Dead Man's Switch

King & Co. Cyber #1

by Sigmund Brouwer

Sigmund Brouwer, with nearly three million books in print, will have thrill seekers of all ages on the edge of their seats with this captivating young adult novel.

When a teen boy receives a written warning from his friend to avoid his church and leave his remote island town immediately, he’s terrified—his friend died weeks ago!

He knows danger is up ahead when he realizes that his friend’s dead man’s switch computer program has been activated. Unsure who to trust, he sets out alone to unravel a dark conspiracy. Soon, the seeker soon becomes the hunted in an unknown wilderness. The only hope for escape is a trigger-happy hermit—a man with his own secrets to hide.

Fiction fans who love a great mystery and the quest for justice will talk about and think about this book long after the last chapter is read.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Thriller, Fiction, Adventure, Contemporary, Christian Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2013

About the author

Sigmund loves going to schools to get kids excited about reading, reaching roughly 80,000 students a year through his Rock&Roll Literacy Show.

Reviews

[Manav B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

“TRUST NO AUTHORITIES...THEY WILL HUNT YOU TOO”. What would you do if you discovered a secret that changed everything? That’s exactly what Dead Man’s Switch focuses on. This is a fantastic, mystery filled novel for anyone in need for adventure. William King doesn’t live on just any normal island. One day, he receives an email stating that his father, Mack has been involved in some recent criminal activity. The mystifying part is that this email was sent from King’s friend, Blake Watt who had drowned a few weeks ago. This mysterious email leads King to find clues and hints which guide him on this dangerous hike. King may not trust Mack after the email, but if he is going to survive, his dad is his last hope. We follow William King on his mission to find the truth behind his father and Blake’s death.

Sigmund Brouwer has done everything he can to make this read feel as real as possible. From the setting, to the email website, everything in this book is real—with the exception of the story. Our story begins around present day time on an island called McNeil Island. King takes on some of his biggest fears—death and betrayal—with his father Mack and friend MJ. Staying calm and quiet is King’s best chance for survival, but he will have to deal with MJ, who can be scared and helpless at times. Disregard their challenges, they make an excellent team for whatever awaits them next.

As king starts to unravel some of the mysteries, he begins to get an idea of what really has been happening. It hadn't been Blake, but something far deeper, something better left unknown. Something that would solve all of the answers and something that was believable. His mission might have been much easier, if it wasn’t for his mother Ella who he loves deeply. King has to try to look out for her as she is in a coma and may never come back. She stands in his way like an obstacle, but he will have to surpass that obstacle. As a result, King will have to trust whatever and whoever he has to help him, whether it is videos or his father.

I really enjoyed Dead Man’s Switch for one sole reason, the connections. I could connect the book to my life or other books many times. I loved how Brouwer used a family member—in this case Ella—to add a bit of an emotional twist. We all love our family, and wouldn't want anything to happen to them. Brouwer shows the exact same concept from King’s point of view. At some parts, for a moment, you had the feeling that Ella and King were a part of your family. Another book named The Other Side of the Island had a very similar idea—it used multiple family members to add more emotion to the book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is from 10-13 years of age. I would rate this book a 3.9 ★ purely for how many times I could connect. The emotional twist, the betrayal and trust all are included in Dead Man’s Switch and I loved the use of them as you will be lost deep in thought. The only thing to remember while reading Dead Man’s Switch is to “TRUST NO AUTHORITIES... THEY WILL HUNT YOU TOO”.

[Kari Napier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the authors creativity! It was fun to read but somewhat predictable. However it does make you wonder if something like this has ever happened. I am looking forward to reading more by Sigmund Brouwer!

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

i accidentally clicked on the stars for this & it updated, whoops. i read this in 2014 & hated it viscerally. shout-out grade 8 book club!! this was my review:

bloody apple references, man. *le cringe*

[Falconloverswag666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think, 'Dead Man's Switch', was a very suspenseful, and, mysterious book, which is very fast paced, which I love.

