Tile cover image of Dustin Brady's middle-grade/Young Readers book, Trapped in a Video Game Review.
Book Review

Book Review: Dustin Brady – Trapped in a Video Game

Two friends end up trapped in a video game and must find a way out before they are captured.


Fun, action-packed children’s – middle-grade read that is quick and exciting enough to complete in an afternoon. I am talking about Dustin Brady’s young readers/children’s/middle-grade novel: Trapped in a Video Game. The first in a series following a young man who is, well, trapped in a video game. 

Plot

The plot is really as simple as the title implies, but in a good way. A young man and his friend are trapped in a video game and must find a way to get out. They must use their gaming skills, their wits, and their trust in each other to get out of the game before it’s all too late. 

Characters

While the book is not a large book by any means, you quickly get a sense of the characters and who they are while also being defined enough to have their own characteristics. 

  • The main character was likable and not annoying. This is a big thing for me and helps me like the book more. I would be interested in the growth of the main character. 
  • Secondary characters were also likable. They provided a good contrast to the main character which caused them to have a good working relationship and teamwork in the end. 
  • Antagonists were fun and unique while feeling like a video game antagonist (in a good way). 

World Building

The world-building wasn’t incredibly large in the book, but I could see it having incredible potential and expansion throughout the series. It gave me enough of a taste that I want to read more to see how the author decides to expand the world. 

Prose

The prose was very well executed. They found a good line of getting to the point but with great description. I never felt like it was dumbed down or written with less quality and was engaging, exciting, and fun. There was an excellent range of emotion and I was easily able to picture all of the scenes they described. 

Conclusion

Trapped in a Video Game reminds me of those unique and incredible finds at Scholastic Book Fairs when I was younger. Something I didn’t know what to expect, but was happy I found it and would look forward to finding/reading the next in the series.