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Virtual Sabotage
Don’t believe everything you think. Kenna Ward is a “lifeguard for the brain,” an envoy for Virtu-Tech, the preeminent virtual reality provider whose implants allow consumers to experience exhilarating imagined adventures—all while remaining perfectly safe. Most of the time, that is. In the rare instance when a participant mistakes an overwhelming situation as real, it's up to Ward to enter their scenario and pull them back to reality. But when Ward’s partner goes rogue and the system begins responding in odd and dangerous ways, she delves deeper, uncovering a sinister conspiracy to dominate not only the virtual reality world, but the real one as well. Ward must stop this devastating attack before there are no more independent minds left to control.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2018
44 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
Julie Hyzy
46 books873 followersNew York Times bestselling author, Julie Hyzy, has won the Anthony, Barry, Phobos, and Derringer Awards for her fiction.
Novels include:
Virtual Sabotage
The White House Chef Mystery series
The Manor House Mysteries
Deadly Blessings
Deadly Interest
Dead Ringer
Artistic License
Playing With Matches
Visit:
www.juliehyzy.com
Novels include:
Virtual Sabotage
The White House Chef Mystery series
The Manor House Mysteries
Deadly Blessings
Deadly Interest
Dead Ringer
Artistic License
Playing With Matches
Visit:
www.juliehyzy.com
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 22, 2018
I’ll go for 3.75 stars. Alas, Goodreads still uses whole stars, so we are stuck with this rating.
Having long been a fan of Julie Hyzy’s mystery work, I was pleased to try something outside of the genre. This most recent publication stems from a short story she read years ago, which helped plant the seed of an idea around the world of virtual reality (VR). As the world continues to seek more in the VR realm, Virtu-Tech stands at the forefront of its delivery. Many people the world over are happy to use VR in their daily lives, usually as a form of entertainment. However, as with all activities, there are limits before things get unsafe, which is where Kenna Ward comes into play. Working as an ‘envoy’, Kenna is tasked to act as a ‘lifeguard for the brain’ and keeps people from getting too involved in their VR experiences. During one of her forays into the virtual world, she comes across her fiancé, who is in the middle of a highly-involved experience, which leads to his death. Charlie has suffered, it would seem, from something called mortal absorption, whereby reality and the virtual realm blur. It is only when Kenna wants answers that she learns Charlie has been sitting on some stunning information about Virtu-Tech, something that might bring this company to its knees. As she works with her team, they discover that someone within the hierarchy of Virtu-Tech has been targeting clueless VR users. The more Kenna discovers, the larger the target on her back. With members of her team turning up dead, will she be next? In a battle to seek justice, Kenna has to wonder how much of what she knows is simply a figment of her VR world. Hyzy does well with this piece, pulling on her great writing ability to take readers outside the norm. Recommended for those with an interest in the burgeoning world of VR and the reader who likes a little suspense in their reading experience.
This is the second book this week that I have read, where the author is working outside the realm in which I am used to seeing them. Both have been valiant efforts, though I surmise that my less than total interest in virtual reality may have flavoured my sentiments regarding this piece. Hyzy effectively creates her characters to be both believable and liked by the reader. Kenna Ward presents well and pushes to learn everything she can, without being too detached from the everyday. The loss of her fiancé has surely helped motivate her to get answers, but she is not fixated on the journey, in such a way that it creates tunnel vision. Hyzy surrounds her protagonist with a handful of useful characters, many of whom balance out good versus bad quotient throughout the narrative, offering some sinister aspects to the world of VR. Hyzy builds on these character traits throughout, weaving together a story that is less than completely plausible, though the plot seems to follow a fairly straight path. The story itself is well-devised and has been written effectively to keep the reader’s interest. Hyzy has spent a great deal of time researching and it shows, as there is little awkwardness with descriptions, nor does the book drop ‘inside language’ that keeps the reader guessing or feeling lost. While VR is not my thing, I cannot discount Hyzy’s work as less than impressive. The mystery held my attention and I will surely return when she has more to offer. As always, it is a pleasure to see what she pens, as it reads easily and provides much entertainment.
