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"When Ricky Kaine walked into the arcade, time stood still. People lined up behind the battered machines and ran to mob their king. Rat-moustached teens lowered their eyes as he passed, deferential despite the rebellious t-shirts and the headphones about their neck blaring hair metal. The darkness punctuated by neon was his throne-room, a place where he held court."
In this futuristic VR nightmare-world, Kaine's only chance to rise above his decrepit surroundings is the suicide cabinet filled with ASCII, Roguelike.
Arcade Rat
“A wonderfully descriptive story that is a fun read… The characters are relatable and the world is immersive. Definitely worth the read.” — Goodreads Review
“An incredible accomplishment.” — Matthew LeDrew, author of Black Womb
“Rarely Does an Author Ask These Kind of Questions About Gaming. It’s really made me re-examine my relationship to my VR headset, the brief moments of ‘immersion’ and ‘presence’ where it feels like I’m having a real experience, and how truly messed up that’s going to get as the technology gets better. Morine envisions a frightening, but ultimately all too plausible world.” — Amazon CA Customer
“Great Read – well worth your time. Just finished reading Arcade Rat over the weekend, fun read that kept me wanting more. It’s a fast book since it’s sub-100 pages, but it’s a powerful story with fresh ideas. I’ve seen comparisons to Ready Player One which is fair – although this is certainly a darker approach, a more gritty world. Nicholas Morine helps us ask questions about how gaming culture will continue to evolve over time.” — Amazon CA Customer
“If you enjoyed Ready Player 1 you will also enjoy this one. It’s well worth the purchase price on Kindle. The author has 5 star potential.” — Amazon Com Customer
“Arcade Rat is a lean, dark ride that doesn’t so much lean into dystopian cyberpunk tropes as it does shoulder tackle them and run past. Nicholas Morine writes for the lost tech children of the 1980s without all the *wink,wink* cleverness or tongue-in-cheek posturing of someone like Earnest Cline, while channeling the likes of Philip K Dick or Harlan Ellison. Arcade Rat doesn’t stick around long, it can be torn through in a matter of hours, but it’s well worth the effort if you’re familiar with terms like Roguelike or ASCII.” — Steve Power, author of For the Crown
“Couldn’t put it down. This may be my favorite offering from Morine to date. As a gamer, I found the world of Arcade Rat to be both surreal and hauntingly familiar. I know that other reviewers have compared this story to Ready Player One. I actually enjoyed Arcade Rat far more. This is a MUST-HAVE for fans of techno-thrillers.” — Amazon Com Customer
Nicholas Morine (B.A., M. Phil.) grew up reading Harlan Ellison, Stephen King, and John Steinbeck and has never been able to shake the addiction.
His work is provocative, action-oriented, and always incorporates a sense of place and philosophy into the narrative.
From Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Morine has a great affinity for the rural, the popular, and the accessible.
Heavy metal is his religion and the great rock Newfoundland is his second home.