Operation Bounce House

By: Matt Dinniman

Narrated by: Travis Baldree, Jeff Hays

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A man must fight for his planet against impossible odds when gamers from Earth attempt to remotely annihilate it in this epic, fast-paced novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl.

All colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do was run the family ranch with his sister, maybe play a gig or two with his band, and keep his family’s aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking as long as possible. He figures it will be a good thing when the transfer gate finally opens all the way and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora. But there’s a complication.

Even though the settlers were promised they’d be left in peace, Earth’s government now has other plans. The colossal Apex Industries is hired to commence an “eviction action.” But maximizing profits will always be Apex’s number one priority. Why spend money printing and deploying AI soldiers when they can turn it into a game? Why not charge bored Earthers for the opportunity to design their own war machines and remotely pilot them from the comfort of their homes?

The game is called Operation Bounce House.

Oliver and his friends soon find themselves fighting for their lives against machines piloted by gamers who’ve paid a premium for the privilege. With the help of an old book from his grandfather and a bucket of rusty parts, Oliver is determined to defend the only home he’s ever known.

Critic reviews

“Irreverent yet heartfelt, nostalgic yet wholly original, with Operation Bounce House, Dinniman delivers another anarchic adventure rich with riotous characters and a plot that crackles towards chaos with all the alacrity of a dynamite fuse." – Pierce Brown, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Red Rising Saga

"What if the toxic corporate interests of Earth tasked its most toxic gamers with doing their colonialist bidding? What if their insignificant incel reign of terror reached beyond the borders of their parents' basements and bedrooms, and they were all given remote command of real weapons of war on another world? Matt Dinniman has cooked us all up a deliciously terrifying gamer geek stew, mixing up Avatar and Ender's Game, with a dash of The Last Starfighter and Independence Day thrown in." – Ernest Cline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ready Player One

"Dinniman skillfully cloaks several current-day issues, such as swatting, genocide, othering, and concerns about AI, in this captivating futuristic read."– Booklist (starred review)

“Fast-paced, clever, and with plenty of heart—the rare book that's both thoughtful and tremendously entertaining.” – James Islington, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Will of the Many

"SF readers will have a ball.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Matt Dinniman is an incredible writer. Now enjoy his 100% accurate prophecy of the coming war between interstellar farmers and Call of Duty mech pilots.” – Will Wight, New York Times bestselling author of the Cradle series

"Addictive... The stakes are sky-high, and the Ender's Game-esque plot moves at a rapid clip. ... Fans will not be disappointed." – Library Journal

"Dungeon Crawler Carl author Matt Dinniman’s Operation Bounce House is a hair-raising intergalactic invasion that never forgets the humans at its core.” – BookPage

“Strap in and grab your pitchfork because Matt Dinniman is back again with a fast-paced stand-alone novel that’s sure to leave you itching for more.” – SFF Insider

Praise for Dungeon Crawler Carl:

"Dungeon Crawler Carl is legit awesome."– #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson

“Fresh. Creative. Hilarious. I'm obsessed…Princess Donut is my queen.” – Actor, producer and New York Times bestselling author Felicia Day

"This series has no goddamn business burying so much depth and emotion and complexity under its bawdy, gory surface, but it does so anyway. What a wild-ass and unexpected delight." – New York Times bestselling author Scott Lynch

Great Story, Eh Narrator…More Jeff Hays, Please!

Not a huge fan of the narrator’s accent. I wish Jeff Hays would have done the whole book like DCC. As usual though, Matt Dinneman delivers as far as the story is concerned.

He Doesn’t Miss!

This is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. Matt just knows how to write a captivating story from beginning to end.

Great storyline

Loved all of it!!! Kept me engaged through every word. Matt Dinniman has such a great imagination and is such a skilled writer.

Matt Does It Again

I came from Dungeon Crawler Carl as it was one of my favorite series in the last few year. Operation Bounce House is not the same so if you are looking for more DCC, look elsewhere. However, this book is still very good and stands alone. The world build is great, being futuristic and otherworldly without it being unfamiliar. Characters are given time however do not develop as much growth as I would prefer outside the POV protagonist. The switch in personality for the side characters was reasonable but seemed a little quick or ramp as I would expect. This books gives just enough technical info to be believable without getting lost in it. The story was very relevant to the current political climate and AI usage but toes the line with an anti-message and AI being useful if given the correct restraints. Overall, a solid story and performance with minor gripes

Unexpected love

I don't typically read books like this but wanted to give it a shot due to liking the writers other works. It got off to a slow start building the characters but once things really kicked off it really hooked me. By the end I was fully invested to the point of tears. What an interesting story.