Review: Rabbits by Terry Miles

K’s a gamer, but he’s not your average gamer. Sure, he’ll dabble in arcade games and online roleplayers, but what he’s really into is something many of fellow gamers haven’t heard of: Rabbits. The pattern-seeking underground game is the cause of much speculation, because like Fight Club, you don’t talk about it. Which is why the purpose, players, and plot of the game are all such a mystery. All K knows is that it’s real, and it’s something he wants – no, needs – to win, and not just because the prize promises to be the winner’s most heartfelt desire.

But just as the next round of the game is supposed to start, the unthinkable happens. K is approached by a former winner, who requests his help to fix Rabbits, before something terrible happens.

And as he tries to help, he realizes that something terrible isn’t just forfeiting the prize – if K doesn’t fix Rabbits, the world as he knows it will end. Literally.

Rabbits is an ambitious project, and Terry Miles has accomplished a feat in world building. Despite a somewhat slow start, once it heats up, it’ll keep you flicking through the pages at a record rate. And part of the reason for that is that so much is happening. Truly, Rabbits is the definition of ‘something for everyone’. There’s conspiracy theories, technological advances and AI, a peek at the multiverse, a love story, a dash of adventure, and of course, a little murder and mayhem.

And this combination makes it feel familiar in the best way. It makes the reader think of shows like Fringe or Netflix’s Devs meets The Matrix vibes, with an added puzzle-solving and whodunit aspect.

And for that reason, I have one very important bit of advice for you: read Rabbits before it becomes the next Hollywood sensation, because Tinseltown would be crazy to pass up this story!

Rabbits by Terry Miles is published by Macmillan, an imprint of Pan Macmillan. And is available in South Africa from Pan Macmillan South Africa.