I can clearly see that the author wanted his readers to really get into the feeling of this book, for what it was truly for, mysterious, and, suspenseful.

I can also tell the author wanted us to get right into the action, by right away saying the main character is in an area he shouldn't be in.

The author: Sigmund Brouwer, did a very good job, for a action, mystery, and, suspenseful book hybrid, this book really had me biting my nails!

But, with ups, there are downs.

The downs being; So much was going on at once, and considering how fast paced it was I couldn't really understand everything that was going on at once.

Other then that I give the book, 'Dead Man's Switch', four stars. Good Job, Sigmund!

[Tarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to escape from an island prison -- and you're not even one of the inmates?!

King, a senior in high school, lives in Puget Sound on McNeil Island, off the coast of Washington state. It's a prison island, secured by the icy Pacific Ocean-moat that keeps the inmates sealed in on all sides. King may not be a federal prisoner, but his contained and secure life makes him feel like one, regardless.

Some other facts about King... He is part of a homeschool co-op on the island. His mom is lying in a coma in a mainland hospital bed. His friend Blake died recently. His friend Blake is sending King messages from beyond the grave... Messages with critical information about illegal happenings on the island, the reasons why Blake is not there anymore... Messages about how King's dad has betrayed him -- of crimes his dad has comitted.

So King has to play a deadly game to get to the bottom of it. Humans hunting humans? How can it all be real?

Recommended for: Teens

Suitable for: 12 and up - Adults

Christian families will appreciate the clean material. May contain some violent action.

[Keerthana. J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just like Sigmund Brouwer promises, there are “Crazy and insane bad things,” in the book Dead Man’s Switch. This interesting book starts of as William Mackenzie Lyon King receiving an email from a friend, Blake Watt, who drowned trying to escape McNeil Island, US. King follows the instructions on the email only to find out that his father Mackenzie William King, has been involved in the crazy and insane things happening on the island which probably lead King’s mother Ella into her “Coma”. He needs to get help from some of his friends like Mike Johnson and Samantha. Soon, King and his friends get caught by Warden Murdoch sneaking into the abandoned prison following the instructions in the email. That is when King has to choose. Who should he trust, the Warden or his father? What would you do if you were King?

For some reason, all the books I read are always interesting. This was again a book I had trouble putting down. I really got connected to King and his friend MJ. These 2 characters are the main characters that travel all the way through the book and they are only a few years older than I am. Since there isn’t much of an age difference, I could understand their feelings and their thoughts. I’ve noticed that with a lot of authors. Their protagonists is somewhat the same age as their targeted audience. I think that has a big impact on the readers. It surely did on me. I don’t remember liking the Jurassic Park series because the main characters are way older than I am. This book was kind of predictable. This book was somewhat believable. There is a chance for a prison to be on an island. No one can know someone fully and everyone knows to lie.

This book has a bit of thriller and mystery, both combined as King leads a special mission to find the truth about his dad. I had fun being part of King’s journey and so would anyone with my taste.

[Marissa Jardim · Rating 1 out of 5]

**SPOOKATHON 2017 READ: BOOK BASED ON CHILDHOOD FEAR**
Oh. My. Goodness.
This had to have been the worst book I've ever read. If you are a fan of this book, beware because I am giving my full honest review. *There will be spoilers in this review*
At my library, they have a section of staff recommendations. This was one of the books that I found there and I thought I would give it a try. The cover seemed intriguing and I haven't read YA in years, so I thought why not?
This ended up being the absolute worst. For a 200 page book, it felt like 2000. It dragged and dragged on and on. I did not care for any of the characters. There was nothing that made me connect or feel for anyone. I was honestly hoping King would fail as I slowly started to despise him.
The "twist" or, I guess I could just call it the ending, was horrendous. I predicted it from honestly the first chapter and was just over the entire book. I would have definitely DNF'd this one but I had already read like 100 pages and it was for a read-a-thon.
Going over a mental checklist as I write this review. Bad characters? Yes. Boring plot? Got it. Terrible writing? Yup.
Near the 25% mark, I was finding it humorous how bad this novel was. Especially the dialogue. Oh my goodness, the dialogue in this book. Here's just one example:
"Time for the four of us to have a party. A pain party." What? I was just about ready to drop kick this book out of my life. I was mainly reading this on my ereader, and since its a library book it didn't let me highlight lines, so this was the only line I could get. But the dialogue just didn't flow right.
The thing that made me even more mad at this book is that it spawned a sequel. How?! I have no idea. . .

