Doomed

Gr 9 Up—Pandora Walker, 17, hasn't heard from her father in 10 years, so she's shocked when she receives an email on her birthday. Despite her mother's warning to never have anything to do with him, she opens the email. Clicking on pictures and links to read sweet, nostalgic letters makes her feel loved in a way that she hasn't in a long time. What the teen doesn't realize is that each click releases a section of code. All combined, they create a computer worm that will annihilate civilization. Pandora's father is a cyberterrorist, and he's using her as a pawn to destroy the world. Or is he? He's left her one ray of hope buried deep in an online multiplayer game. If Pandora and her friends can track down clues in real life and in the game, they just might be able to stop the destruction. This novel combines reality, virtual reality, and a love triangle in a nonstop, action-filled plot. As the three heroes race across the country, readers are pulled into their increasingly frantic, dangerous, and desperate search. Character development is secondary here, but the characters are likable, if not all that believable. The plot itself has a few holes, leaves a lot of questions unanswered, and ultimately tries to wrap everything up too quickly. Overall, however, this is still an enjoyable title for gaming- and adventure-loving teens.—Heather E. Miller Cover, Homewood Public Library, AL