It's All Fun and Games

Gr 8 Up—When Alison's best friend T.J. mentions that Simon, her jock crush, will be participating in a local Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) game, Alison grudgingly dons borrowed armor and a Viking helmet and heads into the woods. T.J. and his group of adventurers explain the rules of LARPing and proclaim her their cleric healer. After they decide to leave the marked forest and game path, an all too real ambush leaves one of their members dead. Somehow, the LARPers have transformed into the very characters they created, complete with skills, magic powers, and even memories. Embracing their new abilities, the teens decide to forge ahead on their quest, hoping it will lead them back to the real world. Differences between reality and the magical realm are subtle, and observant readers will notice the shift in setting. This quickly paced narrative will draw in young adults, who will be eager to see how the teenagers respond to kidnappings, kobolds, and murder while dealing with their newfound skills. Barrett's unique, adventurous tale will appeal most to role-playing fans, World of Warcraft gamers, and players of Dungeons and Dragons.