Let the Games Begin (Unabridged‪)‬

In this satirical tragicomedy, Niccolò Ammaniti reveals a side of modern culture riddled with superficiality and vulgarity that nourishes our deepest dreams and insecurities

It's the night of the most decadent party of the century. A rags-to-riches real estate magnate has planned an over-the-top weekend safari for the who’s-who of celebrities at his sprawling residence in Villa Ada ‒ once a public park, now the largest private home in Rome. Starlets, politicians, soccer stars, and intellectuals all turn up to rub elbows.

Among them is a neurotically charming author struggling to write his next literary tome and pining for renewed recognition. In an unexpected turn of events, he crosses paths with The Wilde Beasts of Abaddon, a satanic sect planning to ruin the evening’s festivities in order to go down in history as a world-famous cult. What was intended as the most spectacular fête of the year quickly descends into apocalyptic chaos.

In this satirical tragicomedy, Niccolò Ammaniti, winner of the prestigious Strega Prize, reveals a side of modern culture riddled with superficiality and vulgarity that nourishes our deepest dreams and insecurities.