The Ultimate Game (ECHO'S REVENGE) [Kindle Edition]

Sean Austin (Author)

Book Description

Echo's Revenge

A Young Adult Science Fiction Thriller

Winner of the 2012 Parent's Choice Award!

"Compelling reading for the tween male gamer demographic...about a young boy who
finds adventure, courage and teamwork away from the computer screen."
-- Breitbart Reviews

The entire gaming community is in awe of fourteen-year-old Reggie who can take
just minutes to destroy the bloodthirsty monster, ECHO-6, in the bestselling video
game, ECHO'S Revenge. Reggie can't wait to test himself against the game's new and
improved monster.

But there's a glitch in the new release. The manufacturer releases a live version of the
monster into the real world and now a 35-foot tall extreme predator clad in impenetrable
armor with the power to shape-shift and turn invisible is hunting down every elite
gamer who ever defeated it in previous versions. One by one, elite ECHO gamers are
disappearing. And now, ECHO-7 is after him.

Reggie fears that the monster will also go after his younger brother Jeremy who's been
steadily racking up plenty of monster-kill points himself. Determined to keep him safe,
Reggie hatches a plot to destroy the monster and save fellow gamers. But can he figure
out how to make his gaming instincts work in the real world?

Echo's Revenge delivers non-stop, adrenaline-pumping action with a hero who is learning
that it takes action to bridge the gap between fantasy and the real world--and that family
loyalty is sometimes the trickiest game of all.

Rave Reviews For The Teen Adventure Book Of The Year!

This young adult science fiction and fantasy thriller got rave reviews from critics, parents
and male teen readers alike. The author, Hart Getzen, is a father of avid gamers as well
as a writer and producer of visual effects, motion pictures, simulators and games.

National Geographic Kids (Young Adult Action Adventure)
"I would definitely recommend this book to someone in middle school or older."

Portland Book Review (Teen Books)
"Imagine an online villain has come to life with a personal vendetta against you."

VOYA Reviews (Teen Adventure)
"Starts off with a bang, containing no shortage of adventure, suspense, and imagination."

Monsters and Critics (Young Adult Science Fiction And Fantasy)
"A terrifying tale that will appeal to male gamers."

American Chronicle (YA Adventure)
"[Their epic adventure] brings them closer together as brothers and closer to an adult
world in which they will have the confidence to survive."

San Francisco Children's Fiction Examiner (Young Adult Action Adventure)
"We recommend 'Echo's Revenge' to any reader who enjoys gaming, fantasy and a
suspenseful story."

Book Trends (Teen Books For Boys)
This action packed thriller is jam-packed with adventure and will keep you at the edge of
your seat."

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...Written under the pseudonym of gaming investigator Sean Austin, Hart Getzen has created a terrifying tale that will appeal to young male gamers. Reggie and Jeremy are wonderful characters as they support and come to rely on each other throughout the story. The shockers are a scary touch that assist Echo's diabolical plans. All manner of technologies and secret research projects add a cutting edge feel to this graphic illustration of how instant connectivity may not always be a good thing." - Sandy Amazeen- Monsters And Critics

"This book is a highly intelligent, well-written adventure and a valuable experience for boys and girls ages 10 to 16. It is a reflection of the times regarding family life, science fiction, computer gaming, good and evil..." - ESGLITREVIEW

"What follows is my students words and thoughts about ECHO'S REVENGE after they read it (and they loved it and are adamant that I need to get the next book if/when it comes out).

'There are only three books that I admire. The books are THE HUNGER GAMES, PERCY JACKSON, and ECHO'S REVENGE. ECHO'S REVENGE has a lot of action, adventure, and mystery. The action and adventure keep you at the edge of your seat wanting to read more. How would you like to be in a car going really fast or see a farting dog? Or what about a crow 33 feet in the air gliding towards you? What about two brothers [fighting] a 35 foot tall deadly creature and pushing it into a bottomless pit? This is why I can't wait till the next book!!' - Student 1

'ECHO'S REVENGE was a great book and definitely makes my top 10. I liked how the book kept you guessing. Most of the time I didn't know what was going to happen next. My favorite part is when all of the Echo gamers rebel against Echo in the Cauldron. I thought there were some slow parts such as when Jeremy and Reggie were planning to escape. But overall it is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone. The way it ends makes me want to read the next one. I never saw the whole virus thing coming.'" - Student 2

- Heise Reads & Recommends

"Reading this YA novel at night, several times I found myself feeling like I was being watched by a stealthy death machine, just like Reggie and Jeremy...I can see this series as compelling reading for the tween male gamer demographic, and I would feel comfortable knowing the gamers in my life (of which there are many) would be reading this story about a young boy who finds adventure, courage and teamwork away from the computer screen." - Breitbart Reviews

From the Back Cover

This is an Ongoing Investigation

Look, it doesn't matter to me if you believe this account. I'm just reporting what I found. To set the record straight. For the whole team at AAA Reality Games.
I can't fully understand the gruesome effect ECHO-7 had on ECHO gamers, or the torture it put them through, but everything I found is in this account.
I'll continue this investigation and report everything at echohunt.com . If you want to know anything more, don't ask me, and don't try to find me. I'm being followed, and I could be next.

