496 pages
English language
Published Nov. 7, 2012 by Tom Doherty Associates.
In the near future, expert online game players around the world unite to stop the abuse of workers in the gaming industry, incurring ruthless opposition from Western corporations, organized crime, and the Chinese authorities.
Interesting mingling of story with passages on economic futurism and labor theory. I like the style, although it does come off as a bit didactic. It definitely makes me want to read more Doctorow. Sort of a weak ending, but overall a great ride.
I loved Little Brother, and For the Win comes from a similar place, a desire by Cory to identify something that's broken in the world and spin a tale of one possible way to fix it. With Little Brother it was our basic freedom from State interference. With For the Win, the target is just as universal: worker's rights amd global economic theory. With this tale, however, there are multiple points of view from multiple characters - no way to get around this given the subject matter, but it diluted the narrative drive of the books somewhat. I read the free ebook version direct from Cory's website so perhaps the final edit of the print version tightened up on that slight failing. But the issues the book deals with are well set out and the way Cory can explain complex economic theories in an entertaining and informative way means this …
I loved Little Brother, and For the Win comes from a similar place, a desire by Cory to identify something that's broken in the world and spin a tale of one possible way to fix it. With Little Brother it was our basic freedom from State interference. With For the Win, the target is just as universal: worker's rights amd global economic theory. With this tale, however, there are multiple points of view from multiple characters - no way to get around this given the subject matter, but it diluted the narrative drive of the books somewhat. I read the free ebook version direct from Cory's website so perhaps the final edit of the print version tightened up on that slight failing. But the issues the book deals with are well set out and the way Cory can explain complex economic theories in an entertaining and informative way means this is another must read for people who like their spec fic grounded in meaningful real-world politics.
