"This is the problem with youth, Darrow. You forget that every generation has thought the same."

"But for my generation it is true." No matter his confidence, I am right.

I knew nothing of the series before starting and was entertained all the way through. I would have liked to spend more time with Darrow in the mines but once Eo shared "her surprise" with Darrow the story went in a different direction entirely and I was fine with it.

As the story progressed I couldn't help shake some similarities with other books but I'll cover that below.

A fair bit of the book was devoted to the Institute. The game consumed the lives of those playing while there was a whole civilization, above and below ground, that was existing and struggling. I wanted to know more about Mars and see what was happening behind the scenes but the story was focused on the game. In this way the reader and students are going through a similar experience. We are consumed by a single event but life continues on and nothing is put on pause while the game occurs.

The battle and war tactics were fun to read about but it would have been interesting to see more Mars specific attributes come in to play, outside of the difference in gravity.

I did not love him till he was dead; and he should be dead, but he is still my brother.

It's not hard to draw a parallel to The Hunger Games, but I found that it was more similar to Enders Game meets Lord of The Flies. The kids play their games, not knowing what they are doing or why and the adults observe in the background and give the students a pat on the head when it's all over.

Similarity aside, this book got my attention from chapter one and was a fun read so I will definitely be continuing on with the series.