Phantom Wheel

August 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-Six of the country's elite teen hackers are invited to compete for a college scholarship and a guaranteed job with the CIA. A few weeks after their hacking "simulations," Owen sends the five other hackers a message: "YOU'VE BEEN PLAYED." It wasn't a CIA competition, but an elaborate ruse by tech giant Jacento using the hackers to create a virus capable of creating a "digital apocalypse." The teens try to destroy the virus Phantom Wheel, planning a major heist and putting themselves into very real danger. This breakneck thriller reads like a techy teen Mission Impossible, complete with comedic banter, budding romance, and saucy language. Deebs does not neglect character development in the name of action: three of the six teens narrate, and all have a backstory lending purpose to their hacking. They are diverse in terms of race, wealth, hometown, and family structure, and each faces a major personal challenge, such as the death of a family member, abuse, and the foster system. The fast pace and well-drawn characters may appeal to reluctant readers, though technological jargon and the number of protagonists and plots to follow may add confusion. While the ending and certain elements stretch plausibility, most readers will overlook those issues and enjoy the ride. VERDICT A general purchase, recommend this tech-savvy heist thriller to fans of Ally Carter and Anthony Horowitz.-Elizabeth Lovsin, Deerfield Public Library, IL

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 15, 2018
Six teen hackers must race to bring down the nefarious program they unwittingly helped create in Deebs' (Relentless, 2016, etc.) latest cyberthriller.When strangers and expert hackers Issa, Owen, Ezra, Alika, Seth, and Harper are invited to a hacking competition for a CIA college scholarship with a guaranteed job waiting, it's as if all their dreams have fallen into their laps. A few weeks later, Owen, who refused to participate, uncovers the truth: The people who brought the teens together worked not for the CIA but a tech conglomerate called Jacento. The competition and "simulated" hacks were a ruse to create a supervirus dubbed Phantom Wheel, which, when delivered via Jacento's nationwide charging stations, will grant the company virtually unlimited access to every keystroke of users' personal data, thus infecting every company whose apps they use. Deebs pulls no punches in this high-octane yet character-driven plot as big data manipulation and corporate greed (the too-familiar horsemen of every cyberapocalypse) are juxtaposed with the teens' past traumas and fear for their lives as they fight to bring down Jacento's plan. Japanese-American, Colombian-American, and mixed-race identities as well as on-the-page asexual representation all effortlessly feature among this black-hat group. Despite lacking synonyms for "hacker," Deebs does an admirable job making the digital world and its battle tactics accessible as readers cheer on the endearingly sardonic and diverse cast.A must-read for every aspiring hacktivist. (Thriller. 14-18)

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August 1, 2018
Grades 9-12 Six of America's best teen hackers are recruited by the CIA for an exclusive audition, with the winners receiving a free ride to college and a guaranteed job after graduation. Only, it wasn't the CIA, there was no audition, and the coding test was definitely not a simulation; the teens were tricked into creating a real virus they dub the Phantom Wheel, which would give the world's biggest telecom company full access to the personal data of billions of users. What happens next is a propulsive blockbuster of a book as the teens try to kill the virus before it is unleashed. Explosive chase scenes, snarky banter, and a constant stream of tech jargon keep this firmly in the present but with big wink and nod to classic Gen X-era films. The appealing cast features a number of diverse perspectives, and the characters are distinct enough to keep six narratives from getting tangled. Cinematic in scope and delivery, this offers an exciting ride with a heavy geek vibe.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)