Winning the RAGE Tournament is everything... or so Kali Ling believes. Her world revolves around virtual gaming, a competitive sport in which the participants die over and over for the entertainment of the viewers. No one knows the inner world the gamers face- the violent deaths that each gamer physically feels, the rampant drug use and nightly partying, or the pressure by the advertising sponsors to present whatever public persona is deemed most valuable. Kali thrives in this world until a death on her team shakes everything up and makes her re- evaluate who she is and what she fights for. Is Kali willing to challenge everything she knows and once loved?
Holly Jennings does a great job at creating likable characters. Kali is a reluctant heroine. Yes, she envisions herself as a warrior within the Virtual Gaming League but reality holds no allure for her. In some ways, ARENA is almost a coming of age story for Kali as we watch her blossom from a virtual warrior to a real life warrior, willing to tackle the harder issues that face virtual gamers. Rooke, on the other hand, seems almost too perfect initially. However, once we see the person behind the façade, he won my adoration.
I have to admit that the romantic angle threw me a bit and almost ruined the initial storyline for me. Don't get me wrong- Rooke is a phenomenal hero for the romantic angle. However, the romance popping up so quickly after the teammate's death seemed almost too soon. However, as the story progresses, I became fully engaged in the underlying dangers the Virtual Gaming League sought to suppress.
Holly Jennings blends the science fiction, dystopian, and romance genres together to create a unique tale. Despite an abundance of gaming action, the story meanders quite a bit as Kali flounders to find herself. I expected a bit more "fight the system" and a little less angst for an adult science fiction tale. However, there is one scene in particular that still gives me chills for the powerful statement Holly Jennings sends to the reader. While ARENA isn't dubbed as young adult fiction, I suspect a lot of older young adult readers will relish this fascinating tale.
A fast-paced and gripping near-future science fiction debut about the gritty world of competitive gaming... Every week, Kali Ling fights to the death on national TV. She’s died hundreds of times. And it never gets easier...The RAGE tournaments—the Virtual Gaming League’s elite competition where the best gamers in the world compete in a no-holds-barred fight to the digital death. Every bloody kill is broadcast to millions. Every player is a modern gladiator—leading a life of ultimate fame, responsible only for entertaining the masses. And though their weapons and armor are digital, the pain is real. Chosen to be the first female captain in RAGE tournament history, Kali Ling is at the top of the world—until one of her teammates overdoses. Now, she must confront the truth about the tournament. Because it is much more than a game—and even in the real world, not everything is as it seems. The VGL hides dark secrets. And the only way to change the rules is to fight from the inside...
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