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The Forbidden Game #1
The Hunter
He sold her the game, and Jenny Thornton walked out mesmerized by Julian, the gorgeous cyber-punk with electric blue eyes and frost-white hair. When she and her friends open the plain white box at her boyfriend Tom’s birthday party, she chills to the warning: “Entering the Shadow World can be deadly. Do so at your own risk.� Spellbound, they piece together the rooms with their darkest nightmares. Suddenly the game is real! They’re in the house of horrors, running from The Shadow Man � Julian himself, who forces them to confront their worst nightmares or be lost in a private hell. It’s Julian’s game, and Jenny is the prize he’s stalked for years. He’ll do anything to win her as she bargains desperately for her body � and soul . . .
240 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1994
63 people are currently reading
6,000 people want to read
About the author
L.J. Smith
301books112kfollowersLisa Jane Smith was an American author of young adult fiction best known for her best-selling series The Vampire Diaries, which has been turned into a successful television show. Her books, particularly The Vampire Diaries and Night World, have been in the New York Times Best Seller list and have been nominated for five awards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 529 reviews
February 9, 2011
Julian is one of the sexiest characters in the whole of literature, seriously. Even if the story hadn't been a wonderful and gripping adventure with an array of colourful and interesting characters, it would still have been worth the read for Julian. But that aside, the book was wonderful, as soon as I finished it I instantly picked up the sequal. What a great and original story, a bit scary in parts but always entertaining - I couldn't put it down.
September 10, 2020
I've always been fan of cat and mouse chase between characters and this book perfectly captures it. A fast, action paced story which ventures into the boundaries of fantasy and horror; this book is a quick read.
July 29, 2022
اتمام
۷/مرداد/۰۱
23:20
خوشم میاد از کتابایی که مقدمه� طولانی ندارن واسه شناخت ماجرای داستان!
شروع کتاب انقد خوبه که همون اول وارد ماجرا و هیجانش میشی
بدون هیچ خستگی، اضافه گویی و اطنابی!
عاشق داستان جادویی‌ای� شـــدم😭
فعلا که بخاطر حس خوبی که بهش داشتم ۵ ستاره دادم تا برم جلدای بعدیشو بخونم ببینم چه خبره👀
فضای داستان عین فیلم‌ه� یا داستاناییه که گروهی از دوستان دورهم بازی ای رو شروع میکنن که نمیدونن چه عواقبی داره و توش گیر میکنن و باید خودشونو نجات بدن!
و من عاشق وایب اینجور داستانام :)))
مثل فیلمهای جرئت حقیقت و عین وایب فیبم جومانجی (ورژن قدیمیش)
خلاص:
جِنی، برای خرید یک هدیه تولد وارد مغازه‌ا� اسرار امیز و عجیب میشه و به پیشنهاد صاحب مرموز چشم‌اب� اونجا، یه بازی جعبه سفیدی رو میگیره و به خونه می‌بر� و وقتی با دوستانش بازی رو شروع میکنن، وارد دنیای بازی، یعنی قلمروی مرد سایه میشن و متوجه میشن که این یه بازی معمولی نیست و باید برای نجات جونشون با تاریک‌تری� کابوس‌هاشو� بجنگن تا رها بشن!
ترجمه و متن کتاب خیلی خوب بود
تعلیق داستان هم که عالی. درسته حجمش کم بود ولی خب من یه روزه تمومش کردم!
این وسط هم یه آقا جولین داریم، ویلن دوست‌داشتن� مون😂
بهترین بخش این کتاب شخصیت جولیان بود!
یه کارکتر فراموش‌نشدن� و شرور و خبیث!
نمیدونم چه مرگمه که به طور خیلی عجیبی همیشه سمت ویلن های داستان جذب میشم!
و نمیدونم چه حکمتیه هیچوقت این ویلنای بیچاره به مراد دلشون نمی‌رس�!
دیگه وقتشه نویسنده های محترم داستانی رو بنویسم که آدم بدا هم به عشقشون برسن :(
والا
چه وضعشه
««««««شاید اسپویل»»»»»
ولی خدایی جنی چه شجاعتی داشت که اون بلارو سر جولین اورد👀
برای اولین بار کاری که شخصیت اصلی داستان سر ویلن داستان آورد رو تحسین کردم و برگام ریخت😂✋�
پ.ن: اگه به داستانای جادویی، ماجراجویی و فانتزی (دلهره آور) علاقه دارین بهتون پیشنهاد میشه!
۷/مرداد/۰۱
23:20
خوشم میاد از کتابایی که مقدمه� طولانی ندارن واسه شناخت ماجرای داستان!
شروع کتاب انقد خوبه که همون اول وارد ماجرا و هیجانش میشی
بدون هیچ خستگی، اضافه گویی و اطنابی!
عاشق داستان جادویی‌ای� شـــدم😭
فعلا که بخاطر حس خوبی که بهش داشتم ۵ ستاره دادم تا برم جلدای بعدیشو بخونم ببینم چه خبره👀
فضای داستان عین فیلم‌ه� یا داستاناییه که گروهی از دوستان دورهم بازی ای رو شروع میکنن که نمیدونن چه عواقبی داره و توش گیر میکنن و باید خودشونو نجات بدن!
و من عاشق وایب اینجور داستانام :)))
مثل فیلمهای جرئت حقیقت و عین وایب فیبم جومانجی (ورژن قدیمیش)
خلاص:
جِنی، برای خرید یک هدیه تولد وارد مغازه‌ا� اسرار امیز و عجیب میشه و به پیشنهاد صاحب مرموز چشم‌اب� اونجا، یه بازی جعبه سفیدی رو میگیره و به خونه می‌بر� و وقتی با دوستانش بازی رو شروع میکنن، وارد دنیای بازی، یعنی قلمروی مرد سایه میشن و متوجه میشن که این یه بازی معمولی نیست و باید برای نجات جونشون با تاریک‌تری� کابوس‌هاشو� بجنگن تا رها بشن!
