Backward Compatible - Review

Backward Compatible

By: Sarah Daltry and Pete Clark

4.5 out of 5 Stars

Note: I received Backward Compatible from NetGalley. I have been asked to provide an honest review of the book.

I first saw Backward Compatible on the Goodreads website. I saw the cover and instantly fell in love. Who wouldn’t fall in love with a gaming story? I am not a gamer but I do appreciate a good novel about gaming. Let’s just say I was very excited when I was picked to read it from NetGalley.

Backward Compatible is a story about two gamers named Katie and George. The story begins with both gamers going to a midnight release of a game called Fatal Destiny X. The two characters wait in line for the store to open and are determined to beat out the crowds for the game. George and Katie happen to fight over the same game and start to develop a friendship over it during their winter breaks from college. As their friendship develops, so does a love interest. George and Katie both question their relationship throughout the book. They wonder if their friendship will cultivate into love and tend to question each other’s intentions.

The story might seem like a love story where two characters fall in love, but trust me there is way more to this story that meets the eye. The story is witty, sarcastic, funny, and mind blowing. The relationship between the main characters and their friends is inspirational. Although most of the players are “surprisingly” gamers, the story seems real. A group of people come together to not only play games, but a true friendship arises amongst the characters. Each character is unique but they all bring something to the table: comedy, arrogance, trust, love, and annoyance. I found myself laughing at several places throughout the books due to the awkward moments the characters put themselves in. These moments made the story more real. The dialogue only enhanced the story by making the reader feel like they were there with the characters. Although some of the text is sexualized, the authors tended to make the idea of “sex” funny. The best part of the story was that the authors did not need to add a sex scene to the narrative to enhance it.

Overall, the story was great. The best part of the story was the many “geekdom” references written into the novel. Some of the references that are mentioned include: Kirby, Game of Thrones, Mario, and Firefly. By adding these references, I became more interested and drawn to the characters' personalities.

The only part I did not enjoy was the ending. I guess the reason behind that is because I did not want the story to end.  I am crossing my fingers and hoping for a sequel. I would love to see more of Katie, George, and their friends.  Hopefully, the authors decide to write another story together.

In the end, I really enjoyed Backward Compatible. If you are a gamer, play WOW, or even watch The Guild, you will enjoy this story. So please pick up the story. It will be well worth it. You will find it…well…what’s the word? Awe yeah, “adorkable.”