Skywake Invasion
Casey is one of the best Skywake players in the world and her squad, the Ghost Reapers, has been invited to compete in an e-sports event. However, Casey has a secret. She has been pretending to be a boy while online with her squad and is fearful about how they will react when they meet in person. Yet this will become the least of her problems, as soon the real world and gaming world will merge together, forcing Casey, her squad, and her brother Pete into a dangerous but thrilling adventure.
This is an excellent book set against a science fiction gaming world that soon becomes all too real for Casey and her group. The novel is action packed but also allows time for the characters to develop, breathing life into them and immersing the reader into the story. There are moments of violence in the book that may not be suitable for younger children and Casey’s story with her father touches on dark topics, such as grief, violence and war.
The book also examines some of the more problematic elements of online gaming, such as toxic ‘gamer’ attitudes and gender discrimination. It is never afraid to show these elements and this allows the story to highlight the strengths of its diverse main cast, who frequently defy the expectations and stereotypes that others force upon them. For older children and young teens this book is an easy recommendation, with an ending cliffhanger that will leave any reader begging for more.
