Andrew is bored by life. Even his computer doesn’t seem exciting any more. But when his father brings him home a new computer game from Japan, Andrew gets almost more excitement than he can handle. After struggling to get into the game, he finds himself absorbed by the challenge, but it is when he lets his friend Ben have a turn that things really hot up. Ben disappears into the game. When he comes out he is no longer keen on playing, but Andrew wants to go where Ben has been.
What follows is a frightening but exciting sequence of events. Andrew discovers that the secret to accessing the high levels of the game is hate. Only when the holder of a special gun (which has come out of the game) points it at another person out of hate, will that person be drawn into the game. The only way out is to fight and win against the space demons.
Space Demons is a high-interest, fast moving novel for teen readers. The concept of being addicted to a computer game is one which many teens will relate to, and the idea of that passion leading to a real involvement with the game is both confronting and intriguing.
First released in 1986, Space Demons has been packaged into one volume with its two sequels, Skymaze and Shinkei, making a substantial volume which fantasy lovers will find enthralling.
Space Demons – the Trilogy, by Gillian Rubinstein
Omnibus, 2005