Changes

This all sounds very hi-tech, and those readers who are not particularly fond of science fiction may wonder if they should avoid this book. But that would be a pity, because this story is much more than it appears at first glance. First and foremost, Tom is a teenager, and being a brilliant games player in no way insulates him from ordinary young male concerns like girls, spots and friendship. In fact, his nomadic upbringing means he finds it even harder than most to be a team player, or to trust anyone around him. The result is at times gloriously funny, as Tom and his new friends push the boundaries, work out how to break the rules without getting caught, and give each other bad advice on relationships. In that level, this story is on a par with any of a dozen excellent boarding school tales.

This pacy, thrilling book is the first in a trilogy, but the reader need not worry about cliff-hangers. Every major plot point is satisfactorily resolved, the baddies have been put in their place and Tom is free to look forward to a future which may be precarious but is nonetheless exciting and full of promise.