Ronel van Tonder

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

I was initially mainly interested in the cover, believe it or not. I judged a book by its cover. I love computer fiction. What can I say? Was I disappointed when it didn't quite turn out the way I thought it would?

Hell, no. First impressions aren't everything or even most of a thing when it comes to books. We look at how it makes us feel and whether it impresses the hell out of us... and I was very impressed.

First of all, this is a dual-character novel and neither have much or anything to do with one another, but don't let that dissuade you. Both give us a hell of a story about South Africa three hundred years in the future under a dome and on the other side of it. Both leave our main characters, Peppermint and Jinx, severely limited in options and personal freedom. It's dark and claustrophobic even if the walls aren't exactly falling in upon them.

The world-building is as much a main character as these two women. Peppermint should really be part of the inside utopia, but she's soon kidnapped, plugged into a massive AI, is put through massive tests and is generally turned into a performing animal for the gifts she seems to possess.

Getting there is just as interesting as the conflict, and there's a wide and oddly familiar world for us to explore.

On the outside, we're left with dictatorships and hardship and military life. Jinx must deal with many losses and burning hatred and the desire for revenge so strong that she voluntarily goes through a particularly female type of hell to get it.

The two women couldn't be more different, but the drive for freedom and agency is always burning strong.

One thing that really stands out for me is the fact that this is one of quite a few new authors coming out of South Africa that all deal with social media, SF, and interesting fantasy overtones. I'd definitely recommend this for any fans of Lauren Beukes or a darker SF with undertones of YA that still remains quite adult and disturbing.

I'm happy to be surprised! Neither the title nor the cover really does it justice. :)… (mehr)

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC!

I was pretty much hooked from page one with the immersive D&D online virtual gaming setup, but this was just the intro for us poor readers. The rest of the novel is a tour-de-force romp through a MUCH larger virtual realm full of trapped individuals very nicely reminiscent of .hack video game or especially the Anime (or manga) of Sword Art Online.

Was I absolutely thrilled by this? You bet! And let us not forget [b:Ready Player One|9969571|Ready Player One|Ernest Cline|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1489368740s/9969571.jpg|14863741] or movies like the Gamer. This is a new genre, and it shouldn't be limited only to gamers like us. It should be open to anyone who just loves their imagination. :)

As for story, I was loving the dynamic between Lucy (lucifer) and Kitty. It wasn't an easy one and plenty goes on between the hacker and the newb to make this feel like a Training Day. I even see all the same things going on that made me fall for [b:Geekomancy|13609386|Geekomancy (Ree Reyes, #1)|Michael R. Underwood|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1334886014s/13609386.jpg|19206590], too!

LoL. If all I do here is drop names for titles that no one may even recognize, then how is anyone going to know whether they like this? Okay! Fine! It's a huge virtual reality game in the future that becomes the target for hackers wanting to bring down the top elite corporate types, but in the meantime, the kids are getting trapped inside. All the while, we are inside with them as the game slowly crashes down around our heads and all the safety protocols are going with it. The best part is that we get to fly between all these different kinds of games, from sword and sorcery to kid's animal games to call of duty while all the while having to deal with interpersonal issues, lies, and conspiracy. :) Want a health potion? How about a bazooka? No? How about a root-kit? :) Now we're talking. :)

This novel is pretty damn polished and it's great fun. It's also the second novel I've read by this author from South Africa and I'm pretty much stoked and set to read everything she's got. This is high-caliber SF. :) Rock on!… (mehr)

As soon as the book started, I was in it.
And I do mean In. It.
I could not put it down.
Van Tonder is a phenomenal writer, crafting a story that causes the reader to not only ask questions as they following along on a journey of words that excites and thrills but also question their own questions.
From the first sentence, where the author writes of what looks to be a standard hostage situation, you want to keep reading even throughout the wee hours of the morning.
Trust me, I know.
I got no sleep until I hit the end which, by the way…Wow!
I don’t want to give away anything but I will say this: Normally, futuristic settings aren’t my first books of choice, but Ronel has not only opened me up to a whole new world of characters but a whole new genre.… (mehr)

Having become acquainted with Van Tonder’s work through “Compile Quest,” the first in the Corrupted Sun Script series, I looked forward to diving right into this one, hoping for the same action-packed, adventurous storyline with heavy-hitting characters that saturated the first in the series.
I am thrilled to say I was not disappointed.
The story, which picks up where Compile Quest left, begins with a communication log, something that I don’t think I’ve seen very much of before in a book.
As you read through it, you begin to see that it drives the plot. Also, Van Tonder ensures that the reader is not lost as time is taken to brief the reader on what has led up to the current circumstances.
In short, Van Tonder’s writing is innovative and thrilling.
I’m very much looking forward to book 3!… (mehr)