Rating: 10%

[Vladimir of · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been two weeks since Blake Watt drowned trying to escape McNeil island. All of a sudden, Blake's friend King receives an email from Blake that sends King on a scavenger hunt of sorts which is made harder by the piece of information King receives from Blake, " Trust no authorities, they will hunt you too." King must work together with his friend, MJ, to unveil a mystery that could expose an unknown criminal act that includes King's father. After discovering his father's criminal acts on camera, King is thrust into an epic tale with a rather inhuman plot twist. Will King be able to prove his dad as innocent or will he discover a darker side to his father?
I picked this book up because there have been many a good word spoken about it. We conferred about this book any there were many a good words spoken about it. Therefore, I decided to read this book.
I finished this book because I sincerely wanted to know what would be happen to each character, especially Murdoch and Blake. I am truly glad I decided to finish it, it was a good read.
I would recommend this book to Jood because I know she likes books with adventure and mystery. This book was full of action as well so I would also recommend this book to Bianca Tu.

[Dayton DelViscio · Rating 4 out of 5]

King is a teenager who lives on a prison/island, his dad is a gaurd and his mom is in a coma. One day King finds a iPhone which changes his life, giving him access to the prisons secrets and every thing. When King messes up, he is forced to leave the island and come back to save his dad. Read this book to find out what happens to King.

The book Dead Man's Switch is written in a way that describes a new step, finds the new step, then tells us how the new step is helpful. And lastly they almost gets caught. Sigmund Brouwer does a good job writing this way because it keeps the reader hooked. I think boy teenagers will like this book because there is a mix of adventure, mystery, and prisons.

[Elesie · Rating 4 out of 5]

King's family is broken into bits because his mom "Ella" goes in to a coma. To make matters worse, King's friend died from escaping for the McNeil island. King goes on adventure and learns more and more bad things about his dad. He is trying to hide for his dad and Murdoch. Will he able to finish what his friend, Blake want him to do without getting caught?

I picked this book up because it was is the red maple chosen books for 2015.

I finshed this book because I wanted to know how the story ends: will King not get caught?


I recommend this book to Bianca Tu because I think she will like the way the book it's building up the suspense and this book it's s categorized as a mystery book.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Man`s Switch was a good book about a kid named King who lives on a prison island miles off Seattle in the ocean.His dad is a prison guard and his mom is in a coma back home.Kings friend Blake mysteriously disappered and was pronounced dead after trying to swim off the island. Blake leaves a bunch of emails to King and sends him on a wild journey gaining more and more knowledge about his dad and the island with one message in his mind "trust no authorities they will hunt you too". Dead Man`s Switch was a good book that I really enjoyed.

[Lc123456789 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was good, but it was a little hard to follow at times. As well, he spent a lot of time writing about the mom. Normally I would have liked that, but the author put it right where you were waiting to find out something important. I ended up skipping a lot of it and going back because I just could not muster the patience. Still, all in all, I would recommend it.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story grabbed me by the throat and dragged me from shocking twist to eye-popping turn. A very neatly built thriller. It was also a bit far fetched ... but what thriller isn't? Twist and Shout from the King of Rock and Roll Literacy!

