Ronald the Ronin is a demon-fighting action/adventure novel focused on a samurai "Chosen One". There was a lot of telling and not enough showing. The main character is a reluctant hero who mostly just wants to be normal but who also wants to avenge his brother 's death. There are secret societies and orders addin mystery and intrigue to the "high school story". A unique system of fighting using music surfaces near the end of the book. Personally, I wish it had been introduced sooner, but this is the first book in a series. There's definitlely room for the plot and characters to develop.

Connection:Lost by P.R. Morrison is a fun entry into the virtual worlds and gaming genre. Reminiscient of Ender's game or Minecraft novels, the novel follows Jay, a gamer&hacker as he wins an invite to an exclusive island to beta test a special version of his favorite game. When Jay arrives an the island he has to contend with the fact that most of the other players are signifcantly older than he his and how his real life body and skills don't necessarily mtach up with the abilities of his avatar. For people familar with the genre or who can remember the first they put on a VR set or who find themselves within an MMORPG, the novel hits a nostalgic sweet spot. I would recommend it to non gamer readers as well. While there is some jargon and technical talk, the sense of adventure and mystery outweigh the science aspects.