7/14/2023

Gameshow-Der Preis Der Gier by Franzi Kopka

I am not sure if it was the cover or the summary, that triggered some other book memories or both. Anyway. Gameshow is new and yet familiar. The leading figure, Cass, is a fantastic figure who doesn´t take anything for granted. Her way to fight back is entertaining, she shows class and dignity where others stumble. I might not be as thrilled as I would like about Gameshow, but I want to read how Destiny plays with Cass in the second book.

Gameshow-Der Preis Der Gier

by Franzi Kopka
Gameshow #1
Publisher Fischer Sauerländer on March 29, 2023
Genre Fantasy
Pages 424
Format Hardcover
Source Fischer Sauerländer
Goodreads
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Who are you really playing against?

2126, New London: When seventeen-year-old Cass is cast out into the lowest class of society, she knows there's only one way to escape this hell: she has to make it onto the next game show. Anyone who takes part in the game show can win a ticket to the top - or pay for the chance with their lives. Cass gets unexpected help from Jax, the best gamer in the arena. The two become allies in the big game for their own lives and social advancement. But their deal and their feelings for each other are based on a lie that could bring everything they have fought for together to collapse.

Story

Cass lives a life she can´t really enjoy. Yes, she´s got some money, but she isn´t rich. And her father´s alcohol problems, since her mother left them, aren´t making things easier for her. Instead, she has to learn the bitter way, that he betrayed her. And now, as a declassified person, she wants the very thing she's always loathed. Become a player in the game show.

Style

The writing style is light, easy, and straightforward to read. The quick-witted dialogues and often delicious scenes offer good entertainment value, even if the plot disappoints again and again. There are too many similarities with other novels. Unfortunately, the fast-paced beginning doesn't last long either. The story flattens out very quickly and it takes a good halfway before it gets exciting and fast-paced again. From then on, the author ignites a firework of action, dialogues, and brutal scenes that ends in a cliffhanger.

Characters

Society is greedy. And if you become too greedy, you run the risk of either paying with your life or being outclassed. And it was also clear from the start that there must be a huge catch in the wealth and enormous decadence of the upper class.

Cass falls victim to her own father's greed and deceit. For her, the signal was not only to rethink things but also to do many things differently than her father could ever have done. The fact that she uncovers a deadly truth not only makes her very interesting as a main character, but she also comes across as absolutely profound and convincing.

And Yuna is awesome because of her behavior! Robust, and pragmatic, only reveals as much as she has to. I really like this character.

Conclusion

Those who like novels by Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, or Kendare Blake will also feel well entertained here. For me personally, the book had not been the expected rush of enthusiasm. Although some chapters really entertained me. Unfortunately, I was missing that certain something to make this novel an absolute reading frenzy. But reading pleasure is not a bad status either.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer Sauerländer in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you.  The novel was, at the time this review was published, only available in the German language.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Der Schreibstil ist leicht, einfach und unkompliziert zu lesen. Die schlagfertigen Dialoge und oftmals köstlichen Szenen bieten einen guten Unterhaltungswert, auch wenn der Plot immer wieder enttäuscht. Da gibt es zu viele Ähnlichkeiten mit anderen Romanen. Der temporeiche Anfang hält dann leider auch nicht lange an. Die Geschichte flacht sehr schnell ab und es dauert bis gut zur Hälfte, ehe es wieder spannend und temporeich wird. Ab da zündet die Autorin dann aber ein Feuerwerk an Handlung, Dialogen und brutalen Szenen ab, das in einem Cliffhanger endet.

Charaktere

Die Gesellschaft ist gierig. Und wer zu gierig wird, der läuft große Gefahr, diese entweder mit dem Leben zu bezahlen oder deklassiert zu werden. Und dass es einen gewaltigen Haken am Reichtum und der enormen Dekadenz der Oberschicht geben muss, war von Anfang an auch klar.

Cass fällt der Gier und dem Betrug ihres eigenen Vaters zum Opfer. Für sie das Signal, die Dinge nicht nur zu überdenken, sondern auch vieles anders zu machen, als ihr Vater es je hätte können. Dass sie dabei einer tödlichen Wahrheit auf die Spur kommt, macht sie als Hauptfigur nicht nur sehr interessant, sie wirkt auch absolut tiefgründig und überzeugend.

Und Yuna ist durch ihr Verhalten der Hammer! Kernig, pragmatisch, gibt immer nur so viel preis, wie sie muss. Diese Figur gefällt mir außerordentlich.

Resultat

Wer die Romane von Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth oder Kendare Blake mag, der wird sich hier ebenfalls gut unterhalten fühlen. Für mich persönlich war das Buch nicht der erwartete große Begeisterungsrausch gewesen. Obwohl mich einige Kapitel sehr gut unterhalten haben. Mir hat dann leider das gewisse Etwas gefehlt, um diesen Roman zu einem absoluten Leserausch zu machen. Aber Lesevergnügen ist auch kein schlechter Status.

Franzi Kopka

Franzi Kopka was born in 1990 as the daughter of a bookseller. Thanks to the numerous novels in the house, she grew up wondering »what if« and started making up stories for her three younger siblings at an early age. She finds most of her inspiration when she travels, especially in London, which is her true love, and which is the setting of her debut »Gameshow – The Price of Greed«.

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