Kudos, Madam Hyzy, for another great piece. I am a longtime fan, so it is always a pleasure to see you expanding your horizons.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Having long been a fan of Julie Hyzy’s mystery work, I was pleased to try something outside of the genre. This most recent publication stems from a short story she read years ago, which helped plant the seed of an idea around the world of virtual reality (VR). As the world continues to seek more in the VR realm, Virtu-Tech stands at the forefront of its delivery. Many people the world over are happy to use VR in their daily lives, usually as a form of entertainment. However, as with all activities, there are limits before things get unsafe, which is where Kenna Ward comes into play. Working as an ‘envoy’, Kenna is tasked to act as a ‘lifeguard for the brain’ and keeps people from getting too involved in their VR experiences. During one of her forays into the virtual world, she comes across her fiancé, who is in the middle of a highly-involved experience, which leads to his death. Charlie has suffered, it would seem, from something called mortal absorption, whereby reality and the virtual realm blur. It is only when Kenna wants answers that she learns Charlie has been sitting on some stunning information about Virtu-Tech, something that might bring this company to its knees. As she works with her team, they discover that someone within the hierarchy of Virtu-Tech has been targeting clueless VR users. The more Kenna discovers, the larger the target on her back. With members of her team turning up dead, will she be next? In a battle to seek justice, Kenna has to wonder how much of what she knows is simply a figment of her VR world. Hyzy does well with this piece, pulling on her great writing ability to take readers outside the norm. Recommended for those with an interest in the burgeoning world of VR and the reader who likes a little suspense in their reading experience.
This is the second book this week that I have read, where the author is working outside the realm in which I am used to seeing them. Both have been valiant efforts, though I surmise that my less than total interest in virtual reality may have flavoured my sentiments regarding this piece. Hyzy effectively creates her characters to be both believable and liked by the reader. Kenna Ward presents well and pushes to learn everything she can, without being too detached from the everyday. The loss of her fiancé has surely helped motivate her to get answers, but she is not fixated on the journey, in such a way that it creates tunnel vision. Hyzy surrounds her protagonist with a handful of useful characters, many of whom balance out good versus bad quotient throughout the narrative, offering some sinister aspects to the world of VR. Hyzy builds on these character traits throughout, weaving together a story that is less than completely plausible, though the plot seems to follow a fairly straight path. The story itself is well-devised and has been written effectively to keep the reader’s interest. Hyzy has spent a great deal of time researching and it shows, as there is little awkwardness with descriptions, nor does the book drop ‘inside language’ that keeps the reader guessing or feeling lost. While VR is not my thing, I cannot discount Hyzy’s work as less than impressive. The mystery held my attention and I will surely return when she has more to offer. As always, it is a pleasure to see what she pens, as it reads easily and provides much entertainment.
Kudos, Madam Hyzy, for another great piece. I am a longtime fan, so it is always a pleasure to see you expanding your horizons.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
February 12, 2019
Full disclosure, the author of this book is a high school classmate of my wife and a friend that recently bought us dinner. I read her first two books quite some time ago and well before joining GR so they are not listed as reads on my bookshelves. The genre Julie normally writes in seems to go by the title of cozy mysteries and are generally crime stories. She knows I avoid crime novels because of my former occupation as a criminal lawyer. Julie has consulted with me a few times for help in resolving plot issues regarding technical legal matters and I have happily assisted her whenever I could. Ms. Hyzy has now strayed from her usual literary stomping ground and has virtually (pun intended) challenged me to read her latest book. I told her that if I read it I will review it and I will review it honestly. I asked her if she could take that or am I likely to lose a friend? She says she can take whatever I can dish-out. I guess we'll see.
While the author has wandered away from her usual criminal path of storytelling she hasn't wondered all that far. The primary focus of this book is sci-fi in nature but it has its criminal aspects and even contains a trace of political thriller. The story is about a major global company that provides virtual reality experiences for the public. The company has all the attributes of a Google, Apple, or Amazon of the VR world and the vast majority of the public has electronic implants installed in their skulls in order to partake of what Virtu-Tech, the fictional company, has to sell. I give this book a rating of 3.5 stars which means in my scheme that the book is worth its purchase price and provides the entertainment the reader is expecting. I add a half star for the enjoyment I experienced with the climax. I also enjoyed the beginning as it immediately had me sitting up expecting the rest of the book to maintain a comparable excitement level. Unfortunately, the middle of the book sort of dragged a bit too much but was redeemed by an unexpectedly exciting finish. I also had trouble keeping track of the VR activity and trying to distinguish between what was real and what was VR. I guess I just didn't spend enough of my youth on the Enterprise's holodeck to be able to navigate this type of sci-fi but I think you might enjoy the entertainment value of this book. Buy the book and help save a friendship. LOL
While the author has wandered away from her usual criminal path of storytelling she hasn't wondered all that far. The primary focus of this book is sci-fi in nature but it has its criminal aspects and even contains a trace of political thriller. The story is about a major global company that provides virtual reality experiences for the public. The company has all the attributes of a Google, Apple, or Amazon of the VR world and the vast majority of the public has electronic implants installed in their skulls in order to partake of what Virtu-Tech, the fictional company, has to sell. I give this book a rating of 3.5 stars which means in my scheme that the book is worth its purchase price and provides the entertainment the reader is expecting. I add a half star for the enjoyment I experienced with the climax. I also enjoyed the beginning as it immediately had me sitting up expecting the rest of the book to maintain a comparable excitement level. Unfortunately, the middle of the book sort of dragged a bit too much but was redeemed by an unexpectedly exciting finish. I also had trouble keeping track of the VR activity and trying to distinguish between what was real and what was VR. I guess I just didn't spend enough of my youth on the Enterprise's holodeck to be able to navigate this type of sci-fi but I think you might enjoy the entertainment value of this book. Buy the book and help save a friendship. LOL
November 7, 2018
A darker change of pace from this author's usual cozy mystery style, the story takes place in the not too distant future when the average citizen could directly plug their brain into exciting VR adventures. Although generally considered to be safe, specially trained envoys could enter the user's scenario to rescue them from rare but potentially life threatening experiences. After a top notch envoy himself turns up dead, the race is on to discover exactly how and why he died, and the proverbial plot thickens as a sinister plan is uncovered and the lines blur between reality and VR fantasy/nightmare.
