Erik is smart... smart enough to take a step back and really study the game, Epic, that controls his life and the lives of everyone else on the planet. His parents are about to take a major risk and try to go up against the Central Administration in battle to get a re-appraisal of the solar panel allocation. In the fight a nearly indestructible, magical combatant reveals himself and fights on the side of good against the controlling administrators.
Erik's parents are about to find themselves exiled and they will encourage Erik to hone his skills so he can reach the University and better his own life. In the process Erik decides to play Epic using a female alias he names Cindella. As he creates his alias, he makes the drastic choice of beauty as his asset. This is an unusual and expected move but it serves him well in the game.
In the society of this version of Planet Earth, everyone normally fights hard to acquire weaponry to play the game and defend themselves. Erik takes chance after chance and eventually finds himself up against the darkest of forces in a quest called Epicus Ultima which the best players have played and lost for years. No one has ever solved this level of Epic. The mystery of who Erik's father really is and why he cannot play Epic runs through the story line along with power struggles in the upper ranks of the Central Authority which pose the greatest threat of all. Great action adventure and perfect for kids who love playing the computer games. This time they get to be "in" a game vicariously.
365 pages Ages 12 and up 978-0142411599
