The Discovery of Socket Greeny is the first book in a young-adult scifi trilogy that explores love, angst and Zen-like acceptance of true nature in kick ass fashion. Reluctant readers, especially boys, will find this story compelling, enlightening, entertaining, and, yes, even emotional. Work comes first for 16-year old Socket Greeny's mother ever since his father died 11 years ago. Now, in this tech-driven futuristic society, he’s zoned on energy drinks and living in virtual worlds. He doesn’t know what his mom does for a living, but the bills get paid and the refrigerator is full, so why bother with details? His only real world thrill is fighting. He doesn’t always win, but that’s not the point. Breaking skin is a reality rush. But worlds change. Socket starts hearing other people’s thoughts. He thinks he's hallucinating, even when time seems to stop. But when his mom arrives at school, he knows it’s for real. She’s there to take him to work. The Paladin Agency. He discovers an evolved race of humans that have existed for centuries, where thoughts can be heard. And felt. They are people that can manipulate time through the body’s metabolism. They protect the rest of humankind and strive to bring them understanding of their full potential. But some Paladins see humankind as inferior. Imperfect. Cancer. Socket soon finds himself in the center of controversy when he's anointed a Paladin prodigy. He didn't ask for the "blessing" of psychic powers and the ability to timeslice, he just wants to go home and be normal again. But, sometimes, life doesn't give us that privilege, his mom tells him. And when humankind is threatened, Socket discovers what that means. If he doesn't embrace his true nature, the world will change forever.
The Discovery of Socket Greeny (The Socket Series)
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Amazon.com Review
Liked the story, want to read more. Good writing and a very promising writer. Found myself interested by the characters right away.
Amazon.com Review
All in all, this is a solid excerpt. The author was very good at building suspense (What WAS that thing in her neck? What was the reason for the narrator's absence from school? And exactly what "came up" for the mother?) I was hooked and intrigued and wanted to read on. The easy-flowing prose was a big factor in making me want to continue turning pages.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
4.5 Stars,
By
This review is from: The Discovery of Socket Greeny (Paperback)
I was lucky enough to receive this book and am quite glad I did. Bertauski has taken a bedtime story he told his son and evolved it into the first of a trilogy involving duplicates, Minders, Psychics, random monkeys, other worlds and distant mothers. The story starts off in the future in a classroom where some kids can go Virtualmode, this is the internet projected, sort of like plugging into the matrix, but with different worlds, sims and hacks. Right away I thought that 'oh this is a story about virtual vs. real world, interesting'. And at first that's exactly what it was. Then at our hero, Socket's, sim's death a shadow splits the virtual world they were hacking in half, and from there it goes down hill. Turns out Socket has some genetic variables that enable him to have certain 'abilities'. People who realize these abilities fully are called Paladins.I felt really bad for Socket, after the Shadow's appearance and save, his entire world is flipped, and his mother is the one who ushers him into this new world. This world is alien, techie, and filled with psychics who test his abilities day after day. Time runs differently here, as well as travel and projection. Socket, and the readers, are utterly confused, trying to grasp at the small straws they give him, yet feeling that there are deeper meanings and messages within everything. Turns out Socket's dad had Paladin attributes, and so did his mom. Most Paladins are bred, not born, but there's one other like him but amplified. Pivot. He's human born and has the most amazing powers the Paladins have ever seen. Are they trying to test or recruit Socket? I won't say much more, but Bertauski flips the readers around again when Socket probes a mind and discovers just what the Paladins are saving humanity from. This book was fun to read. I enjoyed the complexity that Bertauski wrote about, and the imagination is took to weave so many complicated things together like aliens, AI, and so on. I am looking forward to the next two in the series called The Training of Socket Greeny and (what I'm really curious about) The Legend of Socket Greeny. I also can't wait to see if and when this author decides to make another series just how much of a curve ball he'll throw us.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A shadow and a secret, is there room for friends?,
By
This review is from: The Discovery of Socket Greeny (Paperback)
