as characters) and finally was part of a major disruption and Parker was fired...so was his secretary. He offered her a job with him and then called one of his former researchers to help...
Essentially what Poniard accused William the Conqueror was for the disappearance, and probable murder of Felicity (in the game) who was once an actress, said to be involved with William. Of course, William's lawyers initially began to claim they'd never known her and were seeking that all games be collected and destroyed! The key thing is that Poniard refused to identify himself in any way, or at any time, even when required by court procedures. Somehow Parker was always able to figure out how that could be permitted but, there was no way he could get around:
Reckless Disregard n. grossly negligent without concern for danger to others. Actually reckless disregard is redundant since reckless means there is a disregard for safety. Copyright © 1981-2005 by Gerald N. Hill and Kathleen T. Hill. All Rights reserved.You have probably figured out that in order to have any change with this case, Parker must, essentially, prove that William is guilty... And so they proceed to do that... But then one of them is murdered! And more potential witnesses are found dead!
But this is even more complicated personally...See if you can guess who else is connected to that trial lawyer!
As you can see, the more investigation that occurs, the more past lies are being found of William's past...His embarrassment can't stop it though--neither can all the money he has... It's all being unraveled!
But...what is? Because the twists and turns in this novel are many and complex...some discovered through the game, others found in deep dark archives or from those people still living after all the time has passed! And nobody is going to know what they discover!
Don't Miss This One if You're a Gamer! Or a Fan of Legal Thrillers!!!
GABixlerReviews
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| This is a Puddly Poniard It's the only connection I found...maybe Poniard is done with games???? |
About the Author
ROBERT ROTSTEIN, an entertainment attorney with over thirty years' experience in the industry, is the author of Corrupt Practices, the first Parker Stern novel. He's represented all of the major motion picture studios and many well-known writers, producers, directors, and musicians. He lives with his family in Los Angeles, California.
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