The Rules

Ryan Jacobs #1

by Paul Orton

His ego is big, but his problems just got bigger. Can a thirteen-year-old hacker learn to be a hero, or is his talent meant for evil?

Somehow, he lost his freedom. Now he belongs to the Academy, and the rules have changed. What started out as a game has become a matter of life and death. If he doesn’t think fast, someone will die. At thirteen you shouldn’t have to face these kinds of issues. But at thirteen, you don’t get to decide THE RULES. (This is the first book in the Ryan Jacobs series, aimed at young teens with attitude.)

Genres: Young Adult, Amazon, Fiction, Thriller, Teen

187 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2021

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Bernard Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it strange that I enjoyed a thriller for boys aged 13-15? No, because Ryan Jacobs offers us enough excitement, action, suspense, and rebelliousness to like him and cheer for him throughout the entire book. A thriller about a 13-year-old boy wunderkind hacker will leave even older readers with a good feeling and interest to look for another book in the series.

[Guy Venturi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any governmental organization is stitched together by rules and punishment

Ryan is a young boy that is inexperienced and rebellious in emotional intelligence but overwhelmed by life experiences as his dreams and brains battle for pleasure and excitement without using his mental intelligence.

Making mistakes is common and his reactions are not the best, but his abilities succeed most of the time until...

He finds himself in a special school that has more rules than students and punishments that extend to most students. But as Ryan soon discovers, his friends make most rules tolerable as they work together to survive the Colonel that wants Ryan out now!

[Jessica Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Exciting read from beginning to end. Not a dull moment in the book. It had me hooked from the first page. Excellent read, not just for teens, but for adults as well. I'd give the story as well as the characters 5 stars. Quite an interesting cast of characters and Dr Torren gives me the creeps but I think he would have that effect on most people.

[Beagle Lover (Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mid-grade thriller!

4 full military stars!

Just as 13 year-old Ryan hacks through the British Military Defense firewall, soldiers burst into his home and wisk him away to a remote and unfamiliar group of buildings.

What follows is unending plot twists, treachery and thrilling action. The ranking military officer, Colonel Keller, despises Ryan from the start and has a razor-thin trigger for anger and revenge. He does his best to get Ryan expelled from what turns out to be an elite military training facility for the world's best and brightest young people.

After one of Ryan's roommates, Lee, is kidnapped in the middle of the night, Ryan is instructed by Lee's kidnappers to steal a top secret file, transfer it to a zip drive and deliver it to the front gate of the school by 9pm that very evening or his friend will be killed!

Does Ryan manage to save Lee against all odds or does the ruthless Colonel finally manage to catch Ryan in the act and have him expelled? Or do Lee's kidnappers have something more evil in mind for Ryan? Read this fast, yet enjoyable, book to discover the youngsters' fate!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: This was my first experience with Paul Orton's work, and I found it very entertaining. The story was about a very intelligent 13-year-old misfit who was delivered to an unknown Academy where life was governed by a strict set of rules. The story was intense. I liked the protagonist even though he was young and had some altitude issues. I liked the character arc. Once the audiobook started, I was so absorbed into the story that I had to listen until the end. Shaun Mendum's narration was great, and his performance kept my attention. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.

[Lori Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story just grabs you right from the first page and doesn't let go in how intense of what happens to Ryan Jacobs that you're completely caught off guard by complex and cruelty he and his fellow schoolmates are forced to endure at the Devonmoor Academy by the adults that will leaved you chilled. All of the characters are brilliantly crafted and eccentric that each of them is absolutely memorable. This is the school from HELL... and you'll want to come back to experience more. Highly recommended.

[Siobhán Bayertz · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw the words: "...aimed at young teens with attitude," I thought, ok, I'm 31 definitely not a teen, never mind one with attitude. So, this might be too immature, silly, etc, for adults.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was wrong. This is a series for all ages. It was well written with very interesting characters. I actually like the main characters' "attitude" as it meant he wasn't your typical good, goody kid. More realistic than a lot of teenagers I've seen in other books.

A really fun, quick read. Looking forward to reading the rest.

[Leonie 🧸 · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I couldn’t stand this book way before the lockdown series as a sample but I just finished and let me just say I adored Ryan now and can’t wait to ask the author for the second one we follow a thirteen year old rebellion boy called Ryan Jacob who’s known to be quite stubborn but once he hacks into a special school system he gets whisked away by some soldiers that he becomes a cadet there to learn the rules and also meet new friends I adored Lee and Ryan they’re such great buds to each other I’m going to ask Mr Orton for the second book in this series

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just for boys!

I enjoyed this book a lot and I'm not a boy. Actually am an old lady of 72!
Every bit as well written as my usual mysteries aimed at older readers . Read cover to cover in one sitting, finished with a big smile on my face.
Love it when a book leaves me smiling!

[Mrs Boyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was pretty cool that the boy was sent to a top secret school because he hacked into a government system. At one point, the boy had to build a buggy, which he had to push along a mile-long treck. There was a substance which was invented and voluntarily drank; this caused a boy to kill someone.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

i cant remember where i got this book from but at the back it says it’s printed by amazon so i have no idea. anyway, this book is actually pretty good. the beginning is a little confusing and it takes a bit of time to get used to but once you do it’s pretty good. im not sure what age group this would be but maybe like 8-16? who knows. recommend xx

[jooee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great, thrilling plot. Each character and interaction is realistic, fully immersing you in the story. Whilst it’s an easy read, I read it in just over 2 hours, there is still plenty of enjoyment to be had. Would recommend :D

[Susan Liliales · Rating 5 out of 5]

great story

Bought for my I-prefer-gaming-to-reading-nearly-14a-year-old-teenager to read together. We enjoyed the story very much.
It is well written, no boring passages, all just right to the point.
Very good.
We‘ll probably will start the second book tonight.

[Elrica Francisca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

I enjoyed the ups and downs in Ryan's life. Good character development. I think it is a story that teenagers will enjoy.

[Rhys · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Book is very good, i loved it, ‘THE RULES’ is a very nice and thrilling book. Its the first book of the series

[Gemma Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok

Wasn’t an awful book book - had a story line and my son really enjoyed it. Not enough to keep an adult interested but at the same time I wasn’t who it was targeted at.

[Axton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could not get through this. Loved the prequel but this was boring. I will probably come back to it because I DNF'd it

[Shraddha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing 👏

I couldn't stop reading and I finished it in a day. Great plot twists and it keeps the reader with protagonist. You never know what's going to happen!

[Debra L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

This is a great book to get your boys to get interested in reading. I have purchased the rest of the series.

[Pheasant Chick · Rating 3 out of 5]

In fairness to the book, I am not a young teen. I am pretty sure I would have given his 4-5 stars, 35 years ago! It’s a fun story with likeable characters.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it's a pretty good book but I like to imagine when reading and this doesn't really create the most atmosphere. Another thing which doesn't impact anything but it's quite short so I finished it quite quickly but it's okay