RPG and Book Lover's Unite!

Epic by Connor Kostick

Imagine a world where violence of any kind has been banned and is punishable by complete exile. Instead, all disputes are settled in the immersive experience of Epic, a role-playing video game that all citizens of New Earth play to determine wealth and status in everyday real life. The problem? A.corrupt group called Central Allocations has all the points and all the power, leaving families like Erik's without sun panels and extra food and clothes while they toil at hard labor for minimal resources.

With a group of friends, Erik decides to find the flaws in Epic and use them to excel in the game, battling dragons and voyaging to far off lands for wealth and experience. When his father is exiled for a past crime, Erik does all he can to find leverage against Central Allocations to get him back--no easy feat!

Full of beautiful, detailed imagery, Epic is a great ride with something for everyone, a thoroughly developed, well-written exploration of virtual reality and the morality behind many laws and regulations. Though it's science fiction, it has the feel of fantasy, and it's easy to get caught up in the action and excitement of Erik's real world as well as his role-playing one. It also joins the literary tradition of science-fiction books featuring humans in a search for a better way to live on a new, safer planet. Recommended for fans of Orson Scott Card's new book Pathfinder, among others.

Saga, the second in the trilogy, is out in paperback. Edda, the third book, is due to be published August 4, 2011.

-Jenny

Age 12+
Copyright April 2007
ISBN: 9780142411599
Available as an eBook
Image from www.bn.com