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Present Tense: Round Two of the Great Game - David Duncan Book Review

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"Present Tense: Round Two of the Great Game"
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Review Summary
In the second book of the Great Game trilogy, Edward Exeter has tried to escape his prophesied destiny by returning home. He ends up on the battlefield at Flanders in the middle of WWI, and it takes the combined efforts of an old school friend, a teacher, and his cousin Alice to get him out of trouble. In return, he tells them of his time on Nextdoor - including his involvement in a local war there and his increasing understanding of the abilities of strangers. He returns to Nextdoor, intending to stay only for a brief time, but once again gets caught up in the Great Game. The entire series is excellent, and this book is no exception.
Ivy, Resident Scholar


Detailed literary breakdown of Present Tense: Round Two of the Great Game
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Plot
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - part earth & part fantasy world
Coming of age Yes
Youngster becomes - guardian of justice
Spying & Investigations Yes
What is main char. doing? - rescue mission/escape from confinement
War or Invasion Yes
Major kinds of combat: - mental powers battles
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Age: - a teen
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - can cast many different spells
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
Age: - long-lived adults
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - can cast all sorts of spells
Eccentric: Yes - eccentric - emotionally unstable - wild
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount

Setting
Earth setting: - 20th century
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a primitive/fantasy society
Takes place on Earth? Yes
Planet outside solar system? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue? - significantly more descript than dialog
Most similar books to Present Tense: Round Two of the Great Game
Interstellar Empire by John Brunner
Stalking the Nightmare by Harlan Ellison
Vector Prime - Star Wars, the New Jedi Order 1 by R.A. Salvatore
Lady of the Trillium by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Ring of Destiny by Jane S. Fancher




Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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