Pen and Picture’s new fiction release, the novel Movie Game by Michael Ebner, has been resonating with readers who equally like their stories of fiction and enjoy watching movies. We thank these book reviewers for sharing their connection with the material and have posted some excerpts from their book reviews below.
“Movie Game reads kind of like a blockbuster movie. There’s action, intrigue, mystery, romance, violence, sex, and even a little drama. Summer movie season may be over, but Movie Game is like a summer movie in book form.”
It’s Either Sadness or Euphoria (book blog)
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“The novel is an amusing cineliterate tale of dealing with loss, cinema, and terrorism. Ebner clearly has a love for cinema, and as this is a love I share, it made this an easy and rapid read. His prose style is easy going and there are hints of Carl Hiaasen in the bleakness of the humour. What follows is an often very funny, sometimes touching, tale of how we deal with loss, how we all use deception to hide our true selves – indeed play roles, and how we can become so immersed in things that real life starts to pass us by. A good holiday read.”
EBNER’S CINELITERATE TALE COULD ALMOST BE A MOVIE
Information Overlord (literature and librarianship blog)
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“‘Movie Game’ by Michael Ebner begins with an incident cinephiles will relate to; Joe, our protagonist, is so enraged by a couple talking during a film that he follows them home and vandalises their front door. “Movie talkers attract stalkers” is his motto and it is one he wholeheartedly follows through. It’s an opening that grabs the reader’s attention, refusing to give it back until the end of the novel.”
I’LL HAVE THE HURT LOCKER CAPPUCCINO: A REVIEW OF MICHAEL EBNER’S MOVIE GAME
Wilde On My Side (book blog)
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“The Movie Game is firstly what a movie buff’s favorite type of book would be. And for the movie fans, the book has a lot of movie references-both old and new, which isn’t all that necessary to the plot but is entertaining to read. The book is fast paced and the writing is not heavy but sharp and sometimes witty. It had all the classic movie plot devices all jammed into one book- you have your romance, police chases, family problems, death, cheating, drugs, terrorists etc. but it somehow ties together neatly in the end. The movie references and fast plot progression got me out of my reading slump.”
Mad Scramble for Books (book blog)
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“Have you ever wished your life was like a movie? Well, it might not be as wonderful as it seems and in this story Joe finds that out the hard way. A book full with dark humor, nerdy movie quotes and unexpected events.”
How To Become A Heroine blogspot (book blog)
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“Joe views his own life (which is a story in a book for us) as a storyline in a film. I love though, the irony of a book about films, a book about someone who loves films and hates books, who ends up not only being forced to read to impress a girl, but then gets a book written about his endeavours. Wrap your brain around that meta situation. And then, if they make a film of the book…”
Helen Swinyard, London Librarian and Founder of Haringey Children’s Book Award
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“The Movie Game by Michael Ebner is a fun and interesting read that highlights a cinephile’s methodology in maintaining a true cinematic experience; even if it requires some French Connection type stalking and Billy Madison style vandalism. It is also at times dark when dealing with death, grief, loneliness, and irrevocable guilt. For the most part this book is a take on a teenager’s life with a distinction that separated itself from the rest.”
Trevor Pearson, Goodreads Reviewer (Top Reviewer)
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“With a distinct Ferris Bueller feel for circumstantially created chaos, Michael Ebner’s main character is one of the most likeable teenagers I’ve ever met. He’s arrogant, pretentious as hell and a thoroughly bad role-model, and he is utterly compelling, hilarious and intriguing to watch. It’s saucy, cheeky, witty and raw and I loved every minute of it. I want to see it as a movie.”
Literago (book blog)
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“To incorporate the element of a “movie-esque existence” into the prose itself so that the reader feels like they’re reading a movie, in a story about a character feeling like they’re living in a movie is just really, really smart. The storyline was also good; it was kind of a combination between a spy flick and a family drama.”
Almost Elysian (book blog)
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“To say it flowed more like a movie seems appropriate to me. A fun, quick read that would appeal to the younger generation. It often reminded my of PERKS OF A WALLFLOWER (the movie, not the book), but in the end it had it’s own identity. I did like the movie game described in the book and plan on playing with my friends in the future.”
Edwin, Goodreads Reviewer
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“There is a lot going on in the Movie Game. The book opens with the main character, Joe, telepathically shouting to the couple in the movie theatre to, “Shut the hell up!” We’ve all been there, right? Imagining what we would like to do to those annoying theatre goers. Joe takes it a step further, he actually does do something to them. That in itself could be the plot of a story – someone stalking and getting even with people who annoy him at the movies. But that is just one tiny aspect of this crazy novel. It has an almost movie-like feel to it, the scenes are so well described and the action and plot ruthlessly plowing ahead. I found it very entertaining and if it was made into a movie, I would definitely want to watch it.”
