The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1 by P.J. Haarsma

I'm not usually one to read science fiction but a good friend recommended PJ Harrsma's The Softwire- Virus on Orbis 1 to me so I thought I would give it a try. Boy am I glad I did. It's been quite a while since I enjoyed a book as much as I did this one.

The book centers on a group of children who were born on a spaceship and have spent all their lives traveling to the planets their parents were meant to work on. When they arrive on Orbis 1, the children quickly learn that they will be forced to work and will remain virtual slaves.

The main character, JT is a Softwire- a human being who can talk to and use a computer with his mind. Because of his gift, he is the suspect when the central computer of Orbis 1 begins to malfunction. He must prove his innocence and solve the mystery of the mechanical failures before time runs out.

The author strikes the perfect balance in describing JT's world without bogging the reader down with excess descriptions of the alien world. His deft touch allows the world to unfold in your imagination easily. The characters are rich and compelling and the story is fast paced and brings the reader along for a great ride as JT tries to prove his innocence and save Orbis 1 from the virus infecting it. There are lots of twists and turns and I found this book to be a fun read from start to finish. Can't wait for the next installment!

I've never really been a fan of science fiction books. They all seemed to follow the same recipe. They all had the same infallible heroes, saving the day at the last moment, telling us how life should be...That gets boring and predictable.I read The Softwire at the suggestion of some good friends, and I found an author who, through the creation of another world, created a bok that was fast paced without giving the reader too much information all at once making it hard to comprehend for the younger reader.