Killobyte

Piers Anthony always has some interesting story ideas, and the plot works well in this standalone novel. He combines some outdated technology with ideas that aren't ready yet. Where this quick read breaks down is the characters, rendering it merely ok.

This novel hearkens back to the late 1980s, where stereotype players of computer games were kids and shut-ins. This novel also contains the stereotype hacker, Phreak. These characters are way over the top, and their backstory distracts from the plot, which is pretty good. The protagonists are new to the game, and their novice adventures allow the author to describe the setting well. Their creativity later on really makes the story.

It seems like Anthony leaves the ending up for a sequel (and fans of the author are not shocked), though none has been written to date. A good story, a quick read, and characters that are just too much results in an average rating. I selected this to read because I have read plenty from this author, and also as an early example of LitRPG, a genre I plan to explore this year.