'But it has to be a poem of your own making,' she said. But the rightful owner can call it forth.' 'I hid the ring in the coat of mail.' She smiled apologetically, showing little brown teeth, and I winced, not for the teeth but because I saw what was coming. She waggled her finger at the statue, and my heart sank. When Feordina didn't say anything, I asked, 'Uhm, what does this have to do with me and the ring?' What was kind of neat was that, even though his face was carved wood, his armor was real: a plate metal helmet (the visor was up, which was how I saw his face), gauntlets, shin protectors, and a surcoat of mail-thousands and thousands of interlocking circles of metal. What kind of book would it be if everything went right?Īt the far wall was a life-size statue of a man who most likely was Saint Bruce the Warrior Poet. Heir Apparent is about one of Arvin's friends, Giannine Belissario, who plays a second of Rasmussem Enterprises' games. User Unfriendly is about Arvin Rizalli and a group of his friends who are playing a virtual-reality type of game that goes wrong.

I still didn't write a sequel, but sort of a companion piece. One book that absolutely nobody ever asked for a sequel to was User Unfriendly, so-being the contrary person I am-that's the book I was most inclined to take a second look at. Readers have asked for a sequel to many of my books, but especially Companions of the Night, Dragon's Bait, and Smart Dog. 2005/2006 (Florida) Sunshine State Young Reader's Award (grades 6 - 8 division).2004/2005 (Maryland) Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (grades 6 - 9).VOYA's Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2003.

Texas Lone Star Reading List (2004-2005).New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing.New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age.

Anne Spencer Lindbergh Prize in Children's Literature (2001/2002).It's riveting reading for experienced gamers and tyros alike.' - Kirkus (starred review) * 'Though Giannine is repeatedly (to her vast annoyance) forced to start over after being 'killed,'she learns from her mistakes, survives increasingly tricky, sometimes hilarious, challenges, and wins both crown and life at the last possible moment by not only overcoming opponents, but by using newly developed diplomatic skills to win allies. Scroll down to read the entire page, or click on a link to go directly to: While playing a total immersion virtual reality game of kings and intrigue, 14-year-old Giannine learns that demonstrators have damaged the equipment to which she is connected, and she must win the game quickly or she will die in the real world.

Heir apparent by vivian vande velde