January Books 12) Only You Can Save Mankind, by Terry Pratchett
One of Pratchett's earlier YA novels, about a 12-year-old boy who is an enthusiastic player of computer games, which was very much enjoyed by my 12-year-old son who is an enthusiastic player of computer games. Although Pratchett apologises in the introduction of the 2004 edition for how the story has dated since the original 1993 publication, I didn't spot any gross problems in that regard (and my expert advisor tells me that only the mention of Atari is particularly dated, plus perhaps old-fashioned descriptions of Nintendo).
Anyway, it's the story of what happens when the creatures in the game start to interact with the players as if they were real being living real lives and dying real deaths; and Pratchett injects it with his characteristica humanism, humanity, passion and humour. Very entertaining, and I now realise that perhaps the only gaps in our Pratchett library are the other two books in the Johnny Maxwell series.
Anyway, it's the story of what happens when the creatures in the game start to interact with the players as if they were real being living real lives and dying real deaths; and Pratchett injects it with his characteristica humanism, humanity, passion and humour. Very entertaining, and I now realise that perhaps the only gaps in our Pratchett library are the other two books in the Johnny Maxwell series.