Gemini7

danger.com #1

by Jordan Cray

Jonah learns the hard way that dating on the Internet is not always the safest way to go, in the first of a new adventure series that journeys the pitfalls of new computer technology. Original.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Horror

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1997

Reviews

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend gave me a pile of Danger.com books to sell, but as soon as I saw the first cover (emblazoned with a technicolor "99 cents," a demonic water girl, and the warning "Surfing the Net can be hazardous to your health") I knew I had to read at least one of them first. It was a walk down memory lane, back to when we had to pay for internet by the minute, when a nerdy guy in a chatroom could find 7 hot cyber girlfriends in a matter of days, and when we all talked online like this:
"Where have you been grrrl?"
"I shld ask ze same, bro."
Hmm, actually I only remember one of those things being true...

I was expecting so-bad-it's-almost-good, and Gemini7 frequently delivered in that vein, but it also surprised me. When the author wasn't trying to simulate teenagers' online and real time conversations the writing wasn't that bad, plus the plot was decently suspenseful (though the ending was a bit too quick and tidy) and the pacing was excellent. It made me hope that Jordan Cray is a pen name of someone who went on to write other things, because I think there just might be talent lurking behind all of the internet lessons, teenage angst and awful slang. I'm not leaping to read the entirety of the series, but I was entertained enough to look through the stack.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a blast! I loved all of the chatroom nostalgia and the ending was great. I can’t wait to read more!

[Jeffrey Canino]

In this teenage spin on FATAL ATTRACTION, 90s chatroom connoisseur "J-boy" Jonah becomes bored of his longtime sweetheart next door, Jen, and decides instead to juggle an alleged seven (!) internet girlfriends when he's not busy flunking trig. Problem is, he hasn't told Jen about his change in affections, and when his latest hot-n-heavy e-crush, Nicole Gemini, comes knocking on his door in meatspace (looking totally supermodel hot, va-va-va-voom-de-ay!), what's a guy to do? Stall, stall, stall, and hope the new digital-girlfriend-made-flesh hasn't murdered her parents or developed a habit for igniting gas leaks...

This extremely goofy first installment in the DANGER.COM series of computing-centric teen thrillers is a ton of vintage fun. It's briskly paced and increasingly chaotic in its action while still peppering in enough early internet ridiculousness to satisfy its series concept. Jonah's blockheaded narration and the bizarre, tech-lingo stuffed, quasi-1920s gangster dialogue (both on and off the net) provide a steady stream of screenshot-worthy moments. Add in a (slim) body count, medical malpractice, an absurd last-minute twist, and (rarest of all) cover art that comes ::true::, who can complain? Load this floppy disk, stat.

[Erica Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know why these teens talk like they have old-timey transatlantic accents but it cracks me up. And don’t get me started on some of the made up internet slang.

This is the second danger.com novel I’ve read and it’s just as zany and fun, but a bit darker than I expected. Just wish it featured more 90s style internet chats aww

[Paula Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jonah Lanier has been Jenny Malone's boyfriend for a while now and they're almost considered a single entity. He's feeling that itch, and to scratch it, he's flirting with girls online. He becomes particularly enamoured with Nicole, especially after he sees her picture. Then, she shows up in the flesh, wanting to be with him all the time. If anything gets in the way of them being together, mysterious incidents occur. She gets him to break up with Jenny. She monopolises all of his time. He slowly becomes suspicious that she might be behind the mysterious incidents and accidents.

Entertaining teen riff on Fatal Attraction, with some funny now-dated references to technology and teen speak. It also bears some strong similarity to Swimfan, although this came out many years before that. It is a well-crafted tale with a few tricks up its sleeve, and tight pacing means that it is never boring. However, it is very tame, at a time when other YA books were going a bit heavier and more adult in the wake of Scream, while trying to hold on to the dwindling appetite for teen horror at the time. (Point Horror was over by this stage.) I wanted this to get a bit crazier and wilder than it did. Things are played very safely, and the climax falls short. We also have a bit of a putz as a main character. It is hard to stay on side with a guy who knows he is hurting his friends and does nothing about it because his new squeeze is just so hot.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed it. I look forward to reading others in the series.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been over ten years since I read this book. The ending still had a surprise twist that I didn't remember. It's an easy book to read - I finished it in a few hours at a leisurely pace. The "what is going to happen next" vibe was there all through the book, and also the memories of the internet stone age was a hit of nostalgia. It also serves to strike fear in the naïve internet user, and to never go into a private chat with a stranger!(ooo, scary)

[Roberto Scarlato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jordan clay really gets in deep stuff. Not only is he conversing with some girl online but it seems that the girl is obsessed with him. Obsessed enough to take over his life, stalk him at every turn, leaving chilling instant messages in her pathway to making this man hers . . .even if he does have a girlfriend.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

haha stupid book series. But for being a kid, I really liked it at the time.

[vampire lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

so awesome could not put it down

[Naz]

37/f/I loved this book. Can't wait to read the next one

[David Brush · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, released in 1997, is what you might consider to be a young adult novel. It's a pretty simple story about a young man who meets a girl in an online chatroom, only to have her show up at his door and begin causing chaos. For what it is, it's well written, corny in an endearing way, and rather nostalgic in how the author conjures the world as it was during that era. I didn't expect much from this novel, but I ended up reading the entire thing in two days. It's an easy read, and one that I think anyone with a free Sunday afternoon could really enjoy.

[Hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up at a thrift store for my boyfriend. Little did I know the adventure I was going to go on with this. It was in an interesting topic to say the least, especially coming from 1997. I thought it would make fun of the dangers of the internet...it sure did but in a way I did not expect! It grew with time and got more and more interesting!
Got to say, I hated Jonah in the beginning....and still kinda do at the end. Let's just say when my boyfriend gets this book, he better not have any cyber dream girls!!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teen version of Fatal Attraction.
Twist ending.
Great writing style. Very easy to read.
AOL chatrooms
Paying for internet by the minute. Remember that?

Published in 1997.

TW: cheating

[Melisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginnings of the internet’s heyday really brings back some memories, and I can totally go back to my IM and chatroom days. A good middle grade read. Nothing groundbreaking, but it brings me back to my childhood for whatever’s that worth.

[Oliiii · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not really scary but it does teach you what will happen if you are on the internet and you aren't safe.