Local author Timothy Bartlett is playing a game with his readers, and that forms the foundation of his Gamemaster Trilogy, the first book of which is out now.
The Gamemaster Trilogy follows a character who Bartlett describes as a genius. He's one who takes the rules of games and applies them to regular life. In the first book, The Games People Play, this leads him into conflict with a second character who Bartlett describes as a mastermind, who wants to get his hands on the millions the gamemaster has made in his life.
Bartlett says he likes to challenge the reader, and the books will feature games, puzzles and cryptic messages for the reader to engage with and try to solve. The solution for the puzzles will not appear until the third book, and Bartlett says that while it's not necessary for the reader to solve every problem, it is something he did because he wanted to get people thinking about how the book works.
"The idea was to challenge people, whether or not you take up the challenge is up to you. The key question I ask everybody, even in the author's notes, is very simple, when you're reading these novels, you have to ask yourself "who is playing the game?" The characters are, the reader is, and also the writer. You have to have fun with different levels of thinking."
Bartlett says that the series began from what he describes as a stupid argument with a roommate. He says that while ruminating on the argument and his roommate's behavior, he had a sudden realization of how the book would unfold.
"I said to myself, what's the matter with people? All they ever do is play mind games with each other. Who do they think they are, a gamemaster? And bang, the inspiration hit me that powerful."
He says the concept has expanded significantly in scope from that beginning, as it developed from a single short story to a trilogy of novels. At every step, Bartlett says he was inspired to keep expanding the story and to find more parts of the history of the characters. He says that the series became more fun as he progressed.
Bartlett will be at the Parkland Mall on July 17 and 19 selling the book, and he can also be found at Dollarama. He expects the second book in the series to come out in November.
"I just hope that when people do come get it they enjoy it," he concludes.