ترجمه و متن کتاب خیلی خوب بود
تعلیق داستان هم که عالی. درسته حجمش کم بود ولی خب من یه روزه تمومش کردم!
این وسط هم یه آقا جولین داریم، ویلن دوست‌داشتن� مون😂
بهترین بخش این کتاب شخصیت جولیان بود!
یه کارکتر فراموش‌نشدن� و شرور و خبیث!
نمیدونم چه مرگمه که به طور خیلی عجیبی همیشه سمت ویلن های داستان جذب میشم!
و نمیدونم چه حکمتیه هیچوقت این ویلنای بیچاره به مراد دلشون نمی‌رس�!
دیگه وقتشه نویسنده های محترم داستانی رو بنویسم که آدم بدا هم به عشقشون برسن :(
والا
چه وضعشه
««««««شاید اسپویل»»»»»
ولی خدایی جنی چه شجاعتی داشت که اون بلارو سر جولین اورد👀
برای اولین بار کاری که شخصیت اصلی داستان سر ویلن داستان آورد رو تحسین کردم و برگام ریخت😂✋�
پ.ن: اگه به داستانای جادویی، ماجراجویی و فانتزی (دلهره آور) علاقه دارین بهتون پیشنهاد میشه!
November 9, 2008
To anyone who has ever loved Labyrinth, you would think this novel somehow tells the history of The Goblin King. Well, there is no actual tie-in to Labyrinth except the one I make in my mind.
Jenny only wanted to get a game for her boyfriend's party she was throwing that night. She ducks into a store in the sketchy side of town and impulsively buys a plain white glossy box--without knowing what's in it--from a handsome man in the store. Boyfriend who?
She gets home and realizes how stupid her decision was. She tries to hide it when one of them opens it up and finds glossy boards with a pre-printed Victorian paper house begging to be built. They draw themselves on the dolls and their worst nightmares on more boards provided. They ready to play the game when a clock chimes and footsteps pound on the upper floor in a one story home with no clock that chimes. They black out.
They are in the house and the boy from the store who is a Shadow Man named Julian. They have to face their own fears and make it to the top of the turret before dawn.
It's meant for young adults, but read it! You will thank me! It's from the UK, what more could you want!
Jenny only wanted to get a game for her boyfriend's party she was throwing that night. She ducks into a store in the sketchy side of town and impulsively buys a plain white glossy box--without knowing what's in it--from a handsome man in the store. Boyfriend who?
She gets home and realizes how stupid her decision was. She tries to hide it when one of them opens it up and finds glossy boards with a pre-printed Victorian paper house begging to be built. They draw themselves on the dolls and their worst nightmares on more boards provided. They ready to play the game when a clock chimes and footsteps pound on the upper floor in a one story home with no clock that chimes. They black out.
They are in the house and the boy from the store who is a Shadow Man named Julian. They have to face their own fears and make it to the top of the turret before dawn.
It's meant for young adults, but read it! You will thank me! It's from the UK, what more could you want!
July 5, 2020
I so badly wanted to love this book. It was so hyped up by so many self-proclaimed literature snobs who would normally turn up their noses at this sort of book that I was totally convinced I would fall in love with it and regret all the years it hadn't been in my life.
I guess those expectations were just too high, especially with regard to Julian, that I really only have myself to blame for being let down. I really should know better by now not to get swept up on the hype train. It's not like this is the first time I've been burned. Nevertheless, I kept telling myself that the book would pick up as it went on, only to have those hopes shot in the face when I got to the last page and it hadn't magically become The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread�. Big sad.
I haven't decided yet whether I'm going to finish the series. I'm still reeling from the disappointment. I'll eventually probably pick up the next two books when I'm between books and looking for something short and fun-ish to read in the interim.
I guess those expectations were just too high, especially with regard to Julian, that I really only have myself to blame for being let down. I really should know better by now not to get swept up on the hype train. It's not like this is the first time I've been burned. Nevertheless, I kept telling myself that the book would pick up as it went on, only to have those hopes shot in the face when I got to the last page and it hadn't magically become The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread�. Big sad.
I haven't decided yet whether I'm going to finish the series. I'm still reeling from the disappointment. I'll eventually probably pick up the next two books when I'm between books and looking for something short and fun-ish to read in the interim.
September 8, 2021
I can't really recall which Point Horror books I had as a teen and whilst the cover looks vaguely familiar I think i would have remembered this one as it was rather good!
Being trapped in a board game must really have been in the zeitgeist during the mid-90's as Jenny buys one for her boyfriends birthday, the group of teens then must battling their own worst nightmares to survive.
Jenny's trip to the 'More Games' store is such a great set up and even put me in mind of both Stephen King's Needful Things and a few of the early Goosebumps books published around this time too (Monster Blood and The Haunted Mask) whilst there she meets enigmatic Julian and a mystery white box that she feels compelled to have...
The game itself is so wonderfully creepy, a constructible Victorian dolls house where the players must draw their own faces on the accompanying paper figures.
There's plenty of nice twists as the various players fears are slowly revealed as they journey through the house.
Which is perfectly set up for Jenny to finally face hers.
A perfect start to the trilogy.
Being trapped in a board game must really have been in the zeitgeist during the mid-90's as Jenny buys one for her boyfriends birthday, the group of teens then must battling their own worst nightmares to survive.