August 19, 2018
(ARC copy). Virtual Reality gone haywire. Lots of suspense in the last third of the book. Exciting story and relevant today.
January 5, 2019
Great thriller with a sci-fi bent, although I think the reality of VR will hit us within 10 years, so fiction will become real.
November 1, 2018
A definite change of pace (for me!) from Julie Hyzy. I truly enjoyed her White House Chef series and was intrigued when I heard about this one. Julie keeps you guessing on who’s who with the good guys vs. the bad guys. Good characters, good pace, and very suspenseful at the end. I’m glad I took a chance with this one.
November 6, 2018
I loved this new book by Hyzy. It felt effortlessly written, and it wasn't hard to follow, like some thrillers that have a cast of characters a mile long. A little darker than her cozy mysteries, but not too graphic. It reminds me of a more current day and less cerebral version of Ender's Game. If you like futuristic tales and thrillers, you'll like this book!
November 4, 2018
Great suspense mystery.
December 12, 2018
Being a huge fan of Julie Hyzy’s White House mystery series I was nervous about this novel to be honest. But it did not take long for me to realize like the other series she has written it was a hit. Although very different it kept me wanting to read and wondering if my suspicions were correct about characters.
My mom is also a huge fan of hers; I was worried that maybe from the title and description it may be too technological for her to enjoy. I asked her and she said no she loved it and when I started reading it I saw why. If you are not highly technological you still will be able to love this book. Don’t let the name or the subject matter scare you.
Thank you Julie for another awesome book that was extremely entertaining.
My mom is also a huge fan of hers; I was worried that maybe from the title and description it may be too technological for her to enjoy. I asked her and she said no she loved it and when I started reading it I saw why. If you are not highly technological you still will be able to love this book. Don’t let the name or the subject matter scare you.
Thank you Julie for another awesome book that was extremely entertaining.
October 15, 2018
A thrilling change of pace for Julie Hyzy. She takes us on a mind-bending trip into a world where villains set the rules, and heroes can't believe what they know to be true. Fascinating, fun, and deeply satisfying.
January 18, 2019
Julie Hyzy usually writes cozy mysteries, I've enjoyed many of them. This is her first foray into thrillers. I felt like it was a mash-up of Ready Player One and the Josie & the Pussycats movie with a soupcon of social commentary mixed in for good measure. The middle dragged, but the ending was fast paced and gripping.
November 29, 2018
I have read some of Ms. Hyzy's White House Chef cozy series and was interested to see how well she could transition into something a bit more serious. She did really well! I loved the story of abuse in a tech company and their devastating plans for world domination. The story was something I could imagine taking place in the near future and I even saw echos of it existing today in the dependence on technology. This story focused more on events than characters but I don't feel it suffered for that.
October 10, 2019
I was drawn in by this book and the fact that I could imagine what was happening in it could one day happen in real life. This story is about virtual reality and how people can create their own scenarios and live them out without the fear of being hurt if anything went wrong, in most cases. Kenna Ward is an envoy, someone who will rescue you from your scenario if things happen to go to far. I don't normally read sci-fi books, but I must say that I was drawn in by this one. I wonder if there will be a sequel? If there is I will definitely read it!
December 4, 2018
A Scary New World!
Julie presents a frightening new world that seems all too possible. Her descriptions of virtual technology are believable and the mysteries are well constructed. The characters are interesting, some purely good, some purely evil and some a mix ... as are most of us! A good read and a somber warning of possible futures.
Julie presents a frightening new world that seems all too possible. Her descriptions of virtual technology are believable and the mysteries are well constructed. The characters are interesting, some purely good, some purely evil and some a mix ... as are most of us! A good read and a somber warning of possible futures.
March 3, 2019
It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did, I found myself reading faster and faster to keep up with the action. While I didn't enjoy it as much as her White House Chef series, it was (to me) a unique premise that was well thought-out and very effectively executed. If you're a science fiction fan interested in the possibilities of Virtual Reality, you'll like this book.
