Gamers’ Rebellion

Gamers’ Rebellion by George Ivanoff (Ford Street Publishing)

PB RRP $16.95

ISBN 978-1921665974

Reviewed by Francine Sculli

Gamers’ Rebellion is the last book in ‘the Gamers’ trilogy. The trilogy, written perfectly for the young teenager market, is a speedy nosedive into the gamers’ world – full of adventure, bold characters, striking sci-fi worlds and a racy plot that leaves readers hanging on every word. Gamers’ Rebellion is all of these things and more.

The previous book, Gamers’ Challenge, saw Zyra and Tark – our feisty protagonists – share a kiss inside the game that changed their whole lives. The kiss pushed them into the realm of asking questions, seeking their identities and trying to find a way out of the game. Gamers’ Rebellion starts at the juncture where Tark and Zyra’s desire to exit has become a reality, but out of the game they have found that not everything is as they expected.

Their first taste of reality is in the hands of the designers. Both Zyra and Tark wake up in the cold, futuristic research facility of the Designers, but not long after they both wake up in separate rooms, Tark is kidnapped by a group of young rebels who take him to their hidden, low-fi laboratory. Their plan to take Zyra, too, is thwarted by a security alert that forces them to leave Zyra behind. The heart racing adventures kicks off immediately. At the Designers’ Research Facility, Zyra meets Designer Prime, Robert, her creator. Robert tells Zyra many things she has been dying to know – about her consciousness, her creation and about how the game is really played but there is also so much more that he doesn’t tell her. At the young rebel’s laboratory, Tark finds out that the Designers have been stealing children for the games and have hidden agendas and malicious plans for the game – seeking power and fortune. What Tark and Zyra don’t realise is that the reality they sought outside of the game, will be the very one that drives them back into it as they join the young rebels to fight against the Designers – both inside and outside of the game.

Gamers’ Rebellion, is just as fast-paced and as meaning driven as its predecessors. Filled with strong insights into the human mind and touching on the essence of humanity and the values of trust, friendship, truth and identity that drove through the trilogy, this book is a gripping and touching futuristic look at what it means to be human. And it is not shy of Ivanoff’s brilliant writing either – dynamic dialogue, interesting vocabulary, constructed ‘gamer’ speak and the painting of vivacious characters and worlds are just a few of the techniques Ivanoff uses to make this the perfect ending to the Gamers’ Trilogy.