Jenny's trip to the 'More Games' store is such a great set up and even put me in mind of both Stephen King's Needful Things and a few of the early Goosebumps books published around this time too (Monster Blood and The Haunted Mask) whilst there she meets enigmatic Julian and a mystery white box that she feels compelled to have...
The game itself is so wonderfully creepy, a constructible Victorian dolls house where the players must draw their own faces on the accompanying paper figures.
There's plenty of nice twists as the various players fears are slowly revealed as they journey through the house.
Which is perfectly set up for Jenny to finally face hers.
A perfect start to the trilogy.
February 10, 2008
L.J. Smith is such a guilty pleasure of mine. I discovered her in sixth grade and have never really given her up. I didn't stumble upon this trilogy until three years ago or so, when I was living at home, marginally employed, and mildly depressed - so, hey, just about as miserable as I was in sixth grade! - and the brain-numbing cheesiness combined with just enough creativity and genuinely intriguing characters was just as soothing then as it was in middle school.
The first and third books of Forbidden Game are my favorites, just because of the framework they use. In book one, the titular game is a paper house that becomes real, that sucks Our Heroes into its alternate reality, and makes them face their worst nightmares. I don't care how cheesy the rest of it is; that's cool.
Our Heroine is, as always, irritatingly perfect, though I find Jenny to come by her "perfection" a little more honestly than some of the other L.J. Smith heroines. Our Hero is even more irritating than normal, moving from starts out looking like a creepy, almost emotionally abusive and controlling relationship with Jenny to an I'm-not-worthy-must-hide-myself-from-your-perfection thing by the end of this book. (And it just gets weirder and worse as the books go on.)
Then, of course, there is Our Villain, who is almost always more interesting, more complex, and not villainy enough to counterbalance how much nicer he is to Our Heroine than Our Hero is. Julian remains one of Smith's kickass villains. He loves Jenny, yes he does, and there's a good reason why it's her and no other. He is descended from a race of monsters, but there's a (okay, less good, but still plausible) reason why he is less monstery. He's got just enough zazz in him to make you think he might actually harm the rest of The Gang, but you never (I never) really believe he's going to harm Jenny. It's an interesting set-up.
Plus, these books get total props for a) actually killing people and 2) even the people who end up not dead, you actually think are dead for a good long while. Horror movies are so much more thrilling when people might actually get knocked off.
The first and third books of Forbidden Game are my favorites, just because of the framework they use. In book one, the titular game is a paper house that becomes real, that sucks Our Heroes into its alternate reality, and makes them face their worst nightmares. I don't care how cheesy the rest of it is; that's cool.
Our Heroine is, as always, irritatingly perfect, though I find Jenny to come by her "perfection" a little more honestly than some of the other L.J. Smith heroines. Our Hero is even more irritating than normal, moving from starts out looking like a creepy, almost emotionally abusive and controlling relationship with Jenny to an I'm-not-worthy-must-hide-myself-from-your-perfection thing by the end of this book. (And it just gets weirder and worse as the books go on.)
Then, of course, there is Our Villain, who is almost always more interesting, more complex, and not villainy enough to counterbalance how much nicer he is to Our Heroine than Our Hero is. Julian remains one of Smith's kickass villains. He loves Jenny, yes he does, and there's a good reason why it's her and no other. He is descended from a race of monsters, but there's a (okay, less good, but still plausible) reason why he is less monstery. He's got just enough zazz in him to make you think he might actually harm the rest of The Gang, but you never (I never) really believe he's going to harm Jenny. It's an interesting set-up.
Plus, these books get total props for a) actually killing people and 2) even the people who end up not dead, you actually think are dead for a good long while. Horror movies are so much more thrilling when people might actually get knocked off.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2021
The Hunter was an okay book. Just like the vampire diary books this was kind of just okay/meh to me. Maybe it's because I'm older and not into these sort of things anymore.. or I have no idea what's wrong with me. Plus the way this sort of starts off, romantically, just made me cringe here and there.
In it, you will meet Julian and Jenny. They are very insta-y throughout the entire book which definitely had me rolling my eyes at times. I guess, in a way, they had some cute moments but I honestly wasn't a huge fan of them.
Other than that, I guess I'm glad that everything zoomed by in this one because I never felt bored. I just wish that I liked the couple in this one. They had their likable moments but I just didn't connect to them at all.
Hoping things change in the next book.
In it, you will meet Julian and Jenny. They are very insta-y throughout the entire book which definitely had me rolling my eyes at times. I guess, in a way, they had some cute moments but I honestly wasn't a huge fan of them.
Other than that, I guess I'm glad that everything zoomed by in this one because I never felt bored. I just wish that I liked the couple in this one. They had their likable moments but I just didn't connect to them at all.
Hoping things change in the next book.
February 20, 2014
(Source: I own a copy of this book.)
16-year-old Jenny is just looking for a party game when she comes across a strange store, and a gorgeous boy who wants to sell her exactly what she wants.
What is the game that Julian sells her? And will Jenny and her friends make it to the end alive?
I haven’t read this book for years, but thankfully it was as good as I remembered.
I liked Jenny although she did irritate me a bit at times. As fearless as she was in some respects, she was a bit of a pushover when it came to her boyfriend and her friends, and seemed to want to do anything to please them.
The storyline in this was pretty good, a bit of a Jumanji meets Labyrinth kind of thing, and I liked that the nightmares that each player faced were actually pretty creepy.
My favourite part of this book was definitely Julian though. I don’t care that he is supposed to be the bad guy; he’s just so charismatic and charming that I would have stayed with him in a heartbeat. What was Jenny thinking � she should totally choose Julian!
The ending was a bit of a cliff-hanger and to be honest I can’t really remember what happens in the second book, but I do remember that we get more romantic scenes with Julian! Yay!