August 20, 2021
I don't usually read this type of stories, so the story was totally new for me.
It's thriller but when the main characters are in the VR world, you can enjoy it as an action and sci-fi novel. The story is set in the near future and believable, and it made me a bit scared of new technologies.
I hope it will be cinematized. It should be more fun if they visually show the VR world in this book.
It's thriller but when the main characters are in the VR world, you can enjoy it as an action and sci-fi novel. The story is set in the near future and believable, and it made me a bit scared of new technologies.
I hope it will be cinematized. It should be more fun if they visually show the VR world in this book.
November 25, 2018
See review at www.criminalelement.com
January 17, 2019
First book I have read by this author. It was not a topic I would normally pick I really enjoyed it though.
April 21, 2019
I had read a Julie Hyzy book before, but it was nothing like this. And while I liked that other book just fine, this one really gripped me from the start. Full disclosure: I'm a gamer. Though I have not purchased a VR headset, the idea excites me, and I look forward to the day when it is easily available. Or maybe I don't after reading this book. I don't want to give too much away since the book is fairly short and fast-paced. But what would you do if you could access everyone's brains? The answer may surprise you.
March 8, 2019
Not my cup of tea. I really like her cozy mysteries, I couldn't get into this one.
April 7, 2019
Interesting idea, but the book is one-dimensional. The characters have no depth, the plot is predictable, the writing is flat, the reflection is null. Complete waste of time.
April 17, 2019
#PopsugarReadingChallenge2019
Prompt - A book told from multiple character POVs.
I really can't explain why I didn't like this since it had elements that I adore.
Prompt - A book told from multiple character POVs.
I really can't explain why I didn't like this since it had elements that I adore.
abandoned
November 9, 2019Stronger depth in the world building needed to hold my attention.
March 30, 2020
Awesome book! I couldn't put Hyzy's VIRTUAL SABOTAGE down. I love the characters and this crazy world where pop culture rules. Add this to your must-read list.
April 9, 2021
I dnfed the book but only because I lost it. the 75% I read was really enjoyable. Plan on ordering another copy in the future.
October 22, 2023
Another reason I will never try virtual reality
July 4, 2025
This Julie Hyzy novel is quite different from her more lightweight cozy mysteries, although Hyzy's mysteries are better written and more substantive than most cozy mysteries. I was less engaged with Virtual Sabotage because it took a while, almost to the very end, before there was a clear-cut character for me to identify with and like. Yes, Kenna Ward, a Vertu-Tech envoy, was introduced immediately and appears to be the protagonist but the story follows so many other characters that I was less emotionally connected with her. The story is set in a future world that shows how social media and the overuse of technology might be contributing to a dystopian future for humanity. It is set only a bit in the future when virtual technology allows people to experience VR adventures. At first VR is seen as a chance to increase learning and order to the world; however, the owners of the largest VR company, Virtu-Tech, is experimenting with controlling consumer purchases with thoughts to introduce “a state of mind where people do little more than exist. . . . everyone is agreeable. There are no conflicts, no controversy. Because no one cares. The higher functions of the brain are suppressed. Everyone does precisely what Virtu-Tech ‘suggest’ they do. They ‘consent’ to everything. It will be the end of free will.” A scene in a coffee shop described in the book was eerily reminiscent of what I've seen in public venues today--every one looking at their cell phones, addicted to social networks, overly excited for the newest releases in apps and devices. Like the VR adventures in Virtual Sabotage, we are living more in our virtual worlds than in the real world.
I reread this in July 2025 and didn't even remember I'd read it before! It still hit as a 2-star or 3-star read. Here's what I am thinking today about the book: A plausible future scenario extrapolating forward from current situations. What would happen if electronic gaming was taken to implants and extreme addictions and the loss of agency? What would happen if the power of social media influencers was strengthened to the point that clients become so susceptible they lose all resistance to suggestions? And then make the manipulation pervasive and available to everyone. Society is sort of heading that way. Brainwashing, loss of agency, control ceded to outsiders, the stuff of nightmare and the basis of this book based on “sort on” believable advances in virtual reality experiences starting with entertainment applications and leaking into everyday life.
I reread this in July 2025 and didn't even remember I'd read it before! It still hit as a 2-star or 3-star read. Here's what I am thinking today about the book: A plausible future scenario extrapolating forward from current situations. What would happen if electronic gaming was taken to implants and extreme addictions and the loss of agency? What would happen if the power of social media influencers was strengthened to the point that clients become so susceptible they lose all resistance to suggestions? And then make the manipulation pervasive and available to everyone. Society is sort of heading that way. Brainwashing, loss of agency, control ceded to outsiders, the stuff of nightmare and the basis of this book based on “sort on” believable advances in virtual reality experiences starting with entertainment applications and leaking into everyday life.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews