The Cipher

Gr 9 Up—Robert "Smiles" Smylie is a slacker who barely gets by in life. He is surrounded by geniuses-from his father, who invented a key encryption code used by every secure website in the world, to Ben, his best friend who is convinced he has solved The Riemann Hypothesis, a virtually unsolvable mathematical principle involving prime numbers. Smiles tries to prove his worth by accompanying Ben to a conference where he hopes to show his father that he is truly worth something. When Ben gets kidnapped by people who don't want his work to see the light of day, Smiles must use his intellect and street smarts to help his friend, potentially changing the world in the process. Ford has written a unique story involving dense mathematics principles and makes them accessible to a young audience. The thriller aspects of the story are exciting and keep the pages turning. The design of the book enhances the experience; the chapter numbers, for example, are all prime numbers. There are some pacing issues in the beginning of the novel as the main action does not start until roughly halfway into the book. At times, there are differences in the protagonist's voice that bring readers out of the story. Smiles uses oddly formal language like "he extracted his mobile" interspersed with phrases such as, "Dude missed his calling as a bouncer." Once the plot is in full swing, The Cipher is an exciting tale with a twist ending that teens will enjoy.—Christopher Lassen, Brooklyn Public Library