Mindwar

Fantasy. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: When Rick lost the ability to run, he came one step closer to becoming a hero. New High Score! New Record Time! Rick nodded with grim satisfaction. He laid the game controller aside on the sofa and reached for his crutches. Rick Dial was the best quarterback Putnam Hills High School had ever seen. Unflappable. Unstoppable. Number 12. But when a car accident left him crippled, Rick's life as he knew it ended. He disavowed his triumphant past. He ignored his girlfriend. He disappeared into his bedroom�and into the glowing video screen. But Rick's uncanny gaming skills have attracted attention. Dangerous attention. Government agents have uncovered a potentially devastating cyber-threat: a Russian genius has created a digital reality called the Realm, from which he can enter, control, and disrupt American computer systems . . . from transportation to defense. The agents want Rick, quick-thinking quarterback and gaming master, to enter the Realm and stop the madman�before he sends America into chaos. Entering the Realm will give Rick what he thought he'd never have again: a body as strong and fast as it was before the accident. But this is no game, there are no extra lives, and what happens to Rick in the Realm happens to Rick's body in reality. Even after Rick agrees to help, he can't shake the sense that he's being kept in the dark. Why would a government agency act so aggressively? Can anyone inside the Realm be trusted? How many others have entered before him . . . and failed to return? In the tradition of Ender's Game and The Matrix, MindWar is a complex thriller about a seemingly ordinary teenager who discovers a hidden gift�a gift that could make him a hero . . . or cost him everything. "Edgar Award�winning Klavan's well-orchestrated fantasy thriller features . . . an imaginative mix of gaming action with real-life stakes. With just the right cliff-hanger ending, this trilogy opener shows promise." �Booklist.… (more)

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LibraryThing member JRlibrary

Rick Dial was an unflappable, unstoppable quarterback for his Putnam Hills High School team until a car accident crushed his legs and made him dependent on crutches to even hobble 100 meters. Unsure of who he is without his athletic gift, and embarrassed by his weakness, Rick retreats to the safety

of his bedroom where he throws himself into video games and masters every game he plays. One day, while hobbling down the street, he is abducted by a government agency who convince him that the skills he displays during video play; coolness, quick thinking, and fearlessness are exactly the skills they need to combat a Russian cyberthreat to America known as the Realm. They want Rick to enter the Realm, and defeat the crazy genius who is masterminding the plot to control and disrupt American computer systems.
The biggest drawback is that, although Rick's body is fully functioning within the Realm, any injuries he sustains while in there are real, and when he withdraws from the Realm, the injuries remain. If he is killed while inside the Realm, he will remain in a coma forever in the real world.
This is book one of a trilogy, guaranteed to be loved by those who enjoyed The Matrix or Ender's Game.

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LibraryThing member Skybalon

Good beginning to a series that I'll continue reading. Some of the writing is skewed a little young, but it is not too distracting from an interesting story.

LibraryThing member cbcmedia

I was pleasantly surprised with this book for teenagers. It was very easy to get into the story. It is pretty imaginative and had an Avatar quality about the story. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. It was very well written and it kept me interested to the end and I’m looking forward to

reading the sequels.

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