Barnes & NobleDon't Climb This Mountain: Adventures in a Video Game by Dustin Brady

Very fast-paced and exciting

Action fans are in for a treat as this book heads from one dangerous situation into the next...and that from the beginning all the way to the end. The tale circles around a video game adventure, where the main character, Archie, is drawn into the game unknowingly and accidentally. More or less, since it is somewhat is own fault. When he tries to trick the system to allow him access to the game, he isn't aware of the capabilities Bionosoft's software offers, but he'll do anything to join his favorite Youtuber in the latest mountain adventure...especially since it is in game form. Along with 500 players, which were unwittingly pulled in with him thanks to his 'hack', he now is the master of the game. But there's a problem. The game wasn't created for that many players and has developed a memory leak. Everyone's lives are at stake. He might be able to save everyone if he simply ends the game, but his favorite influencer claims it's not as bad as everyone believes. Instead, he persuades Archie try to win the game, since his success will also cause the game to end and everyone to be saved. Archie isn't about to pass up on his chance to finally become well-known, especially since he knows his idol has to be right. This a very fast-paced read and offers tons of fun and excitement. There's never a boring moment, and the tension remains high the entire way through. The video game setting allows the imagination to fly and keeps an arm's distance in the high-tension scenes. But it's not only action. Archie has obvious flaws to work through, and sibling relationships as well as snubbing off others are also addressed. Plus, he's about to discover how different is Youtube idol is in real life. This is an important message for kids in today's world as they follow their favorite influencers, and the author hits the theme with force. Still, it's never preachy, but rather, lets all of this flow into the adventure. Even reluctant readers will enjoy these...well, those who enjoy super-hero like action scenes in video game settings. The length stays under 200-pages, there are several illustrations spread through-out the pages, and the font is larger than usual as is the spacing. There are some 'deaths' during the game, but these stay very age group friendly and smooth out nicely by the end. It's a quick-paced read, which will keep fans of action at the edges of their seats while guessing what will happen next. I received an ARC and really enjoyed the action and fun in these pages.