Overview

When Danny reveals the dark underside of a company making a new fighting toy gadget, he has no idea of the danger he’s in. A gripping sci-fi mystery from bestselling author Alastair Chisholm. Everyone is desperate to have a Blitzer, the new fighting-game craze. But Danny’s Blitzer is broken – it won’t fight! His classmates laugh at him. His brother tells him to wipe the code and start again. But Danny does something different … and everything changes. For the people behind Blitzers are hiding a deadly secret, and now everyone is in danger. Can Danny uncover the truth? Can he figure out what Blitzers are? And above all, can he save his best friend? Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.

Full Product Details

9780008723712

Table of Contents

Reviews

""A thoughtful, inspired idea, wrapped up in a pacey and exciting story. I loved it!"" – Pádraig Kenny

""From yo-yos to Furbies, every generation of children has its toy craze. In sci-fi adventure Blitzers by Alastair Chisholm, the current must-have toy is a Blitzer – a virtual creature you must train to become the ultimate fighter … A super-readable, thought-provoking thriller."" – The Scotsman ""A thoughtful, inspired idea, wrapped up in a pacey and exciting story. I loved it!"" – Pádraig Kenny ""It has drama. It has high stakes … It has Blitzers! Big shout out to Chew Lips… I've never rooted for a virtual fighting creature so much! … Alastair Chisholm is a brilliant author who knows a thing or two about plotting a thrilling story with added techy stuff."" — Justin Davies ""With underlying messages about violence breeding violence and the fact that the loudest voices are not necessarily the right ones, Blitzers shows how kindness, patience and empathy can be far more powerful than brute force … an accessible, exciting, AI-based thriller that will have wide appeal and is perfect for gamers."" — BookTrust, Book of the Day ""An engrossing and fast-paced sci-fi thriller that grips from the very first page, featuring fascinating STEM inventions a Pokémon-esque storyline that will grab the attention of young gamers."" — LoveReading4Kids ""Pacy, thrilling adventure story perfect for young readers who also love gaming."" — Books From Scotland ""Gone are the days of Pogs and Tamagotchis… the blitzers craze has taken over! … Original, surprising and tightly-paced, Blitzers offers an action-packed adventure with cool illustrations, which children will absolutely adore… and then no doubt question their tech choices!"" — Check 'Em Out Books, blog

“Dystopia probably shouldn’t be this refreshing … a thought-provoking thriller with plenty of points to unpack around power, poverty and big-tech’s stanglehold over our lives” – The Times on Reek, picked as a Children’s Book of the Week

""A thoughtful, inspired idea, wrapped up in a pacey and exciting story. I loved it!"" – Pádraig Kenny ""An engrossing and fast-paced sci-fi thriller that grips from the very first page, featuring fascinating STEM inventions a Pokémon-esque storyline that will grab the attention of young gamers."" — LoveReading4Kids ""Pacy, thrilling adventure story perfect for young readers who also love gaming."" — Books From Scotland ""Gone are the days of Pogs and Tamagotchis… the blitzers craze has taken over! … thought-provoking and gripping … a story perfect for Jamie Russell and Helena Duggan fans as it’s a tech-adventure which also poses interesting discussions around corporate power and responsibility … Original, surprising and tightly-paced, Blitzers offers an action-packed adventure with cool illustrations, which children will absolutely adore… and then no doubt question their tech choices!"" — Check 'Em Out Books, blog ""The perfect book for modern, tech savvy kids who are charmed by social media influencers and must have the latest trends … With references to Tamagotchi and Pokémon GO type character battles, it’s a wonderfully current story older middle grade and teen readers will adore … Through an incredibly appealing story, Alastair Chisholm explores the thought-provoking themes of toxic masculinity, the power of influencers, addictive on-line games, and the ethics of tech companies … Is winning everything or is there still a place for caring in our world?"" — Scope for Imagination, blog ""A high-octane, sci-fi adventure that crackles with fast-paced action, danger and discoveries in a world of virtual reality and real-life daring … deals with a range of issues including bullying, toxic masculinity, the impact of online influencers, the ethics of big tech and the potential addictive nature of gaming. But I also think that this is brilliantly balanced with positive role models, especially in Danny’s older brother."" — Book Craic, blog

Author Information

Alastair Chisholm is the bestselling author of the sci-fi adventures Orion Lost, Adam 2 and The Consequence Girl, as well as the fantasy Dragon Storm series. Orion Lost was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, the James Reckitt Hall Children's Book Award, the Biblio Buzz Award, the Inspire ELS Book Awards and the 2021 Sakura Medal Award.

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