FICTION

Gamer Army

336p. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine Bks. Dec. 2018. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781338045291.
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Gr 5–8—Twelve-year-old Rogan and four other tween gamers are chosen to compete in a prestigious Laser Viper tournament that seems too good to be true. Whisked off to luxury dorms, the gamers are dropped into missions using the latest in VR technology. As players are eliminated, ulterior motives from the game sponsors are revealed. Attempts at an over-arching narrative around the benefits of technology are delivered through monologues from the tournament facilitator, a high-profile figure in the gaming world. Dialogue among the characters acknowledges gender dynamics in video game culture, though the overuse of acronyms and technical language is distracting. The plot is driven by action in each of the gaming missions.
VERDICT A solid additional purchase where gamer novels are in demand.

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