When 16-year-old Nick receives a package containing the mysterious computer game Erebos, he wonders if it will explain the behavior of his classmates, who have been secretive lately. Players of the game must obey strict rules: always play alone, never talk about the game, and never tell anyone your nickname. Curious, Nick joins the game and quickly becomes addicted. But Erebos knows a lot about the players and begins to manipulate their lives. When it sends Nick on a deadly assignment, he refuses and is banished from the game. Now unable to play, Nick turns to a friend for help in finding out who controls the game. The two set off on a dangerous mission in which the border between reality and the virtual world begins to blur. This utterly convincing and suspenseful thriller originated in Germany, where it has become a runaway bestseller.
Computer games have never been a great interest of mine, especially any role playing games, so I was somewhat leery of reading a book based on such a game. After reading this book, I'd even be less likely to play such games, but I can easily see how people, especially impressionable teenagers could easily get hooked. The plot of Erebos takes a while to get going but we are taken into the story at the pace that the main character, Nick, is drawn in. The game takes on a frightening turn as it begins to manipulate the players and gets them to perform increasingly dangerous and illegal tasks outside of the game. Like real life, the real villain of the story is not all that clear and it equally shared by those who are hurt and those doing the hurting. This book is a translation into English and so well done I forgot that it was not written in English. I will definitely try and pass this book on to gamers, non gamers and some reluctant readers.