Overall; a good paranormal adventure story, with a little bit of romance,
8.5 out of 10.
16-year-old Jenny is just looking for a party game when she comes across a strange store, and a gorgeous boy who wants to sell her exactly what she wants.
What is the game that Julian sells her? And will Jenny and her friends make it to the end alive?
I haven’t read this book for years, but thankfully it was as good as I remembered.
I liked Jenny although she did irritate me a bit at times. As fearless as she was in some respects, she was a bit of a pushover when it came to her boyfriend and her friends, and seemed to want to do anything to please them.
The storyline in this was pretty good, a bit of a Jumanji meets Labyrinth kind of thing, and I liked that the nightmares that each player faced were actually pretty creepy.
My favourite part of this book was definitely Julian though. I don’t care that he is supposed to be the bad guy; he’s just so charismatic and charming that I would have stayed with him in a heartbeat. What was Jenny thinking � she should totally choose Julian!
The ending was a bit of a cliff-hanger and to be honest I can’t really remember what happens in the second book, but I do remember that we get more romantic scenes with Julian! Yay!
Overall; a good paranormal adventure story, with a little bit of romance,
8.5 out of 10.
August 27, 2018
Jenny gets more than she bargained for when she buys a mysterious game from a strange story that she stumbled into one day. She and her friends get sucked into a strange house and are forced to face their nightmares. They must face their fears and reach the top floor in order to win. The house is controlled by Julian, a Shadow Man, who claims to be in love with Jenny. If she and her friends lose the game, Jenny must stay with him in the Shadow Realm forever. Dun, dun, Duuuuunnnnn!
I enjoyed this book. It was interesting to see what each character was afraid of as they had to face their fears. I read a lot of young teen books to preview them for our school library, and I think I might suggest it to the librarian if she doesn't already have it. There is no bad language. The characters are juniors in high school and have paired up into boyfriend/girlfriend, but really only kissing occurs between them (i.e. no sex). As far as violence goes, there isn't much. It's supposed to be a scary book, and they are living their nightmares and can potentially die from their fears, but there is no graphic violence in the book.
I enjoyed this book. It was interesting to see what each character was afraid of as they had to face their fears. I read a lot of young teen books to preview them for our school library, and I think I might suggest it to the librarian if she doesn't already have it. There is no bad language. The characters are juniors in high school and have paired up into boyfriend/girlfriend, but really only kissing occurs between them (i.e. no sex). As far as violence goes, there isn't much. It's supposed to be a scary book, and they are living their nightmares and can potentially die from their fears, but there is no graphic violence in the book.
September 21, 2018
1.5/5 stars
hi i'm starting a kickstarter to have julian put down the pros would be that jenny would get sexually harassed and assaulted way less and i'd be able to read about these kids facing their nightmares without remembering that this is all for the endgame of jenny falling in love with julian despite the fact that she 1] has a boyfriend and 2] julian spends the whole series forcing himself on her when she says no and literally starts crying trying to get away from him
is that SEXY to people? GROSS
'i've been in love with you since u were 7 so i'm going to pretend to be ur cousin and make out with u and give u a complex' i am fucking GAGGING over here get me away!!!! i'm getting rid of this series ASAP i love the nightmare bits but jesus christ it isn't worth it, i can't even force myself through to the carnival in book 3 or that bit in book 2 where a snake comes up the toilet
hi i'm starting a kickstarter to have julian put down the pros would be that jenny would get sexually harassed and assaulted way less and i'd be able to read about these kids facing their nightmares without remembering that this is all for the endgame of jenny falling in love with julian despite the fact that she 1] has a boyfriend and 2] julian spends the whole series forcing himself on her when she says no and literally starts crying trying to get away from him
is that SEXY to people? GROSS
'i've been in love with you since u were 7 so i'm going to pretend to be ur cousin and make out with u and give u a complex' i am fucking GAGGING over here get me away!!!! i'm getting rid of this series ASAP i love the nightmare bits but jesus christ it isn't worth it, i can't even force myself through to the carnival in book 3 or that bit in book 2 where a snake comes up the toilet
August 11, 2008
What teenager hasn't dreamt of being taken away by David Bowie? Not too shabby, I say. Even if he is a demony creature from Beyond!
It's pulp. Pseudo Sexual horror romance for teens. I was compelled to finish the series by my libido, plus the spooky bits aren't bad at all.
First book I read as a kid that had words I didn't recognize, too, like laconic.
The description of the things the kids are afraid of, sticks with me the most--especially the one of the Black Forrest. Fairly creepy.
It's pulp. Pseudo Sexual horror romance for teens. I was compelled to finish the series by my libido, plus the spooky bits aren't bad at all.
First book I read as a kid that had words I didn't recognize, too, like laconic.
The description of the things the kids are afraid of, sticks with me the most--especially the one of the Black Forrest. Fairly creepy.
February 22, 2011
I LOVED this book from the beginnig I couldn't put it down! Just loved it and it was suspenseful the whole time. I just have to keep reading the series. I am hooked. This is my favorite of L.J. Smith's thus far. I want to see it put in a movie. It would be an awesome movie!
Read
January 27, 2023Early 90's vibe in the writing, but it doesn't matter because the plot is so fun. This would make a great movie -a house full of nightmares with a hot seductive guy trying to seduce the protagonist. This book is what started my love of all misunderstood bad guys -and I still love it years later!!! Think of it as Hades & Persephone meets Labyrinth, only muchhhh better!
August 15, 2020
As an avid fan of L.J. Smith’s ‘Nightworld� series, I was so excited when I spotted this at my local bookstore. This is absolutely not what I was expecting but I loved it! The story was surprisingly creepy and honestly freaked me out a tad bit. My only complaint is that the characters seemed a little dull and could benefit from fleshing out.
