In Epic, the eponymous computer game isn't just a game; it's reality. Erik's world is controlled by the game; every person plays it, and one's standing in the game is reflected in one's standing in society. In charge are the Committee, a group of people whose characters are the most powerful in the game, and when they treat Erik's parents unjustly, he and his friends decide to fight them.

The setting is chillingly believable, and the characterization is excellently done. Kostick spends almost as much time with the characters on the Committee as he does with the protagonist and his friends and family, which gives the characters and their interactions a lot of depth and well-roundedness.