Virtual War Essays - Billy Corgan, Glendale Heights, Illinois, Eye

Virtual War Virtual War by Gloria Skurzynski, who lives in Salt Lake City, was copyright February 1999. It is a book of the science fiction genre. It is based in the future around 2053. By now the earth's population is only around 2 million because of disease, chemical and nuclear war-fare have made much of the planet unsuitable for living. Now city's people live in huge bubbles for ozone and toxin protection. They no longer fight wars. There are too few people. They instead wage virtual wars where a team of three of their finest fight for them. (They are now fighting for an island that has recently became safe for inhabitancy, Havi.) The main character, Corgan is a boy. He is only 14 years old and has lived in a "aerogel" box for all his life. The world he knows is all holographic. He was genetically made for one purpose, the virtual war. Corgan has acquired the traits of Loyalty, Honorability, and Trustworthiness from the box. He has genetically superior traits of coordination and quickness. He is to be the team leader. He does not know much of the outside world, except for what "Mendor teaches him." Corgan's box provided him with everything he needed. A program was written to act as a mother and father to him, called the Mendor. It mended back and forth as parents depending on the situation. His team was of great excellence. The two chosen to be on his team are much different than he, however their roots are very similar. Sharla, he finds out, is to be his code breaker. She was from the same batch of babies as he was. She had golden blonde hair, and blue eyes. Corgan felt embarrassed but he liked her. She was unruly however, and escaped from her box many times as a result of being a code breaker. She was experienced and knew of the outside world first hand. She did not care for nobility and Honor like Corgan, she just wanted it over with. His other teammate was a genetic experiment gone wrong. He was a mutant with a huge head and a small frail body. He was regarded as useless until they discovered his brilliance. It wasn't until that time they took him from the "aerogel" and put him in his own chamber. He was to become the strategist. Because of his size and history, he came off as a rude, cry baby. He was younger than Sharla and Corgan being only 10. However, he talked like a old man. They trained together and it seemed victory eminent. Corgan asked before the war if they could live on the island when they win. The council, who controls their city state, agrees and after the 9 hours of battle, they become victorious. Afterward, they are celebrated as heroes. After the war they are to go to a Reception. At the Reception, Corgan finds out that people placed bets on the event, like it was a game. It was more than a game it was a realistic recreation to show people mistakes of the past. The virtual war was held so people realized what man was like and how he had to learn from his lessons. The people had learned nothing I would not recommend this book. It had a simple plot and lame characters with simple logic it was like recalling old goosebumps books. Perhaps it would be a good book, however for your little bother or anyone you dislike.