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Skywake
Book Review
I loved the battle at the end where they were trying to get to the escape pods only to encounter the Red Eye Aliens
First impressions: When I first saw the book, I found the cover to be exciting, colourful and it seemed to be about virtual space and drones invading earth.
Storyline:This book is about a group of gamers called the Ghost Reapers, who enter a competition where they compete against other top gamers. The game they are playing is called Skywake, which is taking the gaming world by storm, on the way to the competition, the leader of the Ghost Reapers ( Casey Henderson ) and her little brother get mixed up . They soon realise that they would be fighting real Skywake aliens and not just virtual ones, now the adventure really begins.
Likes:I like the excitement of the story line, how it intrigued me.
My favourite character is Casey because she ends up being confident and brave.
I loved the battle at the end where they were trying to get to the escape pods only to encounter the Red Eye Aliens and battle their way to freedom.
Dislikes:There weren’t many dislikes but I would have liked it if the Gamers ended back on earth!
Round up: I really enjoyed this book being a bit of a gamer myself, I think this book would suit people who are into games and sci-fi and are aged between 9-13 years.
Rating: I give this book 4 ½ stars out of 5
About the Book
For kids who like gaming this is an exciting action adventure by author Jamie Russell, who has always loved computer games.
Fifteen-year-old girl gamer Casey Henderson is obsessed with smash-hit game SkyWake – and she’s good at it, too. Little does she realize it’s actually an alien training tool created by an evil extra-terrestrial race. When the aliens swoop down on a national gaming tournament, Casey and her teammates discover they’re abducting the best gamers to fight in a distant alien war across the galaxy. And they’ve got her brother. Casey’s gaming skills are her best hope of stopping the aliens – but first she and her online teammates must learn to work together in real life…
Author
Jamie Russell
Jamie Russell is a British author and former film‑critic who turned to writing for children after a career in journalism and non‑fiction, including work for a videogame magazine.His debut middle‑grade novel, SkyWake: Invasion — the first in a sci‑fi trilogy — launched in 2021, and he recently published Mech Brigade in 2025, continuing his focus on action‑packed, videogame‑inspired adventures for young readers. Russell often draws inspiration from his lifelong passion for videogames — a love sparked by seeing an arcade machine as a child — which shines through in his storytelling.
Reviewer Profile
Marsden, 9
- Reviews: 2
- Likes: computer games, reading, riding my bike
- Dislikes: mis-matching clothes and minced beef
- Favourite Book: Danny Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
- Favourite Song: BTS Dynamite
- Favourite Film: Marvel End Games
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