In a not-so-distant future, waves of novel viruses have pushed humanity toward virtual reality experiences and virtual environments. This is the world in which teenager Lynn has grown up, and she is a gamer extraordinaire. She even uses this skill to help her single mother pay the bills as a for-hire player in a popular game, WarMonger. Because the masculine world of gaming culture has not improved much, Lynn hides her identity and deals with comments from her friends about how girls can't play, even though she is a leader in WarMonger. She is asked by the owner and creator of WarMonger to beta test the next new VR game, TransDimensional Hunter, in which players walk around their city in VR, killing demons. She is ready to accept this honor and quickly proves that her skills transcend her body-conforming chair. But when people start to mysteriously die, and there are strange power outages around the country, there are hints that something about this new game is off. The futuristic world of the gamers and the game itself will interest sf readers.

Those who are killed by the merciless and powerful Larry Coughlin, one of the top players in the game WarMonger, believe that he must be some kind of Delta Force agent or a retired SEAL in real life. Little do they know that "he" is actually Lynn Raven, a quick-witted and tough couch-potato high school girl who supports her mother. Soon, Lynn is invited to beta test an innovative new augmented reality game, TransDimensional Hunter. On the surface, the game's set-up is the usual "kill the monsters, save the world" scenario, but something suspicious brews behind the scenes. Beyond its plot, this alien-invasion sf will engage readers curious to see the effects of the 2020s on global culture, the virtual world, and the gaming industry. The disturbing realism is balanced by dangerous monsters, clever tactics, explosive action, and a compelling twist at the end. VERDICT Ringo (There Will Be Dragons) joins with Sherrer ("When the Gods Laughed" series) for this immersive, highly technical near-future sf; perfect for dedicated gamers or for fans of Ernest Cline's Ready Player One.--Andrea Dyba