Atlantyx: It Begins As a Game . . . And Ends As a Battle for Your Soul [Paperback]

Chase Dalton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 8, 2002

Graduate student Valerie Russell investigates the possible psychological addiction to Atlantyx, a popular new computer game. She finds much more than entertainment and it becomes a race against time to save the lives and souls of innocent young people--and herself.

Garland King, vice-director of the School of Psychology, and Drake Benson, a leader in a national campus ministry, urge Valerie to closely examine one game, Atlantyx. And she soon learns why. The ministry has tracked seventy-one students, all avid gamers, who have mysteriously disappeared. Coincidentally, the producer of the game has garnered sales in excess of one and a half billion dollars over the past year.

Valerie's graduate work explodes into the challenge of a lifetime. She will investigate this threat that blurs the boundary between reality and fantasy, harming innocent people in its path. Her quest brings with it self-discovery, romance, and more than a hint of danger.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this inspirational fantasy thriller, Denver University psychology graduate student Valerie Russell researches the addictive properties of computer gaming, with terrifying results. In the process of her investigation, she finds that 71 gamers who play the Mainline Company's Atlantyx game are missing across the nation, leaving behind masses of computer gear and mountains of debt. Hot on the trail of something big, Valerie goes to a computer show, and at Mainline's Atlantyx exhibit she charms the wealthy Daniel LaCroix into letting her attend a party at a swanky mansion in Aspen. Here she discovers a darker side to the Atlantyx addiction that has enslaved participants. Her department vice-director, Dr. Garland King, is intent upon helping Valerie uncover the truth about gaming addictions. Not surprisingly, romantic sparks fly between the two, and the agnostic Valerie becomes interested in his Christian faith. Both will be challenged, however, when sleuthing takes Valerie into the game's fantasy world and she finds herself sucked in by a powerful force she hadn't anticipated. Although the focus of the book is squarely on the addiction potential of computer games, Dalton laudably points out that it's not the games that are inherently wrong, rather their misuse. The plot features a predictable shoot-out, but Dalton carefully avoids a pat ending. With the popularity of computer gaming, and the rising concerns of Christian parents about possible addictions, this novel should find a receptive audience in the CBA market.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 8, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785269800
• ISBN-13: 978-0785269809
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,047,321 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book, March 6, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Atlantyx: It Begins As a Game . . . And Ends As a Battle for Your Soul (Paperback)

Atlantyx is an awesome book! Lots of action and suspense. It had me up all night from 12:00am to 7:00am reading the entire thing. I just couldn't put it down, and I'm not even much of a reader! Everything was described well for mental pictures, and yet it didn't drag on, explaining details. It was fastpaced and enjoyable to the end.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What is Real?, May 15, 2003

By 

tvtv3 "tvtv3" (Sorento, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Atlantyx: It Begins As a Game . . . And Ends As a Battle for Your Soul (Paperback)

ATLANTYX is a book that deals with some very complex issues, mainly drug and video game addictions. Also, though the book is a "Christian" novel, it doesn't read like the typical, watered-down "Christian" novel. Instead, the characters are presented with all their faults and redeeming qualities. The book explores the nature of reality and whether of not there is an ultimate reality where everything makes sense.

I found the novel to be a page turner and read it within two days (I could have completed it in one if I didn't have to work). The book reads like a movie and is full or great visual images. My only complaint is that the ending is rather hurried. The book's ending happens rather suddenly and there is no real closure to all that occurs. Neither is there any truly "final battle". The premise that the novel is based is so promising and there is so much more that could have been done with it. It's a little disappointing to see that the very talented and promising writer, Chase Dalton, take the easy road out.

Overall, a wonderful book recommended for anyone looking for some great Christian fiction or for anyone addicted to video games.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great computer game thriller, November 27, 2002

By 

T. Jung "tjung" (St. Charles, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Atlantyx: It Begins As a Game . . . And Ends As a Battle for Your Soul (Paperback)

This is probably one of the better books I have read recently that tries to capture the addiction that is possible with computer games. It does so well without coming off with too much of the typical stereo types. The story moves along quickly and the characters are written so as to be very believable.

I would recommend this Christian book to anyone who is looking for a good novel to read, or anyone who wants to point out to some of the gaming generation out there, about the dangers of video game addictions.