“This was a good young adult fantasy story. It was fast paced, action packed, and mysterious. It had trolls, ogres, zombies (I know!!!), and even a dragon. It was an interesting story.
We were introduced to five characters in the beginning and we soon came to learn that Gemma was the main protagonist of this first book. She was rich, smart, kind, pretty, and brave. She was too good to be true but I did like that even though she was a rich, pretty girl she was not shallow. The other characters were briefly described and gave you a sense as to who they were. Since it is a series, perhaps the rest of the characters will be further developed in the other books.
The plot of the story was also good. I enjoyed that these characters started off believing that they were out to test a new level of a popular game but instead they found themselves transported into a different world. I liked how the story kept you wondering whether or not the land of Anachronia existed. Along with the mysteries of the storyline, there were also some aspects of romance. I usually do enjoy romance in books but here it did not seem to fit with the characters. The boys seemed to quickly fall in love with Gemma and would do anything to protect her. Also, their spontanous kisses through me off. Other than the romance, the rest of the plot was good.
I have to give the ending of the book lots of props. It was a big surprise and a great way to leave the readers wanting to read more. It left me saying, "What?!" The ending was great!
In all, this was an enjoyable book. It was adventurous and fast paced. I recommend it for young adults.”