“Congratulations, Jackson. Welcome to MeX.” Dot.com billionaire Devlin Lear, founder of the top-secret defence force MeX, has been watching Jackson Farley. He knows he has found a digital genius. Along with three other brilliant gamers from different corners of the world, Lear needs Jackson to join him and stop the criminal heist of the century. And all by the power of the most highly advanced, state-of-the-art robots ever invented. Are Jackson and the MeX recruits as good as Lear thinks? And how does Jackson know quite who to trust when they can never meet face-to-face? (Amazon.co.uk)
Jason Bradbury’s Dot.Robot is one of those stories I’d have loved when I were a lad. It reminded me of the film “The Last Starfighter” where a boy completes an arcade game and then discovers that it was actually a training and recruitment tool for an alien defence force. It’s a story of “gamer turned hero”… and to think people say playing computers games is a waste of time…
Actually, it’s a bit wrong to say I’d have loved this story when I were a lad, because I loved it last week and I’m 30! The introduction to the book states that all the technology mentioned in the story is real, which is amazing to consider as you read through it. Autonomous cars, remote-operated aircraft, and other high-tech gadgetry make this science fiction in the proper sense (i.e. fiction actually based on science) and make you wonder what might be possible as these technologies become more common.
But what of the story itself? Well, I don’t want to reveal too much, obviously, but it hurtles along at a fast pace, drawing you through conspiracy, tension, and drama… and there’s a nice twist too. It’s written for children aged 11+ but certainly didn’t feel childish to read as an adult, so if you don’t have kids don’t let that stop you picking up a copy!
Would I recommend reading Dot.Robot? Absolutely! Whether you’re a teenager or an adult, whether you’re into gadgets or just want to read a good story, pick up a copy and find out what happens to Jackson and his gaming teammates.
Imagine with me… a giant turtle swims through space. On its back stand four elephants, who balance on their backs a huge disc. On that disc live all manner of people…
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