[Malachi( ͡° · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uuhh, This book was one of Sigmund Brouwer's weak books. I would not recommend this book to the best of readers. This book will make your mind question what your reading. It was hard keeping up with the story. The story was confusing. The characters would be doing one thing at one place then somehow be at another place doing another thing. For $17.99, this is a waste of time and money. In my opinion, this book needs a remake. An accessionelly you will run into parts were it doesn’t say where they are and what they are doing. The book had minimal action, and there was barely any climax. In a book that was summarised like it was a James bond movie, I would think there would be a little bit of doubt in the readers saying oh king is going to die like if they put in a part saying king was captured and was injected with a poison that would kill him 10 hours that would be climax. This is not a young adult read told in the description this a kid read for 11y to 7y kids. For the 200 pages, it feels like 500 pages. it clear that this book is not a young adult read try STORMBREAKERby: Anthony Horowitz for half the prize not only is it cheaper it has action like dirt bikes, explosion, etc. This book was very boring to read I do not recommend it. My final rating for this book is 2.5!

[Samet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book but doesn’t explain ENOUGH. While reading the book, you come across a lot of cliffhangers that make the book more interesting, so does the story it’s self which gets you excited and makes you want to keep reading it. At the end of the book, things get rushed and don’t make sense.

For example, if your the kind of reader that likes to read something that is action/mystery, this is the right book for you. If your the kind of reader that wants a descriptive book that explains every single thing that happens, well this book is good in describing what happens, but close to the end of the book it gets a little rushed, basically you wonder when did all this happen and how did it happen.

In conclusion, the book is a good book, as I explained it got a little confusing at the end, which isn’t a big deal, so I would recommend “The Dead Man’s Switch” to others that are looking to buy or read this book.

[Reader ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

to give my honest opinion, I HATED THIS BOOK. okay so when i first read this it started out okay but then it got worse. i barley even understood what this book is trying to get to because it is very poorly written, and i honestly don't understand how this even made it passed the editing process because it is just ..... so boring and it is clear the author really was not even trying to be creative with the characters because it seemed that they were all the same.

[Charissa Fryberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sigmund Brouwer is one of my favorite authors, but this was not my favorite Brouwer book. The characters are good--quirky and entertaining--and the setting is unique, but the story gets hijacked by extended action scenes of chases and fights. I expect some readers would probably love this, since some people also love movies with long action scenes, but I get bored with them. Still, even a lesser Brouwer book is still a pretty good story.

[Veeda · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK IS MAGNIFICENT. Thrillers really aren't my thing but this was an amazing one (maybe because I have the attention span of a middle grader?). I was worried that there was going to be a lack of closure but surprisingly everything went well. An awesome book and a definite must read.

[C.R. Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This technically savvy, high-paced adventure will leave you breathless! Great work Mr. Brouwer!

[Menelaos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book because it was full of action and personally I really like action movies and books.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

such an intriguing plot!! Loved it!!

[Lili · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once you start, it is a struggle to put it down

[Kristie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing, then better, even better, then a silly cat and mouse game.

[Chris Pelzowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite books, went in with extremely low expectations and was pleasantly surprised geat mystery thriller type book

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was different. It is juvenile fiction, and I did enjoy it...it was just hard at times to understand what was going on.
I did like the characters, and the book was pretty suspenseful

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A message from your dead friend suddenly is in your email. How creepy! However, it is even worse when it contains a threat against your father. Your friend knows something that could put him in jail. So, saving your father is foremost in your mind. This is the problem you will encounter when reading this page-turning book.

[CanadianReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this young adult action thriller, King (William Lyon Mackenzie--but not the Canadian prime minister) lives on McNeil Island. His dad is a prison guard for the federal penitentiary there; his mom is in a Tacoma hospital, comatose after a stroke. Two weeks before the story opens, King's best friend, Blake Watt, a fourteen-year-old computer hacker (and also a son of prison employees) drowned in the waters surrounding the island, apparently during an escape attempt. A funeral was held, but the casket was empty--the body was never recovered. Now, King is receiving e-mails from his dead friend--messages that are sent out from a web site when a user doesn't log in on a daily basis (an action known as a "dead man's switch"). Before his death, Blake discovered that King's dad was involved in some highly illegal activity along with prominent prison officials. Now, it is King's task to find out what that activity was and to make things right.

