Review: Epic by Conor Kostick

Epic
By: Conor Kostick
Intended Age: YA
Hardcover: 320 pages
Published April 5th 2007 by Viking Juvenile
ISBN-10: 0670061794 (ISBN-13: 978-0670061792)
Series: Epic #1 

Synopsis: Generations ago, violence was banned on New Earth. Society is governed and conflicts are resolved in the arena of a fantasy computer game, Epic. Everyone plays. If you win, you have the chance to go to university, get more supplies for your community, and fulfill your dreams; if you lose, your life both in and out of the game is worth nothing.

When Erik, seeking revenge for the unjust treatment of his parents, dares to subvert the rules of Epic, he and his friends find themselves up against with the ultimate masters of the game: the Committee. If Erik and his friends win, they may have the key to destroying Epic’s tyranny over New Earth. But if they lose . . . -goodreads.com

I borrowed this book from the library.

So a friend told me last week I should to read this. Immediately it was on my radar. While perusing my local library last Sunday, there it was sitting out on the end of a table where someone conveniently left it for me to find. I now NEEDED to read this book! My interest was peaked.

So here I am. I am absolutely unaware of the world of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) but I easily slipped into the concept without a hitch. (and yes for those of you who know me I had to read a wiki article on MMORPG’s before writing this to know there was such a thing as MMORPG’s)

I expected this to be a book about the dangers of online gaming. While it is set in an online game, this book is about much more. This book raises a host of questions. How do we see ourselves from the outside? and privately to ourselves? Are they the same? What are our priorities and goals in life? Do we live our lives to achieve them? And most importantly, how much of who we are is in the things we think most people do not see? If Science Fiction/Dystopia is your thing this is a book for you, if it is not you should try it. You may be surprised.

Of course I want to know more of what happens in Erik’s world so I hope the second book in the series Saga(2008) is as easy to find as this one. The final book in the series Edda (2011) will be released August 4th.

Thanks Christina & Elizabeth for the recommendation.
I give this 4 out of 5 stars