I really enjoyed Escape Room: Game Zero and think fans of Christopher Edge will love it, too. It doesn’t quite reach the amazing heights of The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day, but it’s an intriguing expansion of the Escape Room universe with some trademark “Edge” twists and turns.

Where Game Zero excels is in its immersive world and the layered puzzles that cleverly link gaming elements with reality. Eden’s journey is compelling: a determined protagonist thrust into a bizarre game world, facing challenges that feel both futuristic and eerily familiar. Fans will appreciate Edge's clever mix of technology, suspense, and a twist that is unexpected yet feels earned.

The pacing is brisk, and while it’s shorter than some, it packs plenty of ideas into its 224 pages. Some elements feel quieter compared to the intensity of Maisie Day, but the narrative still delivers Edge’s thoughtful depth, especially around identity, agency and the blurred boundary between game and reality.

Talk about CINEMATIC. Reading Chistopher Edge's books is like watching a movie in your mind. An amazing one (just to be clear). Loved this pacy, thrilling sci fi story that pulls readers right into the game. I think it'll be a big hit!

Christopher Edge has done it again! A follow up to the brilliantly inventive Escape Room, Game Zero sees a new character, Eden, take on a new game, a virtual reality landscape packed with dangerous puzzles as she fights to find her way out. The descriptions are mind-blowing, the puzzles deeply satisfying and the key to the whole mystery, when revealed, has all the trademarks of Christopher Edge's mind-twisting ingenuity. Simply brilliant.

I am a huge fan of the Escape Room and have recommended it to lots of children at work who have also enjoyed it. So, when this book was published, I couldn't wait to sink into this adventure.

Eden is the main character who gets swept into a computer game and has to navigate through puzzles and tasks to get to the end of the game.

I did enjoy this adventure and found myself racing through to see what happened next. However, I felt like I was waiting for a massive plot twist like in the first book. That being said, it was still a great read, especially for the age demographic it is recommended for! Thank you, @Netgallery, for this advanced copy. I have just brought a copy to share in our library.

Another gripping sci-fi from Christopher Edge.

Whilst not quite a sequel (by the usual standards) to the first Escape Room, Game Zero builds upon the first book's premise and includes a crossover character.

Eden finds herself within a game (the first part reminded me strongly of Zelda) with Ted - who she meets in the first level. Ted is convinced Eden is a Non-Playable Character, though Eden thinks otherwise.

Together they work to solve puzzles in a series of mysterious and dangerous challenges with the aim of escaping.

Do they make it? Is Eden a real girl? Read to find out...

WOW! This is exactly the kind of book I would have wanted as a Y6 child. I love the constant state of jeopardy that Eden experiences as she tries to navigate the escape room. I can't wait to recommend this to some of my current class. Highly recommended.

A fast-paced adventure with a gaming twist
Perfect for readers who enjoy video games, The Escape combines virtual worlds, high-stakes puzzles, and mysterious challenges. With immersive settings and plenty of action, it’s a great pick for fans of game-inspired stories and escape room thrillers.

As a family we all get excited by a new Christopher Edge book. This is a sort of loose follow up to the previous Escape Room book but could easily be read as a standalone. A clever exciting tale.

When an online friend, Ami, invites her to join a new game by solving a puzzle, Eden can't wait. She solves the puzzle easily, but instead of finding a passkey, for the game, she finds herself uploaded into the game, where she meets Ted, another player. Together, they must solve the game.
This book is every gamer's dream: it mirrors a gaming platform which most 9-13 year olds would find exciting. The teacher in me was also drawn to the descriptive writing - this book would make a great stimulus for writing. Only two more days and I am off to buy a copy for my grandson!

This book would be perfect for kids who love an adventure story or if they are into the gaming world. Lots of references to video games.

I enjoyed my return to the Escape Room. It's not exactly a sequel, but there is a cross-over character, and this time the stakes are even higher.
Eden appears to have been transported body and mind to… wherever the game is taking place (whatever it is). It’s not what she expected, but the clock is ticking and if she doesn’t solve the puzzles and unlock the three gates before time runs out, she is going to be stuck there. Forever.

