Game by Barry Lyga Review

"I Hunt Killers introduced the world to Jasper (Jazz) Dent, the son of the world's most infamous serial killer.

When a desperate New York City detective comes knocking on Jazz's door asking for help with a new case, Jazz can't say no. The Hat-Dog Killer has the Big Apple--and its police force running scared with no leads. So Jazz and his girlfriend Connie hop on a plane to the big city and get swept up in a killer's murderous game.

Meanwhile, Jazz's dad Billy is watching...and waiting."

Wow! Game is a really special book that is similar to tv shows like Criminal Minds, CSI Investigation, The Closer, and all the rest of the many and plentiful CSIs. (I don't watch a lot of tv, unless it is Criminal Minds.) Perhaps the closest tv show to the books (I Hunt Killers and Game) is Criminal Minds. They both use profiling and have some remarkable similarities between some of its characters. For example, Agent Jennifer Jareau and Jasper Dent have similar backgrounds and character traits. (Ex: father is a serial killer, they use their knowledge for good instead of bad, and they don't want to be like their fathers [I don't think this include Agent Jareau though. She never stated anything like this in Criminal Minds].) 

I wouldn't recommended this to young teenagers because of heavy graphic/inappropriate scenes and words. There's a lot of gross/murderous/bloody dreams that Jazz dreams in his sleep. Remember the dreams he gets in I Hunt Killers? Well, those dreams are still there. (Poor Jazz. I feel sympathetic towards him.) And now time matters more than every ever since his great old pop from the deepest pit of hell is out of jail by escaping from prison. Every second Jazz waste, every second is the difference between a dead person and a living one. 

The plot is outrageous. Serial killers, especially the ones written by Barry Lyga, are always surprising and unexpected. The most unexpected people usually turn out to be the killer(s) in the book. (Like the victim's fake/impostor father from the previous book. Very clever of the killer even though he's a little deranged.) The author's writing is always addicting. The tone gives off a thump-thump-thump feeling of nervousness and anticipation. 

The ending is twisted in the wrongest way possible. How could Jazz's own father do that to his son? Oh wait, he's a serial killer. My bad. Billy Dent is beyond deranged. He's sick yet normal on the outside. He wears a clever calm/normal face that's his hunting face. (Apparently he smiles a lot. *Shivers*) The world around him is like a big game. He plays smaller ones and make up new games. Creeper. 

Told from Jazz, creep serial killers (including dear old Dad), and girlfriend Connie, Game is one crazy ride. Make sure you buckle up.

Characters:

Jazz, oh Jazz. I feel so sorry for that kid. He had a messed up history and the ending made his story seem even more terrible. Connie once said in Game that Jazz appeals to her because of his tortured bad boy look. I hate how Jazz sometimes gets sidetrack by the things going on around him. One of his last thoughts in Game is "At least Connie will be safe." (Or something like that. The quote isn't always perfect.) Oh Jazz, how much you don't know. 

Billy Dent is the fictional man who ever lived. I think there are a few exceptions, but he is on the list. Definitely on the list. 

Rating: Five out of five