Sidewalk Shoes (book and lifestyle blog)
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THEIR COMMENTS ON THE MAIN CHARACTER JOE:
“He is wonderfully nerdy and has a personality hard not to like, even if he does loads of foolish things. But he’s a good guy at heart and those qualities shines through, especially in the flash backs to a younger Joe.”
How To Become A Heroine blogspot (book blog)
“Joe is a fascinatingly charming yet flawed character, and you’re compelled to keep reading to see where his story goes.”
It’s Either Sadness or Euphoria (book blog)
“Essentially, ‘Movie Game’ is about a film-obsessed teenager, his overactive libido and his messed-up family, but that’s a reductive way to describe it; there’s far more afoot here than you find in a typical YA novel and, if anything, I would suggest it is more of an adult book due to the varied references and ideas.”
Wilde On My Side (book blog)
“Unlike in fight club, I could sympathize with Joe’s character. I got why he was doing the things he was doing. He was seriously depressed and going to the movies was his form of escapism. his life had a taken a complete turn and who doesn’t want to just throttle the neck of those annoying movie goers who talk too loudly, or eat too noisily. And it was these parts of the book that were really funny and relatable coming from Joe’s perspective.”
Mad Scramble for Books (book blog)
“The most interesting parts of the book are probably the flashbacks to Joe as a 14 year old in the immediate aftermath of Alice’s death (the cause of which we don’t discover until the book’s end). There is a real sense of sadness in these sections that is mostly blotted out by the film humour in the ‘present’ – perhaps intentionally so, as blotting out is arguable what Joe and Loren have been doing.”
Information Overlord (literature and librarianship blog)
“A narrative that spans the course of three years and jumps from present to past to highlight the moments that shaped a young man as you see him at his current state. What applies to both narratives is that it focuses on the times of being a high schooler which are tumultuous for everyone in one way or another, but when referring to Joe’s case it really is anything but normal. What many people don’t experience in a lifetime Joe struggles through three disturbing events over a course of a few days. Through alienation, isolation and rebellion Joe’s finally getting through the dark clouds and is seeing things a little more clearly. ”
Trevor Pearson, Goodreads Reviewer (Top Reviewer)
“For some reason, I am always drawn to characters that have some sort of obsession. A desire to deeply know all about something. I loved how much these characters loved movies.”
Sidewalk Shoes (book and lifestyle blog)
“It starts off in quite a shallow way, but as the book progresses, all the other layers start piling in and you realise the writer is doing something quite clever. Michael Ebner is a great writer and I would happily read other things by him. He really gets us inside Joe’s head, and uses wonderful descriptions of what is happening to set the absurd tone of some of Joe’s misadventures.”
Helen Swinyard, London Librarian and Founder of Haringey Children’s Book Award
“There was a dark core to it that, juxtaposed with the dry wit, sharpened it and gave it depth. I couldn’t believe it – I actually cared about this selfish little prat with an unhealthy movie obsession, whose teenage heart had been shattered by tragedy.”
Literago (book blog)
THEIR COMMENTS ON THE THEME OF ESCAPISM:
“A theme that runs throughout is the use of fiction as escapism; Joe’s sister, Loren, leans on novels, while Joe depends on films to forget his reality, even as it becomes increasingly unreal. Ebner neatly sums this up in the narrative: “their excessive consumption of fiction was an essential distraction from their broken home.” This is an idea emphasised later on in the action too, and it provides an interesting prism through which to view the events of the story. Film references are interwoven throughout, immersing the reader in Joe’s obsession; the lines between the fictions he enjoys and the fact of the story are blurred by Joe’s conscious mission to make his life cinematic. ”
Wilde On My Side (book blog)
“That’s why we have our movies and our fiction books and this book was a form of escape for me too.”
Mad Scramble for Books (book blog)
“The MOVIE GAME by Michael Ebner is the story of Joe, a 17 year old young man meandering through life who constantly escapes reality by watching movie after movie and when he is not watching movies, he is playing the movie game with his friends. The reality he is escaping is absentee parents, the death of his girlfriend three years earlier, and a sister who feels obligated to be there for him but he wants her to go live her life how she wants (to) without obligations.”
Edwin, Goodreads Reviewer
“The novel has the feel of a 1980s coming-of-age story, and it has some seriously strong character development. I loved watching as Joe writhes and jerks around, trying to figure out who he is and reconcile who he imagines himself to be with the circumstances he is in.”
Literago (book blog)