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Overview
The thrilling Genius trilogy is now bigger and better. Boy genius Cadel Piggott has a new name (Cadel Greenaius), a new family, and a new life. No more illegal hacking, no more false identities, and most of all, no more Prosper English. But when his best friend, Sonja, is attacked, it’s up to him to figure out who was behind it. Before he knows it, Cadel is crossing oceans and continents, barreling back into the depths of the criminal activity he thought he’d left behind, and coming face-to-face with Prosper English once again. Can Cadel track down Prosper before it’s too late? And what rules will he have to break in the process?
Editorials
From the Publisher
* "Cyber-espionage takes both front seats in this conclusion to the outstanding Genius series....the climax is taut, absorbing and tantalizingly ambiguous."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review"Full-throttled plot....will command the attention of even non-techie readers until Jinks's final plot twists wind to a close."—Horn Book
"Jinks is an entertaining writer. . . . Her imaginative use of technology . . . creates some truly tense moments, and Cadel is Everyman enough for readers to root for in the thick of things. Fans of the trilogy will delight in this concluding volume, and it will also appeal to gadget-crazy boys—and girls—who enjoyed Alex Rider’s adventures."—Booklist
Children's Literature -
This is the third book in a trilogy about a young genius named Cadel. Following Evil Genius and Genius Squad, Cadel finds himself in a situation he never expected: he is normal. He lives with his adopted parents, attends college classes, and has normal (if exceptionally intelligent) friends. Unfortunately for him, this idyllic situation doesn't last beyond the first chapter. Then, his best friend's wheelchair tries to run Cadel down of its own accord, signaling that his former guardian and mentor, Prosper English, has returned. This is the familiar story of a young man facing overwhelming odds, but instead of using magic to succeed, Cadel is armed with intellect. Using his superior technical abilities, he faces evil genius Prosper in a battle of wits and defends himself. The high concept conflict also speaks to the overwhelming presence of technology in today's society. Cadel and his allies must avoid anything computerized that Prosper could use against them, illuminating for the reader just how much of modern life is run by computers. This is supposed to be the last book in the series, but the ending leaves the author room to continue the story of Cadel. Reviewer: Jennifer WaldropKirkus Reviews
Cyber-espionage takes both front seats in this conclusion to the outstanding Genius series. Though raised to be a criminal mastermind, 15-year-old Cadel rejects the role, desiring only a normal life with his new adoptive parents. No chance: Suddenly his fugitive mentor/nemesis Prosper English is showing up on nearby security cameras, a high-tech wheelchair tries to run over him as it carries his best friend Sonja down a flight of stairs and an out-of-control bus demolishes his home, leaving his new stepfather severely injured. Not only is Jinks no stranger to gaming, hacking and cutting-edge computer systems, but she plunges her young protagonist into simultaneous character-testing conflicts as he feels forced to trick his beloved but slower and overprotective guardians, abandon ethics to hack into various private and government systems and struggle to control the wild anger that in high-pressure situations drives him to act toward others just like the despised, megalomaniac Prosper. As Cadel's multiple adversaries don't start showing their faces until late in the proceedings, much of the "war" seems fought in the abstract, but the climax is taut, absorbing and tantalizingly ambiguous. (Thriller. 12-15)