Space Demons

A wonderful book. The elements are ordinary - a computer game taking the place of the more usual fantasy for the working out of real world problems - but this is special. All the children are being 'bulldozed' in some way into being what they're not and we are continually aware of the divisions between them, divisions which breed hate. Their various hates are made real but the achievement of the novel is in the way that hate is overcome for the limit that it is and strength is shown by the ability to deal with weakness and failure openly before others. The computer game is an excellent arena for enacting all this. Buy copies - even sets for 3rd years; there's so much to enjoy and reflect on.