Cool sci-fi

"Here we have the story of Andy & his little sister, Jen, among other youth. The setting is Colorado but most of the story plays out in a virtual world. It may have appeal with the YA crowd but I don't think it would be limited to them. The story is very gamer-orientated but you do not need to be a gamer to understand or enjoy the tale. Perhaps the story should be set a few more years into the future to make it a little more credible. Other than that my only criticism would be a little better explanation of the link between Radical 9 and the fall of the American government. Is the federal catastrophe even linked at all? I would have liked to know more about the cause of the fall. Were the troubles in Denver Radical 9 related? Did something get into the water supply or was it a case of simple fear & panic on the part of the 'mob'? Besides the downfall of America as we know it the story wraps up adequately but leaves questions suggesting another sequel may be in the works. I think the best parts of the story are how the events of the real world relate to the virtual reality game. The origin of all the chaos & how the game was perverted from the get-go by a power-hungry madman. The futuristic tale is injected with some mad science which I appreciated reminding me of my story, Secret Monitor Men. Moreover, it illustrates how power can affect people & how wrong science without ethics can go; again reminiscent of my mystery thriller. The social problem of the reliance of youth on video games to escape not only their worlds but themselves is a major theme of the story. Athena's brother is a star in the virtual world yet cannot face his problems or himself in the cold light of reality. Thus, Eldon adopts Elysium as his own 'safe space' forsaking all he left behind in his shattered but real world. The dichotomy of fantasy versus reality runs like an artery through the story. Some of the beta players can no longer tell the difference. I think the thin line separating the constant shifting between the real world & the game give the story some depth. An enjoyable read that makes you think."