Game On

The Adventures of Jayden Banks and the Jameson Twins #1

by R.E. Rowe

Online gamers Jayden Banks and his best friend Parker Jameson had the perfect life in the San Francisco Bay Area until a malfunctioning tablet computer and a traced computer hack get them taken away by a UFO.

When thirteen-year-old Jayden, Parker, and Parker's twin sister Nora get thrown into an intergalactic war by shape-shifting aliens, the trio will need to team up with a ragtag group of alien teens to survive.

Will the trio step up to the challenge or will they ultimately decide to hide on Earth playing online games, collecting virtual gold, and flinging fat fowl?

Each novel in the Jayden Banks and Jameson Twins middle-grade series takes the trio and the Spring Tide Masons on a space adventure to solve intergalactic mysteries and rescue civilizations in trouble.

Game On is the first book in the Adventures of Jayden Banks and the Jameson Twins series. The novel has been "Hardy Boys meets Nancy Drew meets Robin Hood in Space."

Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction

280 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2015

About the author

When Rick isn’t dreaming, you’ll find him trying to discover why, figuring out how, uncovering ancient mysteries, writing a crazy fun middle-grade or young adult novel, inventing something seriously cool, or learning something new. He enjoys participating in science camps, writing conferences and talking to groups about creative topics such as the process of inventing, building worlds for science fiction and fantasy stories, and the importance of dreaming big.

Rick is a lifelong inventor and a named inventor on over one hundred patents. He has degrees in Avionics Systems Technology, Computer Science and an MBA from Florida Institute of Technology. His experience includes a wide range of engineering, technology development and management roles ranging from space systems to gaming systems. He is a proud member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Delta Mu Delta Honor Society, and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

Reviews

[David Pospisil · Rating 3 out of 5]

YA is usually not for me but this was well written, nice pace, interesting characters and tech

[Gary Blevins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Game On is a great SciFi book that has similar appeal to "The Last Starfighter". The characters were believable and was fun to read and see where the character growth goes. I really enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next one.

[Aviar Savijon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Game On

What if a simple game on your tablet came with its own alternative universe and true enemies of your planet? You find out what might just happen. A very adventurous tale and action packed story that's good for all to read.

[Elsie Bertram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

This is aimed at the YA market and I'm WAY past that era! I really enjoyed this book, teen friends playing computer games who find themselves in a very different place. Lots of fun and I'm really interested in the next book.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose

Space traveling can be quite exciting when R.E. Rowe tells his story about those who are space traveling. His mind contains unusual places and events while describing the different species of people included in this story. You'll enjoy reading these adventures.

[George Sterling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book one

Just finished reading this book and really enjoyed it was hooked from the beginning to end. Right from the start it was action packed with lots of science and aliens.This is a must have for anyone who likes really good science fiction and aliens.

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://amzn.to/1ZhhxCx

The beginning was exciting and cool, but it got a little stuck for the half way point.

like the first half of the story felt like the beginning of a story arc.

At that point I was disappointed, because it was a cool story and I wanted it to be great.

BUT then it kicked into high gear and it was really great.

So Jayden, Parker and Nora got kidnaped to fight in a intergalactic war. They escape and rightly so, but my problem is this.

There is a war and lives are at stake, Earth is at stake. so the group that is fighting to right the wrongs takes them in.

But then Jayden, Parker and Nora want to lie and steal from them because it's "not their fight" even though Earth is in danger and they can be vital to stopping this war.

This is where at thought the story had just gotten tired.

I was having trouble because I couldn't get behind the main characters anymore, or so I thought.

Long story short (and minus spoilers) big stuff happens and they realized that it was kind of selfish and they jump in and save the day, many times.

Jayden is a great leader, but he doesn't quite know it yet.

In the heat of battle he just naturally takes the position but out of battle? He tosses that position off. He doesn't want to be a leader (He really does, he doesn't know it yet)

but after that big WHAM he claims it 100%
It was pretty cool.

The thing that really bugged me throughout the story was that it wasn't always defined. Something would happen, but I wasn't sure what.

Also I wish was that some of the characters were better defined.
it was a limbo of liking and not liking them.

I had trouble telling if a character was bad or not, a little confusing at times

This wasn't a huge problem, if I got lost I for the most part could read a little further and I could piece it together.

So, Yeah. I recommend it.

It's fun and cool, some space stories can be cheesy but Game On wasn't at all.

It was an adventure for sure.

I give Game On, By R. E. Rowe four stars.

The Zebra Reader
www.TheZebraReader.blogspot.com

[DoodleBug · Rating 1 out of 5]

The characters are caricatures of children, their dialogue and actions far younger than the characters' ages. The story was...promising, but ultimately executed so slowly, I couldn't stick with it. DNF at 5%.

[Gavin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clearly I'm not the demo for this... kids doing fighting.. very simplistic plot lines.. probably good for a 10 year old but nothing more than that.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't get into it. Better for younger readers.