Endgame: The Calling

Twelve thousand years ago, they came. They descended from the sky amid smoke and fire, and created humanity and gave us rules to live by. They needed gold and they built our earliest civilizations to mine it for them. When they had what they needed, they left. But before they left, they told us someday they would come back, and when they did, a game would be played. A game that would determine our future.

This is Endgame.

For ten thousand years the lines have existed in secret. The 12 original lines of humanity. Each had to have a Player prepared at all times. They have trained generation after generation after generation. In weapons, languages, history, tactics, disguise assassination. Together the players are everything: strong, kind, ruthless, loyal, smart, stupid, ugly, lustful, mean, fickle, beautiful, calculating, lazy, exuberant, weak. They are good and evil. Like you. Like all.

This is Endgame.

When the game starts, the players will have to find three keys. The keys are somewhere on earth. The only rule of their Endgame is that there are no rules. Whoever finds the keys first wins the game. Endgame: The Calling is about the hunt for the first key. And just as it tells the story of the hunt for a hidden key, written into the book is a puzzle. It invites readers to play their own Endgame and to try to solve the puzzle. Whoever does will open a case filled with gold. Alongside the puzzle will be a revolutionary mobile game built by Google’s Niantic Labs that will allow you to play a real-world version of Endgame where you can join one of the lines and do battle with people around you.
Will exuberance beat strength? Stupidity top kindness? Laziness thwart beauty? Will the winner be good or evil? There is only one way to find out.

Play.
Survive.
Solve.
People of Earth.
Endgame has begun.


My Review

I have not read the Hunger Game books but I have seen the movies. So, of course, there is going to be a lot of pressure and comparison to any author or book that comes out that has similarities to the Hunger Game books. Which it is hard not to compare this book to Hunger Games. Ok, so first off I would have liked a little more back story in regards to what the End Games were and how they were chosen. I don't know if the author did this on purpose or because he thought that readers were just automatically figure be fine with not knowing. Again this goes back to the Hunger Games. Also, there were so many people coming at me all at the same time that it was hard to keep them all straight. It was not until all of them assembled to the location to learn about the End Game and the goal of it that I was able to then start getting all of the characters straight in my head. Once I was able to figure out the goal of End Game and who was who, I was able to then start enjoying the story.

Although, it did feel a little on even like the story was focused mainly on Sarah and Jago. The chapters involving them were longer then most of the other characters. However there was a lot of action and traveling all over the world. Having the ability to travel all over without any rules leaves a lot of bodies in every one's wake. The ending does leave a good lead into the next book. Even at 477 pages, this book is a quick read.