Ever wanted to read about the exploits of young gold farmers toiling away in Asian sweat shops and ruining/enabling your MMORPG experience? Science fiction author and Boing Boing founder Cory Doctorow thinks you might, and has devoted his newest novel to fleshing out the torrid existence of a group of young grinders who decide to organize.
When we say organize, we don't mean making lists or using spreadsheets to farm at the optimum rate, but rather, organizing as in worker's unions. Doctorow has made an audio excerpt of the novel, titled For the Win, available on his web site. He calls the book a spiritual successor to his Anda's Game short story, and has targeted it specifically to a young adult audience. For the Win debuts on May 11 and will be freely available online under the Creative Commons license.
Reader Comments (7)
Posted: Apr 28th 2010 1:55PM ZoneOuT said
LOL.... really?
Posted: Apr 28th 2010 2:14PM VioletArrows said
There's good ideas for anti-heroes, and there's bad ones. Ask the *thousands* of people who've been scammed, banned, and cheated out of their hard work which one this is. Even if the theme of the story is worker's rights and economics, using such a stupid backdrop is a perfect way to throw any good points out the window.
Having just read Anda's Game, the prequel seems to be as eye-rollingly stereotypical and patronizing (oh gee, as soon as she starts having success in game, she turns into a fatass and gets pre-diabetes and the gold farming kids are starving; then goes back to 'normal' when she gets a heart and stops sniping them. REALLY?!). Bleh.
Having just read Anda's Game, the prequel seems to be as eye-rollingly stereotypical and patronizing (oh gee, as soon as she starts having success in game, she turns into a fatass and gets pre-diabetes and the gold farming kids are starving; then goes back to 'normal' when she gets a heart and stops sniping them. REALLY?!). Bleh.
Posted: Apr 28th 2010 2:22PM (Unverified) said
Have you read any of Cory's previous fiction? He's about as subtle as a ton of creative commons-licensed bricks.
I enjoy his stuff, but it helps to read it in small doses with plenty of other reading in-between.
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I enjoy his stuff, but it helps to read it in small doses with plenty of other reading in-between.
Posted: Apr 28th 2010 2:38PM VioletArrows said
I probably have, but it's been a while. I was also a boingboing reader for a good while, until his directory of 'wonderful' things turned out to be not very wonderful and more soul eating/troll inducing.
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Posted: Apr 28th 2010 2:25PM Thrishmal said
Cory Doctorow is one of those people I just can't stand, so I have a bias against his book already. I imagine it is going to promote some of his hipster ideals, which aren't necessarily bad, but usually accepted by that crowd for the wrong reasons.
Anyway...I am sure the book will be a mild seller like his others, mainly focused on the hardcore BB crowd. Hope it works well for him.
Anyway...I am sure the book will be a mild seller like his others, mainly focused on the hardcore BB crowd. Hope it works well for him.
Posted: Apr 28th 2010 7:28PM (Unverified) said
A *good* sci-fi novel that deals with MMOs is Halting State by Charles Stross. Check it out: http://www.amazon.com/Halting-State-Charles-Stross/dp/0441014984
Posted: Apr 28th 2010 8:31PM Saker said
I read the short story mentioned it was good. I've enjoyed other books of his. He's not a shallow thinker.







