Do you think you’re smart enough to win a fortune in gold?
Author James Frey is challenging the world to see if anyone can solve the mystery in his new book, “Endgame: The Calling.”
The first genius to figure out where a key is will be able to unlock a case on the floor of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas that’s filled with $500,000 in gold coins.
The treasure hunt will start Oct. 7 with a launch event at the Hammerstein Ballroom featuring James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem and legendary DJ Pete Tong.
“I’m stoked,” Frey told me. “We’ve been working on this project for three years, and we got two of my favorite musicians to play the event. It’s gonna be berserk.”
Google Niantic is creating an ARG and a mobile video game based on the Endgame mythology and Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey, who made the “Twilight” series, “The Fault in Our Stars” and “The Maze Runner,” are producing film versions for Fox.
“Endgame: The Calling” is the first of a trilogy, and the stakes will get higher with each book.
The second, “Endgame: The Event,” will offer a $1 million prize and the third, “Endgame: War,” will offer $1.5 million.
Frey saw the gold coins he purchased for the first time on Monday in Los Angeles. “Sitting at a table with a big pile of gold in front of me was fun. Lots of crazy thoughts running through my head.”
Asked if his family and friends are ineligible, Frey laughed, “I don’t think any of my friends are smart enough to win it.”