Killobyte

From Publishers WeeklyNot 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 JournalWhen 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.