-Sean Austin

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 346 KB
• Print Length: 296 pages
• Publisher: AAA Reality Games; 1.0 edition (April 8, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005CD0UQE
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #487,750 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars ECHO HUNT January 5, 2013

By Isaac Burtis

Format:Kindle Edition

This book is the best book I've read in a really long time. Read this book as soon as possible.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Echo's Revenge October 25, 2012

By Samfreene

Format:Paperback

Echo's Revenge: Sean Austin

Virtual reality is something created by video fames to bring users into another world they pretend to experience. From war games, violent scenes and graphic depictions of actions that you and other players control each one using their own skills and expertise decides on who lives and who dies within the constraints of the game and hoping for their opponent's demise. Some take it so seriously they don't realize that it is all staged and not real life. Others as you will learn when you read Echo's Revenge: became so enounced within the game they actually treat the outcomes, decisions made and the power their opponents exhibit as real life. Within the confines of this game there are many different stages and gaming creators often add different elements to each level. Two brothers playing this game as if their lives depended on it as the scene opens and Reggie, the older of the two is battling the mechanized ghouls using the technology created by the creator but, what happens next and where this leads him will definitely make anyone think twice before playing these games. The screen continues to fill with images and the predator appears to be hunting you and then disappears and is hiding in plain sight. An invisibility cloak of some kind and then he resurfaces with his demonic green eyes and sharp teeth. Echo is dangerous and is one predator you don't want to get too close to. Jeremy his lookout warns him of imminent danger but Reggie is so skilled and far above his competition that it is no surprise that he is asked to join a focus group with other online gamers to try out the latest version of Echo.

Reggie and Jeremy live with their mother and her abusive boyfriend Asa. Asa towers over them and does nothing, to his mother's ignorance to help them at all. Never doing anything but drinking and watching television he lets them fend for themselves in every way. When Reggie receives a letter to join this focus group unless they pay him Asa will not sign the form. But, Reggie is smart and finds a way to create the signature needed and the experience the author relates is really quite chilling. Meet the gamers that he will compete against and who all want him on their team. From Spandex who turns out to be a girl whose presence greatly affects him to Rhino a tough competitor Reggie is pumped and excited to be a part of this group. The person in Luca gives off an air of deceit from the start trying to prod the teens into answering certain questions that he has preset answers for in his own mind. As the teens relate their concerns when playing these games as worrying about the element of surprise, how many enemies they will encounter, will someone have too much power of them or even just the unknown element of fear. Fear is deadly and that is what is added to this new version of the game and the leader, Luca wants them to realize that these games can often mirror real life situations. Some are hunted, some are in confined spaces and some alone at times and others controlling your thoughts and mind. But, before he leaves to go home he meets Sean Austin who presents him with something special in case he needs him and a special gold pin with the Echo code on it in case he needs him. Going home proves dangerous as Asa is right there and realizes that he defied him leading both boys to want to permanently escape. But, there is one piece of the game that has yet to be explained or played and that concerns their father who appears to have left them but contacts them by phone every two weeks. Fearing that the truth about their conditions would cause them more harm than good they lie and tell him everything is okay. But, when push comes to too much shove they both decide to leave and head for their father in California.

Meeting one man named Pete and then realizing that all of the gamers were being kidnapped and on milk cartons alerted both boys that they really needed to hide but what happens next leads them on a different path and they are taken by another group who seem to be playing the same game but more deadly. Added in Reggie does not realize his GPS was alerting everyone to their location and escaping the police would require some skill. Arriving in California after experiencing a ride that they would never forget Reggie emails the man in charge of the focus group and then learns of more gamers being kidnapped. Who is really behind it and why has yet to be revealed and who can these boys really trust? What role does Asa have in this plot? What is that book he has and why are they able to keep getting rides and help from strangers? Could someone actually know where he or she is and what about Echo?

The author allows the reader to understand the rationale behind Reggie's every move and thought while letting you know that someone is tracking them. Should he call Luca to warn him about the kidnappings? Where will they wind up and will they ever find his father? Who else will be kidnapped and who is setting the trap? Where are these gamers? But, winding up at their father's house and hoping to not get caught does not happen as Echo hunts them down and just when they think they are home free they are caught and zapped by two Racer Shockers and held captive. How did Echo 7 find them and in what forms can it turn into? What exactly is this new game that has been programmed to follow and control them? Imagine a video game coming alive.

