Into the Real (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781982126001)

NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR JOHN RINGO AND USA TODAY BEST-SELLING AUTHOR LYDIA SHERRER JOIN FORCES ON A NEW SF NOVEL OF ALIEN INVASION. Ender's Game meets Mean Girls meets Pokémon Go.

Lynn Raven may be the boss-master of WarMonger 2050 with her online persona of "Larry the Snake," but when the CEO of Tsunami Entertainment personally asks her, as a favor, to beta test a new augmented reality game, she has to face her greatest fear: going outside and dealing with . . . well, people.

As she becomes more immersed in the game, the stakes rise and so do the obstacles. Strife between teammates, a ruthless rival team, and these strange glitches that make it seem like the game algorithm (or maybe "game AI"?) has it in for her. Now she has to face a new fear: is she willing to step into the real to win the future she's always wanted?

What do you do when a game and real life merge?

Praise for Into the Real:

"The disturbing realism is balanced by dangerous monsters, clever tactics, explosive action, and a compelling twist at the end . . . immersive, highly technical near-future sf; perfect for dedicated gamers or for fans of Ernest Cline's Ready Player One." --Library Journal

"I found myself enjoying the story and Raven's relationship with the AI that's her guide in the game, and I was invested throughout. It wasn't so much a coming-of-age story as a growing into and appreciating one's own skin . . . I'm really looking forward to how things will play out from here." --The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

"Ringo and Sherrer have created a modern day Ender's Game using the technology of Pokémon Go . . . The characters are vivid and interesting, and the action is strong enough to carry you along." --Upstream Reviews

"The futuristic world of the gamers and the game itself will interest sf readers. . . . YA: Teens will relate to Lynn, the main character, and if they are gamers, they will enjoy her gamer and VR adventures." --Booklist

Praise for John Ringo:
". . . the thinking reader's zombie novel . . . Ringo fleshes out his theme with convincing details . . . the proceedings become oddly plausible." --Publishers Weekly on Under a Graveyard Sky

"[Ringo's work is] peopled with three-dimensional characters and spiced with personal drama as well as tactical finesse." --Library Journal

"Explosive . . . fans . . . will appreciate Ringo's lively narrative and flavorful characters." --Publishers Weekly

". . . practically impossible not to read in one sitting . . . exceedingly impressive . . . executed with skill, verve, and wit." --Booklist

"Crackerjack storytelling." --Starlog

Author: John Ringo, Lydia Sherrer
ISBN-10: 1982126000
ISBN-13: 9781982126001
Publisher: Baen
Language: English
Published: 04/05/2022
Pages: 448
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.35lbs
Size: 8.98h x 6.38w x 1.50d

Review Citation(s):
Booklist 03/01/2022 pg. 36
Library Journal 04/01/2022 pg. 64