Brouwer draws on Richard Connell's short story, "The Most Dangerous Game" and, with a liberal dose of technology, more or less updates the story for modern teenaged boys. While Brouwer's book is certainly compelling in its twists and turns, King isn't given much fleshing out, and doesn't, in fact, seem to be a teenage boy. His age is never provided, but one assumes he's 14 or 15 years old. The book rather reminded me of Anthony Horowitz's boy spy series Alex Ryder, but Horowitz is rather better at getting the essential "boyishness" of the boy protagonist right. Family relationships are equally sparsely conveyed, and rather stereotypical. Having said that, I think many 8th to 10th grade boys I know would enjoy Dead Man's Switch.
Rating 3.5

[Kate (The Shelf Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Sigmund Brouwer's books since I read the Legends of Laramie series. He has a way to make the characters real and is able to mix the real with the fiction effortlessly and bring you into the story. When I saw that he had a new book for YA coming out I knew I had to read it. And it is safe to say, Dead Man's Switch didn't disappoint!

Dead Man's Switch takes you on a wild ride as you follow William King, or Lyon King to his friends, as he works his way through a mystery his friend Blake had set up for him. What scares King though is that Blake is dead, so Blake knew that people were after him and set up this Dead Man's Switch, King realizes that with the information he is uncovering, these people will be after him as well and he can't trust anyone in charge. So he has to work through these clues as fast as he can before the ones chasing him catch up.

The twist and turns of this story kept me wanting to find out what was going to happen next. This was also a story that, if I had to set it down, I could pick it back up and be right back in the story with no problem. I also enjoyed that King fit his age. He was a smart kid, but he did need help and seeing that made this story all the better.

Dead Man's Switch had a slight Hunger Games/ Matched feel. It's a story that could easily be a set up for a dystopian, wow! It is one that makes you think about what is going on out there that we don't know about. The remote setting of this story amplified that feeling.

This was a fun book!

Thank you to Harvest House, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Crazy and insane things are happening at night…trust no authorities…They will hunt you too.”

This email sent by William King’s deceased friend Blake, starts a series of events that leads King on a technological hunt set up by his deceased hacker friend. Blake set the clues in place before he died, knowing that he would be stopped by authorities. King has to quickly decide who is trustworthy and who is not. King continues to follow what his deceased friend tells him to do for fear that the world will find out about a crime his own father committed. He can trust no one.

It is set on an island, McNeil Island Corrections Center run by the Washington Stat Department of Corrections. It was a real prison island. The only thing on the island was the prison and the houses of the guards and their families. Completely isolated from the mainland, this is the perfect setting for Brouwer’s story. He maintains his Canadian connection in the name of the main character, William Lyon Mackenzie King.

The novel opens with a great hook, “On the Morning that King betrayed his father…” As soon as the book opens, Sigmund Brouwer takes the reader on a thrilling, action-packed ride in this YA novel of intrigue. The shorter chapters make it highly readable and keep the pace fast. He gives just enough information to keep the reader wondering and engaged in the story as it unfolds. A great story.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tautly-written with intense, action-packed scenes, "Dead Man's Switch" will grab you from the beginning pages and then hurtle you to the end! Brouwer does a fantastic job at building up the tension as the story progresses along, all viewed through the eyes of the intriguing youth William King. William is not your typical character, as he is living on a remote island with little contact with those living on the mainland. As such there is a certain mystique about him and his friends, and I liked the element of the unexpected that this gave not only to William but the other characters as well. I also enjoyed the way the author explores his relationship with his father, and the manner in which loving families are celebrated. While the story doesn't present a clear gospel message in and of itself, God can be clearly seen in the story, not only in the conversation William has with his dad, but also in the beauty of self-sacrifice and laying down your life for others. While written primarily for the young adult audience, I am certain that people of all ages will enjoy the interesting plot and the themes of power and betrayal, as well as considering what happens when we blur the lines between right and wrong.

I strongly recommend this novel and award it 4 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Harvest House Publishers for the purposes of this unbiased review.