Zapped, overworked and conditions that are unhealthy with air filled with dirt, sage and dust these young teens are now mining crystals for their captors in a place called the Cauldron Of Hell for what appears to be eternity. But, who is behind this has yet to be revealed and how can Reggie save the day? What does the Army and a secret file that they found on the computer have to do with Echo? Just what does this software do and why are they controlling the minds of these teens?

As master plan created by the game itself and Echo is using the world and playing it as its game board and seeking revenge but why? What code is imbedded somewhere within this and can Reggie save all of the lost teens before more are zapped, eaten and minds are destroyed?

A battle that you won't believe and two young teens that will definitely surprise you as Reggie and Jeremy take on Echo 7 and you won't believe what happens. With the rest of the kidnapped gamers turning against them and one clever computer game holding all of the shocks, waves and zaps can one 14 year old and one 11 year old out fox or zap this powerful enemy? What finally happens you will have to find out or play the game and take your chances to win or lose? What is next for Reggie and what happens to Jeremy? Will HAkr ever stop stalking and taunting him? Is Echo dead or is He still watching him and everyone else? Find out when author Sean Austin releases: Echo's Revenge the Other Side. This might give teens and adults second thoughts about playing these games or it might make them want to get their own version of Echo and try to see if they can defeat him. This is a fast paced book that I read in one hour because I could not put it down.
Fran Lewis: reviewer

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Echo's Revenge May 11, 2012

By Jennifer L. Golub

Format:Paperback

Friday, May 11, 2012ECHO's Revenge REVIEW & Giveaway

ECHO's Revenge by Sean Austin is set to be released May 15th. I had the opportunity to read an ARC copy from the author before its release date. I'm really glad Sean Austin approached me about reviewing his book, because it's probably not something I would have discovered on my own. You know- so many books, so little time, etc. I really enjoyed this story about brother's Reggie and Jeremy. Reggie is 14 and Jeremy is 11. Their home life isn't so great. Their mom is never around and their stepdad is a jerk. The brother's love this video game called ECHO's revenge. It's a game about this being, that can mutate, turn invisible and terrorize. It's the kind of game you can play online against other gamers. Reggie is really good at it - so good in fact that he gets invited to attend a focus group for the next version of the game, along with the other elite players. While there Reggie meets Sean Austin (the author) who gives him a cheat code for the game. This book is the first volume in an investigation by Sean Austin about the events that really occur after this focus group.

Reggie and his brother decide to run away from home and go to their dad's house. Along the way they meet a series of interesting people that help them find their way. While the boys are traveling, ECHO is kidnapping the gamers from the focus group as well as other gamers. Reggie and Jeremy have no idea ECHO is following them at first. By the time they realize that ECHO is real, it's too late. I won't spoil the experience for you by telling you what happens next - you should definitely read it for yourself.

I really liked this story, because it is an interesting read, that kids and teens will enjoy - especially with all the interest in video games in today's world - but it also contains lessons. One lesson is to pay attention to the things going on around you. When you are constantly glue to your computer, ipod, games, etc you are missing out on real life and the things happening around you. Another lesson is about loyalty and being there for your friends and family. I won't give them all away - but it's great to read a book that is entertaining and has some substance.

The characters of Jeremy and Reggie are well developed and relatable. It's easy to understand where they are coming from. I also really liked Scratch - the lone female gamer amidst all these boisterous males. She has some excellent words of wisdom. My favorite is Big Pete. When you read the book, watch for him. He has interesting wisdom to impart.

ECHO's Revenge is a fun fast-paced adventure that is appropriate for middle grades and young adults. The book is an interactive experience with an on-going investigation going on at http://echohunt.com/ . Be sure to check out the website as it really adds to the experience. There are some questions in the book that remain unanswered - but if it's not on the website, I expect it will be book 2 in the series.

More About the Author

Hart Getzen (aka Sean Austin) is the author best known for the innovative Echo's Revenge gamer novel series. He has also written and produced simulations and gaming entertainment for companies such as IMAX, Hitachi, and Universal Studios. "A major part of simulation entertainment is designing compelling environments, characters and creatures, and then pulling the audience into a simulated reality by using 3D imagery, acoustics, and interactive G-forces. I've tried to do something conceptually similar with this novel series while incorporating the structure of video games into the narrative." Getzen occasionally teaches writing and technology development at schools in the Los Angeles area.


Behind his action-packed young adult novel is an attempt to educate the reader about STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) and game theory fundamentals. "The goal is also to provoke young gamers to think about what goes into building and playing a game - what happens when a group of people work together to create something, and imbue it with their own spirit. What are the political and interpersonal dynamics of that team enterprise?" Getzen is also a member of the American Society for Engineering Education.