Gamer geek (but not LARPer) Ian, his estranged-from-video-games-because-a-gamer-broke-her-heart older teen sister, Lilly, and bully-cousin Derek get the opportunity of a lifetime -- a chance to visit an augmented reality gaming park, Dragon Ops, before it opens.
The first hint that things are going to go terribly, horribly wrong is when the ultimate dragon lord, Atraeus, almost successfully lures Ian over the side of the boat, before they've even set foot on the island!
It's downhill from there. Atraeus goes from big softie wanting belly rubs to evil dragon incarnate out to conquer the entire realm. The kids are locked in the game, unable to take off their headsets.
Derek chooses a terrible character to play -- a bard, with no powers whatsoever -- and gets abducted by Atraeus in a blink. Lilly is pulled into playing reluctantly. And Ian...well, can he help it if he thinks their quest to find the stones they'll need to fight Atraeus -- and get out -- is the coolest, ever?!
With the limited knowledge of their game guide, Yano, and a girl who lives in the game, Ikumi, they manage tostay alive long enough to discover the rules no longer bind Atraeus. Can they beat him, if he won't stay within his programming?
This is a fun, quick read for video game and LARPer lovers, all!
