Sometimes it would be nice to be able to escape your own life and pretend to be someone else.  What if you could connect yourself to a virtual world, where you could do exactly that and look completely different.  You could have a different face, a different body, and you could even be a unicorn or a dragon.  In this virtual world, everything is clean and bright, and you can work, shop and play.  Enter the world of the Metashpere in Jeff Norton’s new book, Metawars: Fight for the Future.

Jonah Delacroix can’t stand the real world – so he lives most of his life inside a global computer-based virtual world called the Metasphere, where everyone is represented by an avatar. When he discovers the avatar of his dead father, and assumes his online identity, a series of events are unleashed that compel Jonah to race across the real world with a secret society to protect the freedom of all mankind…

Fight for the Future is the first book in Jeff Norton’s action-packed science fiction series about the fight for cyberspace.  The real world has fallen into ruin and humans now spend most of their lives in the Meatasphere, a virtual world full of life and colour, where people work, go to school and socialise.  There are two warring factions fighting for what they believe is right.  The Millenials believe that the Metashphere should be controlled, but the Guardians believe it should be free.  Matthew Granger, the creator of the Metasphere and leader of the Millenials has just escaped prison and will stop at nothing to take back his creation, one piece at a time.

The main character is Jonah Delacroix, a teenager who lives on a bus in the real world with his mum, but like most people, prefers to spend his time in the Metashpere.  His father, who was once Matthew Granger’s personal pilot, was killed when a Guardian bomb blew up the airport.  Jonah knows where his loyalties lie, but these loyalties are constantly tested in the story.  Who do you trust when everyone thinks they’re right?  One thing I really liked about the story was that there are no clear villains.  They may seem like villains but they’re only fighting for what they believe is right.  Matthew Granger’s character was really interesting and I’m looking forward to seeing how Jeff develops his character in the next book.

Metawars is a real boys story and the perfect book to hook reluctant readers.  There are heart-stopping action sequences, spies, terrorists and cool characters. It’s sure to grab those video game addicted teens as they’ll understand the allure of wanting to be constantly plugged into the virtual world.  To hook them in, all you need to tell them about the book is it’s like Alex Rider crossed with The Matrix.  Once they’ve read Fight for the Future they’ll be hooked and eagerly awaiting the sequel The Dead Are Rising.

4 out of 5 stars