Gamer

Scott lives in a world dominated by Virtual Kombat (VK), a futuristic fighting game that pits players against each other in virtual reality arenas. Since a virus wiped out most of the adult population, VK has been a beacon of hope for orphaned children, promising them a bright career if they can rise in the game’s ranks. The best players are promised a place in the City Orphans’ Home, a highly sought-after building built by the game’s creator, Vince Power. It’s a paradise in a world ravaged by hunger, disease, and depression. 

When Scott finally becomes a VK tester in the City Orphans’ Home, he relishes playing VK twenty-four-seven with thousands of other kids. Each day feels like one giant rush of adrenaline, and Scott quickly rises through the ranks while acquiring new abilities and forming new friendships. However, things go wrong when kids disappear from the City Orphans’ Home without a trace, and rumors about VK’s safety begin to spread. As Scott continues to battle other players, he wonders if VK is truly the savior of the broken world. Or does the game with the tagline “so real, it hurts” actually have a deeper, darker truth?  

Gamer is an exciting, fast-paced novel that explores the importance of friendship and truth in a post-apocalyptic world. The story is told through the character of Scott, an adolescent boy who finds himself working for the most prominent figure of his time: Vince Power. Like many other characters, Scott’s primary focus revolves around surviving in a world ravaged by a virus. Despite his circumstances, Scott exhibits a strong moral value system, believing in essential truths such as equality and fairness, which makes him an admirable and likable character. However, this ability to hold to his values without struggle is somewhat unrealistic, resulting in weak and flat character development. 

The story’s enjoyable nature stems from its action-packed narration. Scott’s journey with VK moves briskly, replacing exposition with fast-moving chase and fight scenes. A significant part of the story takes place inside VK, where Scott’s battles with other players are narrated in a quick and vivid manner. These fight scenes are intense and slightly graphic, frequently describing crushing blows, bloody injuries, and fatal kills in detail. For example, Scott’s battle with a Mongol warrior is described: “I fell him with a lightning-fast sweep kick. Then I pummel him with a rapid flurry of punches—each one making a gut-churning crunch in the game’s sound effects. His life bar blinks out as I finish him off with an axe kick. The warrior coughs up virtual blood.” 

The story’s central conflict arises from Scott’s ongoing relationship with Virtual Kombat. Scott’s ability to see the truth of VK without losing himself in its pleasure teaches the readers the importance of seeking out the truth. This lesson is highlighted through Scott’s friendship with Kate, as Kate’s sudden disappearance spurs Scott to reevaluate everything he knew about VK. This scene also highlights the importance of friendship, teaching readers that their relationships are more valuable than personal success, fame, and glory.  

Gamer is the exciting first book in the Virtual Kombat Series. Its dynamic narration and intense fight scenes will easily keep readers hooked, and its main protagonist, Scott, will impart important lessons to readers through his thoughts and actions. However, the book’s lack of critical exposition and significant character growth may make the plot and characters feel stale, cliché, and uninspiring for older readers. It’s a story best suited for young action movie lovers and gamers, where the fast-paced narration is comparable to that of blockbuster Hollywood movies. 

Sexual Content 

• After Kat-Ana saves Scott, Scott smiles at her and Kat-Ana jokes, “What are you waiting for, a kiss?” 

