zigalayho's review
5.0
I picked this book up for free on Amazon during one of the promotion days. I'm one of those serial free book downloaders. I download many, many books and read them as I have time. Finally, I decided to give Socket Greeny a chance.
Conclusion - this is a deep, theoretical story full of rich characters, mental mind twisters, technology, aliens, relationships, drama, love, action... I could go on.
The author has created a world that mattered enough to me that as soon as I finished book one, I had to immediately purchase book 2. I bought book 3 just as quickly after finishing the second.
Be aware that the story can get complex in its ideas at times, but it is well worth delving into.
Well done, Mr. Bertauski. You are a true story teller.
Conclusion - this is a deep, theoretical story full of rich characters, mental mind twisters, technology, aliens, relationships, drama, love, action... I could go on.
The author has created a world that mattered enough to me that as soon as I finished book one, I had to immediately purchase book 2. I bought book 3 just as quickly after finishing the second.
Be aware that the story can get complex in its ideas at times, but it is well worth delving into.
Well done, Mr. Bertauski. You are a true story teller.
woolfardis's review
1.0
Read as part of the Get Through The Crap On Your Kindle You Stubborn Eejit reading challenge.
A first-person YA alien invasion sci-fi attempt with good imagination but pitiful execution.
The synopsis does its job, and then some. One of those books that seems to have one major plot point and doesn't deviate at all. There is little explanation for most everything, including background, and that's a problem with sci-fi.
Typically YA with clichés abound, the only positive thing this book did was make me lust for Philip K. Dick in a way I haven't before.
A first-person YA alien invasion sci-fi attempt with good imagination but pitiful execution.
The synopsis does its job, and then some. One of those books that seems to have one major plot point and doesn't deviate at all. There is little explanation for most everything, including background, and that's a problem with sci-fi.
Typically YA with clichés abound, the only positive thing this book did was make me lust for Philip K. Dick in a way I haven't before.
drey72's review
3.0
Socket Greeny is a teenager whose father is dead and mother works a ton and is never home. So he hangs out with his best friends Scooter and Chute all the time; but I imagine he'd still hang out with them all the time anyway. The three like playing in virtualmode, which is kinda like the next step for today's MMORPGS (massive multi-player online role-playing games)--it's virtual, there are multiple massive worlds, and everyone has avatars. But in virtualmode, you're there, and experiencing everything your sim does (within limits, of course). One day while in virtualmode, the three are attacked and Socket does something to save them.
Next thing you know, his mom's picking him up and taking him to a super-secret facility where he's poked and prodded. Talking droids offer him everything from advice to warnings. And he finds out that his mom works for the Paladin Nation, who're pretty much the entity that saves the world from ourselves, and he has special powers that the Paladin Nation is interested in.
The next section of the book details Socket's stay with the Paladin Nation, where he learns more about his father and meets new characters--some nice, some not so. Then he returns to the real world and finds out that the virtual sims (called duplicates) are mounting a coup, and it's a race against time to shut them off before the world as he knows it disappears (along with him in it).
The storyline jumps around in the beginning: here's Socket and his friends; wait, now there's Socket in the Paladin Nation. You bounce from his friends to unknown mind-readers and fantastical creatures. The story settles somewhat in the Paladin Nation while Socket makes his discoveries, then you're jumping back into reality where he's trying to patch up his friendships (well he had been gone for a while...). Overall, though, you'll enjoy meeting Socket and exploring the world where technology and science-fiction meet a stubborn teenager who's willing to mouth off if he thinks he can get away with it.
A bit lengthy in parts, but you'll be rooting for Socket and his friends.
Next thing you know, his mom's picking him up and taking him to a super-secret facility where he's poked and prodded. Talking droids offer him everything from advice to warnings. And he finds out that his mom works for the Paladin Nation, who're pretty much the entity that saves the world from ourselves, and he has special powers that the Paladin Nation is interested in.
The next section of the book details Socket's stay with the Paladin Nation, where he learns more about his father and meets new characters--some nice, some not so. Then he returns to the real world and finds out that the virtual sims (called duplicates) are mounting a coup, and it's a race against time to shut them off before the world as he knows it disappears (along with him in it).
The storyline jumps around in the beginning: here's Socket and his friends; wait, now there's Socket in the Paladin Nation. You bounce from his friends to unknown mind-readers and fantastical creatures. The story settles somewhat in the Paladin Nation while Socket makes his discoveries, then you're jumping back into reality where he's trying to patch up his friendships (well he had been gone for a while...). Overall, though, you'll enjoy meeting Socket and exploring the world where technology and science-fiction meet a stubborn teenager who's willing to mouth off if he thinks he can get away with it.
A bit lengthy in parts, but you'll be rooting for Socket and his friends.
engelsigh's review
4.0
I was pleasantly surprised by The Discovery of Socket Greeny. I’m not usually a science-fiction kind of girl – but I find myself reading it a lot more often lately. The Discovery of Socket Greeny is a well written science-fiction action adventure story about sixteen year old Socket Greeny. Socket’s father has died and his mother is never really around. He and his friends Chute and Streeter spend a lot of time in virtual worlds. Socket starts hearing people’s thoughts and his mom takes him to work with her and Socket learns things that change his whole world.
I really liked Socket as a main character. He was relatable, fun, and he and his friends were interesting. There were a few things in the book that I wasn’t immediately familiar with as I’m not a gamer myself – but I quickly caught on. I thought the characters were pretty well developed and I liked watching the relationship between Socket and his mother develop. I will definitely be reading the second book in the series to see where the series takes them.
I really liked Socket as a main character. He was relatable, fun, and he and his friends were interesting. There were a few things in the book that I wasn’t immediately familiar with as I’m not a gamer myself – but I quickly caught on. I thought the characters were pretty well developed and I liked watching the relationship between Socket and his mother develop. I will definitely be reading the second book in the series to see where the series takes them.
suzrobinson1's review
4.0
I admit I loved the easy going writing of Tony Bertauski in his Claus, Flury, and Jack Frost books so I decided that I had to get the other books he has written. Once again, he didn't disappoint. The Discovery of Socket Greeny is more of a science fiction story than the others were. Socket is a typical sixteen year old boy interested in technology, virtual games, and a girl. He lives with his widowed mother, who tends to be more than consumed by her job. Things get a little weird for Socket and his mom is forced to show him her job as a part of the Paladin Nation. It opens up an entire different world that is more than Socket could have ever imagined. He is thrust into situations that he isn't sure he wants to be a part of but that makes you think that you would like to. The beginning of the trilogy leaves just enough open that it drives you to pick up the next book.
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