The Network #1

Log on and lose your mind…In a near future where neural implants are the standard, the Vandernet offers everything: hyper-real video games, endless shopping, food without consequences—and instant access to an endless fountain of knowledge. For Nia, going online isn’t just a dream—it’s a rite of passage. Today is her 16th birthday and at exactly 2 p.m, her implant will activate.There’s just one last hurdle: a boring school field trip to the Vandercorp exhibit.But before Nia can log on, everything goes sideways. A corrupted upgrade sweeps the globe, infecting every implant with a mind-altering virus—and spinning the highway back to town into chaos.Now trapped on a bus with a handful of uninfected classmates, Nia must find a way to fight back. There’s Wendy, the sharp-tongued new girl who despises the Net; Rhys, the injured jock with a secret side passion; and Luke, the silent loner who’s been avoiding her for years. Together, they must dive into the Web—a vast, immersive digital world—to find Nia’s hacker brother, Ravi, the only person who might know how to stop the virus.But the Web is as dangerous as it is seductive. One wrong move, and your mind could be trapped forever. With Web Police, shadowy factions, and Vandercorp’s own spies hunting them down, staying sane might be the hardest mission of all.Plug in. Fight back. Don’t lose yourself. Ready Player One meets The Maze Runner in this fast-paced dystopian adventure from L.C. Scott.