More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tomâs drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.
Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someoneâs been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and heâs offered the incredibleâa place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tomâs instincts for combat will be put to the test and if he passes, heâll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War III. Finally, heâll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tomâs always wantedâfriends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action mattersâbut what will it cost him?
Gripping and provocative, S. J. Kincaidâs futuristic thrill ride of a debut crackles with memorable characters, tremendous wit, and a vision of the future that asks startling, timely questions about the melding of humanity and technology.