August 14, 2015
Мне понравилась эта история. Простенько, но очень увлекательно!! Буду читать дальше :)
January 14, 2008
Book 1 of 3. The Forbidden Game trilogy. Very good. Middle school level reading. However, has many classic themes that all ages will enjoy. Find, read, and re-read! (put on keeper shelf!)
The first book in the trilogy which introduces Jenny and group (her boyfriend Tom, her cousin Zach, her friends Audrey, Michael, (who are dating each other) and Dee) to the Shadow Man- Julian who has fallen in love with Jenny and won’t rest until she is his. Jenny buys The Game from Julian (unbeknownst to her at the time) for Tom’s birthday party. The Game is a board game of sorts that looks like a Victorian Doll House. They each draw their own faces on the characters, have to draw their own worst nightmares and swear that The Game is real and dangerous. The Game turns real and the group finds themselves actually inside The Game in the Shadow World. They each have to face their own nightmares and get to the end (the top of the house) and threw the door before dawn strikes or else Julian wins and he gets to keep Jenny forever.
I love this story. I love the characters and the story-line even though it is young-adult and seems a little silly at times. I think it’s the nostalgia of it for me. One of my all time favorite books/trilogies. In this trilogy though, I always root for the bad guy. I can’t help it, I LOVE Julian. :o)
The first book in the trilogy which introduces Jenny and group (her boyfriend Tom, her cousin Zach, her friends Audrey, Michael, (who are dating each other) and Dee) to the Shadow Man- Julian who has fallen in love with Jenny and won’t rest until she is his. Jenny buys The Game from Julian (unbeknownst to her at the time) for Tom’s birthday party. The Game is a board game of sorts that looks like a Victorian Doll House. They each draw their own faces on the characters, have to draw their own worst nightmares and swear that The Game is real and dangerous. The Game turns real and the group finds themselves actually inside The Game in the Shadow World. They each have to face their own nightmares and get to the end (the top of the house) and threw the door before dawn strikes or else Julian wins and he gets to keep Jenny forever.
I love this story. I love the characters and the story-line even though it is young-adult and seems a little silly at times. I think it’s the nostalgia of it for me. One of my all time favorite books/trilogies. In this trilogy though, I always root for the bad guy. I can’t help it, I LOVE Julian. :o)
December 25, 2016
well,I liked it; my friend recomended this book in school to me & I barrowed it from school library.
I Liked it, but such as other books , as vampire dieries, the main charectors were very pretty &... you know... the cover were'nt good & the translate was awfull;
IT wasnt very huge,U know! It wasnt wow! it was just pretty. nice. good. not well;
& just this
happy yalda
خب دوستم اینو تو مدرسه بهم معرفی کرد و طبق معمول عاشق شخصیت منفی و اصلی داستان شده بود. و گذاشت که بجای اینکه برای 800 مین بار خودش این کتاب بگیره،من از کتابخونه بگیرمش. جلدش خیلی بده و ترجمه افتضاحههه... دیالوگ ها سنگین نیستن و کتاب مثل خیلی از دیگر کتابهاشخصیت های زیبا و بی نقصی دارد که از اشکالاتشه چون هرکس ک میخونه که نباید عاشق شخصیت اصلی شه.اخرش بد تموم شد و به نظرم از دیگر جلد هاش باید بهتر باشه.
مشغول خوندن جلد بعدی هستم.
ممنون از نشر چشمه، مترجم و البته ال جی اسمیت
نشر چشمه ترجمه کرده
و یلدایتان مبارک کتابخوان های عزیز
پ.ن:گودریدز با اکانات جدید بهتر شده
I Liked it, but such as other books , as vampire dieries, the main charectors were very pretty &... you know... the cover were'nt good & the translate was awfull;
IT wasnt very huge,U know! It wasnt wow! it was just pretty. nice. good. not well;
& just this
happy yalda
خب دوستم اینو تو مدرسه بهم معرفی کرد و طبق معمول عاشق شخصیت منفی و اصلی داستان شده بود. و گذاشت که بجای اینکه برای 800 مین بار خودش این کتاب بگیره،من از کتابخونه بگیرمش. جلدش خیلی بده و ترجمه افتضاحههه... دیالوگ ها سنگین نیستن و کتاب مثل خیلی از دیگر کتابهاشخصیت های زیبا و بی نقصی دارد که از اشکالاتشه چون هرکس ک میخونه که نباید عاشق شخصیت اصلی شه.اخرش بد تموم شد و به نظرم از دیگر جلد هاش باید بهتر باشه.
مشغول خوندن جلد بعدی هستم.
ممنون از نشر چشمه، مترجم و البته ال جی اسمیت
نشر چشمه ترجمه کرده
و یلدایتان مبارک کتابخوان های عزیز
پ.ن:گودریدز با اکانات جدید بهتر شده
January 2, 2016
It's been 5 years since i read this series, and i still love it!
Some of the nightmares were really creepy. I would have had nightmares for life if i took part in them!
The characters were really good. Jenny was really brave and clever. There is no way that i would be able to work that riddle out so quickly!
Julian was creepy and very sneaky, but i couldn't help but love him.
I'd lose a good hour in the games if Julian appeared - I wouldn't be able to stop staring at his blue eyes!
I'm really looking forward to re-reading the next book, because from what i can remember, it gets even better!
Some of the nightmares were really creepy. I would have had nightmares for life if i took part in them!
The characters were really good. Jenny was really brave and clever. There is no way that i would be able to work that riddle out so quickly!
Julian was creepy and very sneaky, but i couldn't help but love him.
I'd lose a good hour in the games if Julian appeared - I wouldn't be able to stop staring at his blue eyes!