Article first published as Book Review: The Discovery of Socket Greeny by Tony Bertauski on Blogcritics.As technology takes hold in the world of today, imagine a world of tomorrow where virtual mode is used in every school system in the land. Leaving skin behind and entering into the internet, taking on a sim as a body, being who or whatever you want. But certain areas are approved through the schools and yet as with any rule, these are made to be broken, and other areas are hacked into, and small private wars are fought with other schools. Socket Greeny's best friends are Chute, and Streeter. Streeter is the one with the computer savvy, and also the hacker extraordinaire. Chute is kind of like Socket's friend, but also like his girlfriend as well. On a day like any other, as they find themselves in their hacked universe, a small war ensues with the rival school. Socket's sim is damaged beyond repair, and as his team covers him, protecting his simulated body from further damage, he makes an amazing discovery. He can feel, and touch, which should be impossible in virtual mode. This is only simulation and not real and yet, it feels real. No pain but definitely real. He sees a shadow of someone familiar, and yet his friends have no idea, they cannot see or hear anything unusual. But they do know that Socket is acting odd, talking to no one that is there. As they are attacked once more, Socket pulls from deep inside and causes time to stand still; giving his team time to get together, but with the stand still, the earth begins to split, right up the middle, enclosing everything in its path. He blacks out and when he awakes he is back in his chair at school, the virtual mode is down and all hell has broken loose. And he feels wrong somehow. Everything is different, as he and his friends Chute and Streeter are escorted to the office for creating problems, he finds that his mom has called and will be picking him up. Now he knows that trouble has found him, and yet, when she picks him up she does not comment on his day. She takes him to her place of work. Here she introduces him to some of the people that she works for, and he finds that he will be tested and probed for his experiences and his thoughts. His life as he knows it has just taken a huge curve, and he will be tested beyond endurance, and learn things about his parents that he never knew. He is in danger at every turn, and he continues to outpace his guides, in a game of life and death. Will he be able to help save the human race, or is it too late. Has it all been left too long? Will he ever be able to see Streeter and Chute again? In The Discovery of Socket Greeny, Tony Bertauski takes us deep into the virtual mode, to a world of imagination. Everything you want to do and whoever you want to be is possible. He sets up a group of heroes, shining knights if you will, a group of those with extraordinary powers who have chosen to save the human race. Time is of the essence and Socket has become a part of a larger picture, one he is not ready for. The time has come for him to fulfill his destiny, and to step into his father's shoes. But who is he to trust when it is known that there is a traitor in their midst. He is pulled away from everything he knows and from his friends from home. His mom is acting like she does not know him most of the time, and he is never on his own. Everything he does is poked and prodded, and he is not ready to be what they want. An yet, he knows deep down that it is exactly what he wants, but will it be too late? His friends stand by him even when he disappears for a length of time, and forgive him for much. They love him and will do whatever it takes to bring him back to who he was. Little do they know that they too are being sucked into a war that is soon to happen. The characters are interesting, and at times quite brazen. I have problems understanding his mother, but she does have some redeeming qualities. When Socket needs her, he finds that he cannot always rely on her. The bad guys are deep from within the virtual mode itself and are ready to use it to take over the earth. There are some fun creative animals which show themselves to be quite useful, but are also very serious and yet frolicsome. This is a great novel for the Young Adult, or even those that are just young at heart. It is fast paced with incredible insight. The friendships are close and the interplay among Sprocket, Streeter and Chute is just plain fun. This is just what I remember about being young, but Sprocket has to grow up fast, and I believe that there is just the right amount of adventure to keep you reading. I recommend this book for your young reader, and believe that they will enjoy the adventure. This Book was received a a free E-Book from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Machine or mannequin?,
By Amanda Richards (Georgetown, Guyana) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: The Discovery of Socket Greeny (Paperback)
"You're wondering who I am(Secret, secret, I've got a secret) Machine or mannequin (Secret, secret, I've got a secret) With parts made in Japan (Secret, secret, I've got a secret) I am the modern man" (lyrics by Styx) This is a great sci-fi book for the iY generation, and even more so for iYs of the male persuasion, who will appreciate the mix of video game, adventure and cloak and dagger. The young hero of the title is a regular kid of the future, linking his sim into virtualmode and chatting with his friends through a communication device planted in his cheek, when an untoward occurrence changes his entire life, and he learns that he hasn't a clue who he really is, and that in fact, all is NOT well in the real world. Strenuous tests and challenges await him in a world he never knew existed, and it becomes apparent that he possesses an awesome talent, and even more apparent that he has no idea how to control it. Naturally, a plot for world domination is afoot, and the reluctant hero and his friends must face down an unstoppable army before it's too late. Written in age-appropriate language for the target audience, this book has a wonderful mix of technology, action-adventure, video-game style violence, fantasy and raging hormones. "The problem's plain to see Too much technology Machines to save our lives Machines de-humanize" Amanda Richards December 7, 2010
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