LING AUTHOR JOHN RINGO AND
USA TODAY BEST-SELLING AUTHOR LYDIA SHERRER JOIN FORCES ON A NEW SF NOVEL OF ALIEN INVASION.
Ender's Game meets
Mean Girls meets
Pokémon Go. Lynn Raven may be the boss-master of WarMonger 2050 with her online persona of "Larry the Snake," but when the CEO of Tsunami Entertainment personally asks her, as a favor, to beta test a new augmented reality game, she has to face her greatest fear: going outside and dealing with . . . well,
people.
As she becomes more immersed in the game, the stakes rise and so do the obstacles. Strife between teammates, a ruthless rival team, and these strange glitches that make it seem like the game algorithm (or maybe "game AI"?) has it in for her. Now she has to face a new fear: is she willing to step into the real to win the future she's always wanted?
What do you do when a game and real life merge?
Praise for Into the Real: "The disturbing realism is balanced by dangerous monsters, clever tactics, explosive action, and a compelling twist at the end . . . immersive, highly technical near-future sf; perfect for dedicated gamers or for fans of Ernest Cline's
Ready Player One." --
Library Journal "I found myself enjoying the story and Raven's relationship with the AI that's her guide in the game, and I was invested throughout. It wasn't so much a coming-of-age story as a growing into and appreciating one's own skin . . . I'm really looking forward to how things will play out from here." --
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction "Ringo and Sherrer have created a modern day
Ender's Game using the technology of
Pokémon Go . . . The characters are vivid and interesting, and the action is strong enough to carry you along." --
Upstream Reviews "The futuristic world of the gamers and the game itself will interest sf readers. . . . YA: Teens will relate to Lynn, the main character, and if they are gamers, they will enjoy her gamer and VR adventures." --
Booklist Praise for John Ringo: ". . . the thinking reader's zombie novel . . . Ringo fleshes out his theme with convincing details . . . the proceedings become oddly plausible." --
Publishers Weekly on
Under a Graveyard Sky "[Ringo's work is] peopled with three-dimensional characters and spiced with personal drama as well as tactical finesse." --
Library Journal "Explosive . . . fans . . . will appreciate Ringo's lively narrative and flavorful characters." --
Publishers Weekly ". . . practically impossible not to read in one sitting . . . exceedingly impressive . . . executed with skill, verve, and wit." --
Booklist "Crackerjack storytelling." --
Starlog