STROSS, CHARLES — Halting State

Orbit 2008 1st in the Halting State' series of books. 1st printing of 2008 edition SOFTCOVER: (Orig. paperback. Name end paper. Bit browning. VERY GOOD) No cheats, no back doors, no extra lives. It was called in as a robbery at Hayek Associates, an online gaming company. So you can imagine Sergeant Sue Smith's mood as she watches footage of the heist being carried out by a band of orcs and a dragon, and realises that the robbery from an online game company is actually a robbery from an online game. Just wonderful. Like she has nothing better to do. But when the bodies of actual people start showing up, it's clear that there is something very dangerous and very real going on at Hayek Associates. If this is a game, someone is playing for keeps:- Review(s): "'Halting State' is one extremely smart species of fun" - William Gibson / "The first couple of pages had me hooked and I didn't touch another book until I finished it" - John Carmack, Technical Director, iD Software and creator of Doom and Quake / "Charles Stross is the most spectacular science fiction writer of recent years. In 'Halting State', he has written a near-future story that is at once over-the-top and compellingly believable" - Vernor Vinge