Violence 

• Two Virtual Kombat kombatants, Thunderbolt and Destroy, fight in a virtual arena. Destroy kills Thunderbolt by crushing his head. “Destroy raises his fists on either side of Thunderbolt’s head and slams them together. It’s his most famous move—the Skull Crusher. It’s Game Over for Thunderbolt.” This fight scene is described over two pages.
• Two street kids bully a little girl and a boy for some bread, slapping the girl and shoving the boy to the ground. “He shoves the boy to the ground and laughs as the kid cracks his head on the curb.” This conflict is described over two pages. 
• The street kids, including a boy named Juice, attack Scott after he steals some bread from them. “Juice jumps on me from behind and tries to choke me. I elbow him in the ribs. He lets go, and I fling him over my shoulder. As he lands, I punch him in the guts.” This fight scene is described over two pages. 
• A street boy named Shark chases after Scott with a blazer, a weapon similar to an electrified knife, through the city, threatening to “blaze and burn” him. Scott scrambles up a ladder and escapes over the buildings. “I dash to the edge of the roof and throw myself into the void. For a few seconds the air seems to take my weight as I plummet down. Then I crash onto the tar roof of the other building. I grunt in pain as my foot twists under me.” This chase scene is described over three pages. 
• Scott fights and kills several other kombatants inside a VK arena as his virtual avatar. “I fell him with a lightning-fast sweep kick. Then I pummel him with a rapid flurry of punches—each one making a gut-churning crunch in the game’s sound effects. His life bar blinks out as I finish him off with an axe kick. The warrior coughs up virtual blood.” This fight scene is described over four pages. 
• Two VK kombatants, Ginger Ninja and Kat-Ana, fight in a virtual arena. Kat-Ana kills Ginger Ninja by smashing his head. “Ginger Ninja slumps to the ground. Taking her time, Kat-Ana launches herself and lands two massive elbow strikes to the head. The avatar’s eyeballs pop out of his virtual head.” This fight scene is described over two pages. 
• Scott’s avatar fights Kat-Ana in a VK arena. The fight only lasts for a couple of seconds because Scott presses the “escape button” after feeling pain and tasting blood. He describes, “I double up, winded. An uppercut from Kat-Ana floors me. Searing pain rockets through my skull, and I taste blood. In a blind panic, I stab at the escape button.” 
• Scott fights Kat-Ana in VK, and Kat-Ana kills him. “But it’s too late. She slices off my head.” This fight scene is described over three pages. 
• When Kat-Ana teaches Scott about Trigger Time in VK, they practice shooting each other with a gun and dodging the bullet. Scott masters Trigger Time after getting hit a couple of times. “I don’t even see the bullet. But I feel the heavy slug thud into my chest. I get blown off my feet.” 
• Scott fights his natural enemy, Shark, inside the VK arena, and defeats him using his Mega-Punch. “With the last of my energy, I roll to the side, Power-Up, and use my Mega-Punch. My fist catches him bang on the temple. His eyes spin in his head like a slot machine. I’ve hit the jackpot.” This fight scene is described over four pages. 
• Scott fights a variety of VK kombatants inside a castle yard, such as a samurai swordsman and a Maori warrior. Scott nearly dies in this battle but is miraculously saved by Kat-Ana. “I stumble over the samurai’s dead body and fall on the ground. The Maori warrior drives his spear into my stomach. I scream. The agony is overpowering.” This fight scene is described over four pages. 
• Scott fights and escapes from a battle against Ginger Ninja inside a VK arena. Scott dashes “out to save my friend, driving the soldier back with a flying kick. Ginger Ninja thanks me by punching me in the face.” This fight scene is described over three pages. 
• Scott fights the VK kombatant Destroy inside a virtual citadel. Destroy dies when a swinging scythe slices through him. “Destroy’s fists almost grind to a halt as I move out of their path. Then I select my Mega-Punch and use it to hammer Destroy in the gut. He staggers backward in slow-mo. Right into the path of the blade.” This fight scene is described over five pages. 
• Scott fights Shark’s avatar inside the VK citadel and barely escapes when Shark chooses to fight Kat-Ana for the Crown. “The pain in my head rages now like a forest fire as Shark grabs me by the throat. He clenches his other fist, and its pulse blade burns bright red as he levels it with my right eye. I’m going to die—for real!” This fight scene is described over four pages. 
• Kate, Kat-Ana’s real-life person, dies in real life after sustaining too much damage inside Virtual Kombat. When she takes off her headset, she gives Scott a weak smile before passing away. “Her head lolls to one side. The PlayPod emits a long droning beep. Her vital signs zero out.” 

Drugs and Alcohol 

• None 

Language 

• Kate mocks Scott after slicing his head off in VK. Kate says, “Anyway, with a face like yours, I was doing you a favor!” 
• During the final fight with Scott, Shark threatens to toss Scott into the path of a swinging blade. Shark says, “Not before I slice you into shark bait!” 

Supernatural 

• None 

Spiritual Content 

• None