I'm really looking forward to re-reading the next book, because from what i can remember, it gets even better!
December 19, 2017
“He was evil. Cruel, capricious, and dangerous as a cobra. A prince of darkness.
Completely evil—and completely in love with her.�
October 15, 2018
Okay, this is going to be a short review.
I liked this a lot! It's a bit old school, but that's to be expected, since it is from 1994.
I also got huge Jumanji vibes from this, with the whole being-sucked-into-a-game scenario.
The characters were all great and different and well developed and even though each and every one of them had a clear role and a specific character, they didn't feel like stereotypes to me.
Julian was just amazing. He is so interesting and dark and handsome and he is the villain. Yeah... I got that, but I couldn't help but love him. His character is twisted and even though he does everything to get what he is after, he also has this "soft" side to him. He is not really soft, but he has something about him that is charming and almost... tender? I don't really know how I should describe him. But I wanted Jenny to stay with him, even though I somehow knew she wouldn't. Such a shame though!!!
Tom on the other hand was kind of lame. (Sorry to everyone who liked him.) He didn't play a very big role in this book (as he was away almost the entire time), but Jenny kept thinking about him to remind herself that she shouldn't want and think about Julian. That was also kind of meh. I like that she wanted to stay loyal, but at the same time she kept kissing Julian (and enjoying it) and kept thinking about him oh so often, so it didn't really make sense. But oh well...
A unique aspect in this book were the nightmare of the different characters. While being kidnapped by aliens was still a somewhat "normal" fear, the other nightmares were something completely original. The author seemed to have thought a lot about these nightmares and I think they were excellent!
Finally, the book is really short and you can fly through it and finish it within a few days even if you don't have time and only read on the train to work - like me. So, if you wanna read something fast and somewhat original over Halloween (somewhat, because the game aspect reminded me of Jumanji), go for it!
I liked this a lot! It's a bit old school, but that's to be expected, since it is from 1994.
I also got huge Jumanji vibes from this, with the whole being-sucked-into-a-game scenario.
The characters were all great and different and well developed and even though each and every one of them had a clear role and a specific character, they didn't feel like stereotypes to me.
Julian was just amazing. He is so interesting and dark and handsome and he is the villain. Yeah... I got that, but I couldn't help but love him. His character is twisted and even though he does everything to get what he is after, he also has this "soft" side to him. He is not really soft, but he has something about him that is charming and almost... tender? I don't really know how I should describe him. But I wanted Jenny to stay with him, even though I somehow knew she wouldn't. Such a shame though!!!
Tom on the other hand was kind of lame. (Sorry to everyone who liked him.) He didn't play a very big role in this book (as he was away almost the entire time), but Jenny kept thinking about him to remind herself that she shouldn't want and think about Julian. That was also kind of meh. I like that she wanted to stay loyal, but at the same time she kept kissing Julian (and enjoying it) and kept thinking about him oh so often, so it didn't really make sense. But oh well...
A unique aspect in this book were the nightmare of the different characters. While being kidnapped by aliens was still a somewhat "normal" fear, the other nightmares were something completely original. The author seemed to have thought a lot about these nightmares and I think they were excellent!
Finally, the book is really short and you can fly through it and finish it within a few days even if you don't have time and only read on the train to work - like me. So, if you wanna read something fast and somewhat original over Halloween (somewhat, because the game aspect reminded me of Jumanji), go for it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2018
This was an okay book, probably something I would've enjoyed more when I was younger. Most of the nightmares weren't that scary and the ending seemed too easy. That being said I still want to continue with the series to know what happens next.
May 2, 2019
Super cool, mysterious, and the writing was on point. I wanted a little bit more from it. Maybe it comes in the next 2 books. Maybe I’ll read them one day. For now I’m moving on
June 16, 2012
I think it would be an understatement to say that I am impressed by L.J. Smith. Smith's name is one that is familiar to nearly everyone, if not for anything else then for her widely popular Vampire Diaries Series. I was more than a little nervous going into The Forbidden Game though, merely because I wanted to like her just as much as everyone else did. I wanted to fall in love with her characters and her world and I can assure you, there are very few authors who I really want to love. I am glad to say however, that L.J. Smith did not disappoint. If anything, she made it easy for me to join the ranks of her avid fans.
The Hunter is possibly one of the scariest novels I've read. It begins when Jenny, searching for an interesting game to play at her boyfriend's birthday party, stumbles upon a mysterious store and an even more mysterious owner. Julian, the enigmatic and beautiful man she meets, offers her The Game and she takes it home with a strange feeling in her heart. It turns out that The Game is merely a dollhouse - one which her boyfriend Tom, best friends Dee, Audrey, and Summer, cousin Zach, and other close friend Michael, all eagerly complete. Yet, what they don't expect is to find themselves inside the dollhouse, facing their worst nightmares, for Julian isn't what he seems to be. He is The Shadow Man and he wants Jenny. If Jenny and her friends can't make it out of the dollhouse alive before dawn, they'll be trapped in there - forever.
I knew, even before starting this book, that it was going to be a page-turning thriller, but I somehow never anticipated it to be as good as it was. L.J. Smith's work was published long before any of the current YA fluff we read, so it's obvious that her ideas were the original multi-dimensional world, creepy stalker, and practically insta-love tales. Needless to say, they are full of the depth, mystery, and horror that current YA fiction is lacking. I absolutely loved the rich realm that Smith created. Her writing is gripping, her descriptions mesmerizing, and if you yourself don't feel as if you're in this haunted doll house, then you're reading the wrong book.
