Our Pick 🔍

Trapped in a Video Game (Volume 1)

Description

Price: $9.99 - $5.68
(as of Aug 11, 2024 06:03:51 UTC – Details)

By: Dustin Brady (Author)

Kids who love video games will love this first…

Reviews

  1. Sharon Bengel –

    Super Fun Story and a Wonderful Author
    I run a small book club for my grandson, nephews and some of their friends. All the boys are 8 or 9 and this was the first book they chose. They also all love video games. The book is action packed and the dialogue is hilarious. There are even some fun (non-video) games in the back of the book. The boys loved the action and the characters and most of them have read book two and even book three. (I sure want to!)After we read the book, I reached out to Mr. Brady to see if he would join us for a meeting (we meet by Zoom). He responded quickly and joined us on Nov. 1. He was FANTASTIC! He was so kind to all the boys, talking to each of them in turn and making sure they all had a chance to have their questions answered. He talked about how he came up with the idea for the book and how he got it published. He talked about what he liked to read when he was their age and even gave advice to one budding storyteller.We’re hoping he makes an appearance near us soon so we can all meet him in person.

  2. Amanda –

    great book
    My 5 yo son was enthralled with this and it was great seeing him process what he thought might happen next.

  3. Pop Bop –

    Funny and Action-Packed
    Sly, Funny, and Action-PackedThis is the first book in the planned five book series. Each book slips our heroes into a different perilous video game, so they work almost as standalones. But there’s also an overall mystery/thriller arc, and it looks like that will get wrapped up in book five. (Each book concludes its individual story, but leaves behind a cliff hanger that leads to the next book and relates to the overall arc.)The general idea is that an evil supervillain has an evil supervillainous plan, and our guys keep getting in his way. This time around they escape his clutches by dropping into a blocky, retro, 80’s, side scrolling, island adventure game. They have to survive and then get out, while avoiding a robot assassin who has followed them into the game and then surviving the villain’s attempts to erase them when they do get out.Here’s the thing. This is one of the funnest sets of heroes I’ve encountered in some time, and this is one of the smartest MG action/adventure tales I’ve read, ever. Our heroes are the quiet and shy kid, Charlie, (whose genius programmer dad is being held hostage by the villain), the sort of goofy and obtuse comic relief kid, Eric, and our first person narrator, the regular type kid, Jesse. Jesse is the heart and soul of the book, and he is an appealing mix of resourceful, antic, funny, observant, deadpan and puckish. His narrative voice, alternately dry and then manic, sells the premise and the story and keeps the reader engaged. I mean, I could totally see him being my best friend. Eric is both a bit dim and totally psyched, and so offers a nice balance to Jesse.But above and beyond that, the book is loaded with sly humor and with inside 80’s gamer jokes. For example, at one point the villain starts monologuing about his devious plan for world domination. Eric keeps egging on the villain with inane questions. Jesse keeps trying to get Eric to be quiet because absolutely everybody knows that once the villain has disclosed his plan he has to eliminate the people he just told it to. But Jesse is also torn because the plan really is sort of especially evil and Jesse is sort of curious. Now that strikes me as a pretty knowing joke on the whole structure of action/adventure thrillers, and I would expect a middle grade reader to get that joke and be pretty pleased to get that joke. That’s what I mean about the book being “smart”. It’s entertaining but it also brings the reader into the fun of reading this kind of stuff, (without ever mocking the genre). And the whole book has that kind of generous, knowing, upbeat, Boy’s Own, vibe.So, while the premise looked a little gimmicky at the outset, it really was handled very well, and the book delivered a ripping and amusing adventure in the company of some fine heroes. A nice find.

  4. Heather –

    Nephew loves it
    I purchased this as a gift for my nephew. He was excited to start reading it, and had heard of the book series before!

  5. Brosnan Candebat –

    Awesome
    Thanks was delivered today and on time

  6. DesertThorn –

    Our grandson really loves these books!
    Bought the first one for our 10 yr. old grandson for an Easter gift. I didn’t realize it was a book series. So I told him when he gets half way through one, let me know and I will order the next one. He is on the 3rd book already. As long as he keeps reading, I will do my best to keep buying.

  7. SF –

    Very fun book. The graphics were really nice. I like how they made the book setting a fantastic video game with great characters. My favorite character was Jessie.

  8. Darcy –

    Great book for teen and pre teen books. Great for boys. Easy to read and looking forward to next book

  9. Amazon Customer –

    Son is 13 and really enjoys this book.

  10. Anil C. –

    I loved this book but there were some misprints in the book

  11. Joy –

    I bought this for my grandson, it is to encourage him to read.

Add a review

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related products