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At the tender age of twelve, Matty Weber witnessed the horrific deaths of his parents. Orphaned and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, Matty went to live with his maternal grandmother, Debbie, in Scotsbourgh, California. Four years later, Matty is a brilliant but socially awkward high school sophomore. His best and only friend is Gabriel Mason, a fellow nerd who shares Matty’s academic drive and love of science, mathematics, and computers. When Matty’s longtime crush—popular cheerleader Samantha Carter—turns to Matty for help, Matty and Gabriel suddenly find themselves orbiting a different social stratum. Their newfound popularity and first tastes of romance test the bonds of their friendship. Meanwhile, cyberterrorist attacks are occurring worldwide. As Matty and Gabriel delve deeper into the world of computer technology and learn more about cybersecurity, they uncover deep-held secrets and sinister forces that threaten their safety and endanger the entire world.
DiBorane spins a wild story of mind control, secret drone surveillance, and worldwide domination to address a multitude of issues faced by adolescents. The main character’s experiences with bullying and unpopularity will resonate with many young adult readers. The contrast between Gabriel’s new obsession with girls and Matty’s continued focus on science and technology is a perfect depiction of the painful growing pains that frequently come with puberty and often cause childhood friends to drift apart. A key recurrent theme is trust as a complex, multifaceted phenomenon with a potential for both profound intimacy and unbearable emotional pain. Through a series of convoluted plot twists and dramatic reveals, DiBorane tells an adventurous tale of intrigue and sets the stage for the next book.