I also fell in love with every single one of Smith's characters, except Julian of course. Julian is creepy. He is the kind of guy you hope never to meet in your life (if you ever do meet him, run the opposite direction as fast as you possibly can). Although he is insane, psychotic, and more than a little sadistic, I found him to be incredibly entertaining and his dialogue gave me the chills. I thought the way in which the other characters dealt with him was very realistic and I absolutely adore Jenny as a protagonist. She is kind, brave, courageous, strong, and doesn't give in to Julian's temptations. Of her friends, Dee was by far my favorite as she could truly be a warrior-princess. Audrey is intelligent, Zach is mysterious but calm and cool, Michael is simply adorable and sweet, Summer is naive, and Tom is...well, I didn't develop too much of feeling towards Tom in this book. Honestly, we didn't really get to know him. He appeared in the very beginning and again towards the end, but I'm going to go ahead and tell you that I fell in love with him in the sequel!(:
I think what I love best about Smith's novel is the fact that she is able to find the silver lining behind the dark cloud she created. The Game is dangerous and terrifying and not everyone gets out alive; yet, Smith shows us how this ordeal has changed her characters - for the better. They have learned more, trusted further, and come to appreciate all that they have. That, more than anything else, is what struck out to me as being important in this book. The Hunter was definitely an entertaining read, but at the end of the day, it proved to be one with a deeper message as well. I have to warn you though, this story ends with a cliffhanger, so if you're going to read this series, make sure you have both sequels in your grasp.
That being said, what are you waiting for? Immerse yourself in the world of L.J. Smith and revel in its dark beauty and mystery for yourself. And remember: never trust beautiful strangers, unknown games, or make a bargain with the devil. You just may not escape alive. ;)
A HUGE thank you to Inge, my beautiful Belgian friend, for recommending this series to me. I am thoroughly enjoying it!
The Hunter is possibly one of the scariest novels I've read. It begins when Jenny, searching for an interesting game to play at her boyfriend's birthday party, stumbles upon a mysterious store and an even more mysterious owner. Julian, the enigmatic and beautiful man she meets, offers her The Game and she takes it home with a strange feeling in her heart. It turns out that The Game is merely a dollhouse - one which her boyfriend Tom, best friends Dee, Audrey, and Summer, cousin Zach, and other close friend Michael, all eagerly complete. Yet, what they don't expect is to find themselves inside the dollhouse, facing their worst nightmares, for Julian isn't what he seems to be. He is The Shadow Man and he wants Jenny. If Jenny and her friends can't make it out of the dollhouse alive before dawn, they'll be trapped in there - forever.
I knew, even before starting this book, that it was going to be a page-turning thriller, but I somehow never anticipated it to be as good as it was. L.J. Smith's work was published long before any of the current YA fluff we read, so it's obvious that her ideas were the original multi-dimensional world, creepy stalker, and practically insta-love tales. Needless to say, they are full of the depth, mystery, and horror that current YA fiction is lacking. I absolutely loved the rich realm that Smith created. Her writing is gripping, her descriptions mesmerizing, and if you yourself don't feel as if you're in this haunted doll house, then you're reading the wrong book.
I also fell in love with every single one of Smith's characters, except Julian of course. Julian is creepy. He is the kind of guy you hope never to meet in your life (if you ever do meet him, run the opposite direction as fast as you possibly can). Although he is insane, psychotic, and more than a little sadistic, I found him to be incredibly entertaining and his dialogue gave me the chills. I thought the way in which the other characters dealt with him was very realistic and I absolutely adore Jenny as a protagonist. She is kind, brave, courageous, strong, and doesn't give in to Julian's temptations. Of her friends, Dee was by far my favorite as she could truly be a warrior-princess. Audrey is intelligent, Zach is mysterious but calm and cool, Michael is simply adorable and sweet, Summer is naive, and Tom is...well, I didn't develop too much of feeling towards Tom in this book. Honestly, we didn't really get to know him. He appeared in the very beginning and again towards the end, but I'm going to go ahead and tell you that I fell in love with him in the sequel!(:
I think what I love best about Smith's novel is the fact that she is able to find the silver lining behind the dark cloud she created. The Game is dangerous and terrifying and not everyone gets out alive; yet, Smith shows us how this ordeal has changed her characters - for the better. They have learned more, trusted further, and come to appreciate all that they have. That, more than anything else, is what struck out to me as being important in this book. The Hunter was definitely an entertaining read, but at the end of the day, it proved to be one with a deeper message as well. I have to warn you though, this story ends with a cliffhanger, so if you're going to read this series, make sure you have both sequels in your grasp.
That being said, what are you waiting for? Immerse yourself in the world of L.J. Smith and revel in its dark beauty and mystery for yourself. And remember: never trust beautiful strangers, unknown games, or make a bargain with the devil. You just may not escape alive. ;)
A HUGE thank you to Inge, my beautiful Belgian friend, for recommending this series to me. I am thoroughly enjoying it!
June 27, 2017
I am completely nonplussed. After reading so many glowing reviews and recommendations I was prepared for a fascinating and spell-binding book with the ultimate mysterious, sexy, yet evil, antagonist. Instead it seemed like a rushed story without any real depth, and a villain who was promising, but was completely underdeveloped.
Perhaps if I had read this book when I was younger I would have loved it. I don't know. As it stands, it seemed like a creative idea that was just not fleshed out. I did not particularly care about any of the characters or get attached to them (the heroine, Jenny, seemed devoid of personality). Maybe a little more background development before jumping into the action would have helped?
As for the "romance" element, I was completely put off a certain character's sudden declaration of love which comes extremely early in the book, and feels entirely out of the blue. There was no time to build an attraction between the characters (beyond the physical), and when the supposed genesis of it was explained (no spoilers) it seemed like insta-love (and a creepy one at that).
Obviously, this book just was not for me.
Verdict: An interesting idea that was never fleshed out.
