Killobyte

From Publishers Weekly Not so much a novel as a series of situational puzzles, this stand-alone book by the bestselling author of the Xanth series features two characters who play a computer-generated virtual reality game called Killobyte. Walter Toland, an incapacitated former policeman, and Baal Curran, an angst-ridden, diabetic teenage girl, get to know each other as they enter into a game that calls for them to rescue a princess from a castle. But then they find themselves trapped inside the simulation by a hacker named Phoney Phreak. While the character-bodies they wear in the computer world are in no danger, their real bodies--Baal's weakened by diabetes and Walter's by a bad heart--are very much at risk. Written in Anthony's usual glib style, the novel is unimaginative in the extreme. Watching these paper-thin characters solve uninteresting puzzles is a maddening bore; and gaping holes in the plot, technological inconsistencies and Anthony's apparent ignorance of current methods of treating diabetes combine to make this one of his weakest efforts. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal When paraplegic ex-policeman Walter Toland and diabetic teenager Baal Curran discover the virtual reality computer game known as Killobyte, they revel in their temporary ability to escape their handicaps--until a malicious hacker turns a friendly game into a deadly race against time. This stand-alone novel by the prolific Anthony features fast-paced action, a pair of engaging protagonists, and a guided tour through the worlds of virtual reality. It should be purchased where the author's works are in demand. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/92. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. Walter Toland has the heart and soul of a hero - but his physical body is confined to a wheelchair. He lost both his legs and his job in the line of duty as a policeman. Baal Curran is a high school senior, full of the promise and heartbreak of her first love, and her first loss. The needle scarring from her diabetes drove away the only boy ever to care for her. Now she has retreated inside herself, determined never to be hurt again. Both of them have discovered Killobyte, an exciting new fantasy adventure game that promises to be the most realistic experience they can imagine. Once again Walter can have the strong legs of a hero, charging through a castle to rescue a captive princess, battling a ferocious dragon, matching wits with a sorcerer. With her face hidden behind a fictional character, Baal can forget her shyness and her fear that others will shrink away from her because of her lifetime of illness. She can laugh and have adventures, and dare to care about someone else again. But Killobyte is more real than even its creators can have dreamed. Within its programming lurks a flaw that has allowed one demented player a kind of power its creators never intended - a power that can trap and "kill" Walter and Baal time after time in the game scenarios. Of course, as long as this game of cat and mouse is kept within the world of computer-generated adventures, it's only a frustration. Walter and Baal seem never to win. But as the games continue, they begin to wonder whether the power of this mystery player can extend outside the framework of the game.... The mystery player is out for power - and the power he has in mind is far more than just racking up points against fictional opponents. He's coming after Walter and Baal in the real world, and his threat is death. With the magic of Killobyte, a wheelchair-bound cop stands and fights an army of sorcerers, a heartbroken girl heals her pain through role-playing, and a mystery player satisfies his urge to kill. A story about a handicapped cop who explores a virtual reality game only to be trapped inside by a hacker.