The three levels and the puzzles that Eden and Ted encounter are very imaginative. I love the elements of computer games we meet -Ted kills a monster and gets health points. He’s convinced Eden is a NPC (non-player character) on a side quest, and he even respawns after dying in the game. But Ted is actually sitting at home wearing a special headset to play the game. It’s real for Eden.

Ted and Eden have a difficult relationship (he is full of himself and takes credit for the solutions that Eden has worked out). Although Ted softens by the end, they don’t become friends. Because Eden forgets about her home life, all we really know about her is that she is good at solving problems. I wasn’t even sure if she was a real person or a NPC, as Ted thinks.

I loved the terra – a monster that needs to use the surrounding environment to form its body to chase after the players. The settings are vivid and the writing pacey. The story is nicely book-ended by a murmuration of starlings. While I couldn't get my head around how the antagonist's plan could possibly work, I think young readers will go with it. I'm sure the book will be a popular choice with young readers, as it should be, The story is great fun to read.

Another absolute cracker from Christopher Edge. I am a big fan of his writing, as are my Year 5/6 class, so I was very much looking forward to reading this new book. Escape Room: Game Zero is Eden’s story. She finds herself immersed into a brand new game The Escape. She has to find the keys and beat the levels to get out.

Edge’s books are totally action-packed, full of danger, puzzles and riddles. I know my class are going to love this as much as I did!

An exhilarating adventure that’s non stop from the start, Eden is a great lead and I loved the mystery, peril, and high stakes involved in trying to escape The Escape. Christopher Edge has written another brilliant, intense and compelling story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Five stars.

Dedicated gamer Eden finds herself unexpectedly in a still-in-development, top secret game known as The Escape, to which she has gained access by solving certain clues provided by a mysterious person called Ami.

The only problem is, once inside the game, Eden finds that unlike a normal player in a video game she is all too human and can be injured! And as a side effect of the game she is beginning to forget her identity and ties in the real world. All the more reason to get out in one piece as fast as she can. But it's not that simple...

Packed with action and adventure - with a little reflection about the important things of life thrown in - this story is absolutely perfect for those who like video games and gets 3.5 stars!

My 8 year old read this and really enjoyed it. He said that the writing was really descriptive and made him feel like he was in the story with Eden and Ted. He mentioned that it was beautifully written, making the pictures in his brain stand out.

He loved how smart and brave Eden is, and how 'cheeky' Ted was trying to claim Eden's bravery as his own.

Reading this made him really excited to see what was going to happen with the Terras, and trying to figure out how Eden would kill them, especially in the desert. There was plot twists he didn't see coming which kept him on the edge of his seat.

My 11 year old daughter loved this book! Really intriguing and mixes reality with video games, the author makes it feel like you're watching a movie in your mind...

Christopher Edge never disappoints. This one is no exception. The settings are beautifully written and the concept of a teenager inside a virtual game trying to escape from it is a surefire hit among teenagers. The story is well-paced and I love the twists and turns.

4.5 stars

An unputdownable middle grade adventure, featuring Eden, who finds herself inside a video game. She meets Ted, who is quick to assert himself as a player, but is Edens also a player, or is she, as Ted accuses, an NPC (Non Playable Character if you’re not in the know)? And what will happen to her if she dies inside the game?

I think kids will love this book. It’s fun, thrilling, tense and exciting!

This was an excellently paced read and I raced through it. Christopher Edge uses language beautifully to describe the settings and characters. I look forward to more!

Thank you to Netgalley and Nosy Crow for my eArc.

A great book that's got plenty of twists and turns. It's unsettling in a 'this maybe could happen' kind of way. It's also clever, interesting and pacy. The twist at the end is great and left me wanting more!

I really enjoyed the concept of this book. The puzzles and world building were particularly clever and it had me hooked right until the end. Reading this as a primary school teacher, I can imagine this captivating many 10-11 year olds. The idea of being inside a ‘real’ video game is something I know would have been very appealing to read when I was that age. A great book! I look forward to any further stories in the future!