Perhaps if I had read this book when I was younger I would have loved it. I don't know. As it stands, it seemed like a creative idea that was just not fleshed out. I did not particularly care about any of the characters or get attached to them (the heroine, Jenny, seemed devoid of personality). Maybe a little more background development before jumping into the action would have helped?
As for the "romance" element, I was completely put off a certain character's sudden declaration of love which comes extremely early in the book, and feels entirely out of the blue. There was no time to build an attraction between the characters (beyond the physical), and when the supposed genesis of it was explained (no spoilers) it seemed like insta-love (and a creepy one at that).
Obviously, this book just was not for me.
Verdict: An interesting idea that was never fleshed out.
November 1, 2014
The premise for this story is really interesting. The execution of it however I found very bland. This left me very underwhelmed.
The villain isn't sexy or attractive, in my opinion. Just another, sadly typical, jerk who confuses desire to possess and control with "love".
The other characters seemed fairly flat and one dimensional to me. The story should have been suspenseful and even perhaps scary, but really wasn't. The situation certainly is one that should be suspenseful and scary, but the writing didn't measure up and create any real suspense or emotion.
And the reaction to the death of one of their friends, as other reviewers has mentioned, was also strangely devoid of much emotion, and wasn't much more than a blip on their radar.
I've seen some refer to this as middle-grade, but I would not consider it middle-grade. It seems intended as YA to me. But perhaps those thinking of this as middle-grade fiction do so because most above that age wouldn't find it very suspenseful or scary.
Overall I was able to stick with it because it was tolerable, but am very disappointed it wasn't better.
The villain isn't sexy or attractive, in my opinion. Just another, sadly typical, jerk who confuses desire to possess and control with "love".
The other characters seemed fairly flat and one dimensional to me. The story should have been suspenseful and even perhaps scary, but really wasn't. The situation certainly is one that should be suspenseful and scary, but the writing didn't measure up and create any real suspense or emotion.
And the reaction to the death of one of their friends, as other reviewers has mentioned, was also strangely devoid of much emotion, and wasn't much more than a blip on their radar.
I've seen some refer to this as middle-grade, but I would not consider it middle-grade. It seems intended as YA to me. But perhaps those thinking of this as middle-grade fiction do so because most above that age wouldn't find it very suspenseful or scary.
Overall I was able to stick with it because it was tolerable, but am very disappointed it wasn't better.
June 8, 2016
Avevo comprato questo libro a gennaio e non l'avevo ancora toccato quindi mi sembrava doveroso smaltirlo, arrivata a maggio inoltrato.
Non ho un'alta opinione dell'autrice; ho letto Vampire Diaries sino all'ottavo volume a quanto ricordo (o qualcosa di simile) e mi sono volutamente spoiilerata i rimanenti libri per concludere la serie.
La Casa degli Orrori ha lo stesso stile dei libri del Diario del Vampiro: la narrazione è banale, i personaggi, anche quelli principali, sono poco caratterizzati e le vicende si svolgono o troppo velocemente o troppo lentamente.
Quello che fa guadagnare la stellina a questo libro è l'idea alla base de Gioco di cui si parla all'interno che in qualche modo è originale ma sviluppatadavvero di merda, lasciatemelo dire.
Non ho un'alta opinione dell'autrice; ho letto Vampire Diaries sino all'ottavo volume a quanto ricordo (o qualcosa di simile) e mi sono volutamente spoiilerata i rimanenti libri per concludere la serie.
La Casa degli Orrori ha lo stesso stile dei libri del Diario del Vampiro: la narrazione è banale, i personaggi, anche quelli principali, sono poco caratterizzati e le vicende si svolgono o troppo velocemente o troppo lentamente.
Quello che fa guadagnare la stellina a questo libro è l'idea alla base de Gioco di cui si parla all'interno che in qualche modo è originale ma sviluppata
January 25, 2020
"Every game has a prize. Winner take all."
Jenny no se imaginaba lo que iba a pasar después de comprarle un juego a Julian, un chico misterioso, ahora ella y sus amigos tienen hasta el amanecer para ganar el juego y salir de la tenebrosa casa de muñecas, dónde las pesadillas se vuelven realidad y no queda nadamás que enfrentarlas. Pero si Julian gana, los amigos de Jenny quedarán atrapados y ella deberá quedarse con él para siempre.
L.J. Smith nos trae un historia increíble llena de peligro, misterio, miedo y tentación que nos hará difícil dejar de leerlo y nos permite conocer realmente a sus personajes a través de sus mayores miedos.
Jenny no se imaginaba lo que iba a pasar después de comprarle un juego a Julian, un chico misterioso, ahora ella y sus amigos tienen hasta el amanecer para ganar el juego y salir de la tenebrosa casa de muñecas, dónde las pesadillas se vuelven realidad y no queda nadamás que enfrentarlas. Pero si Julian gana, los amigos de Jenny quedarán atrapados y ella deberá quedarse con él para siempre.
L.J. Smith nos trae un historia increíble llena de peligro, misterio, miedo y tentación que nos hará difícil dejar de leerlo y nos permite conocer realmente a sus personajes a través de sus mayores miedos.
August 12, 2007
Having gained an interest in L.J. Smith as an author after reading the series, I decided to pick up this series of books (it also helped that there was a complete hottie on the cover... come on, I was 13 at the time).
I was thrilled through the entire book by the actions of the antagonist Julian as he tried to woo Jenny in the most outrageous ways possible. While it did seem wrong of him to put her friends in danger in the process, it was still very exciting.
I was thrilled through the entire book by the actions of the antagonist Julian as he tried to woo Jenny in the most outrageous ways possible. While it did seem wrong of him to put her friends in danger in the process, it was still very exciting.
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