"This Virtual book is a winner!"

Ann Lawrence has done it again. I believe this one is my favorite Virtual book. This book starts out at Nilrem's mountain and travels all over the virtual world that only Ann Lawrence can create.

This is Neil Scott's story. Neil's mother has just died and he's disillusioned with life in general. He decides that what he really needs is to go into the game and just see what it's all about. Besides he's quite intrigued with the Ice Princess in the Tolemac Wars III game.

So Neil gathers up what he thinks he might need, makes sure things are aligned correctly and gets ready to make the jump. In the meantime Ardra has gone to Nilrem's mountain to seek something to make Tol, her lifemate, more comfortable in his last days. As she indulges in an ancient ritual, she's set upon by outcasts who seek to rob and rape her. Neil shows up just in time but he's disoriented from the journey. The outcasts jump on him instead, robbing and beating him. Ardra doesn't know what to do but she runs to get Nilrem to help the man.

Neil awakens in severe pain and bleeding. Ardra and Nilrem notice the snake tattoo on his arm and wonder who he is. He tells them he is Lien and he is from beyond the ice fields. When Neil discovers who Ardra is, he knows that the stories Gwen and Vad told him are true and they really had gone into the game just as he had. Now what is Neil to do and will any of this involve Ardra? Neil has no choice but to go with Ardra and see what the outcome will be.

This intriguing novel kept me reading while tuning out everything and everybody. The characters from Samoht to his sister Einalem to the evil Goddess of the forest were what kept this novel a page-turner but this book was most definitely Lien and Ardra's. I have been a fan of Ann Lawrence's from her very first book. All of her books are keepers in my estimation.

Reviewed by Kathy Boswell
Posted July 16, 2002

Author Interview

Summary

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Where does reality end and fantasy begin? With a virtual reality game that leads to another world? At the fingertips of a bedraggled old man who claims he can perform magic? Or in the amber gaze of an ice princess in dire need of rescuing? As the four moons of Tolemac rise upon a harsh land vastly different from his own, hardheaded pragmatist, Neil Scott, discovers a life worth struggling for and principles worth fighting for. But only one woman can convince him that love is worth dying for, that he must make the leap of faith to become . . . a VIRTUAL WARRIOR.