While quite a bit simpler, preachier, and less clever than his other work for children, the plot is so gripping, and the book raises so many fascinating questions and issues that it is worth reading, especially for literature circles and discussion groups. Johnny and his friends, Wobbler the hacker and Bigmac, who leads a very different life at home than at school, are compelling, if not very fleshed-out, characters. And Pratchett's trademark humor is here, even if it is a bit muffled.

In addition to the major themes, Pratchett touches on a number of serious side topics, such as inner city violence and divorce, but then seems to drop them again. Perhaps they will be important to other entries in this series, but here they seem a bit gratuitous and out of place, as if the author wasn't quite sure where he wanted to go. But none of this quibbling will stop kids from enjoying the story, and the odd plot flaws may even be grist for more group discussions.

From the Book:
Wobbler was the kind of boy who was always picked last when you had to pick teams, although that was all right at the moment as the PE teacher didn't believe in teams because they encouraged competition.

He wobbled. It was glandular, he said. He wobbled especially when he ran. Bits of Wobbler headed in various directions; it was only on average that he was running in any particular direction.

But he was good at games. They just weren't the ones that people thought you ought to be good at. If ever there was an Interschool First-One-to-Break-the-Unbreakable-Copy-Protection-on-Galactic-Thrusters, Wobbler wouldn't just be on the team, he'd be picking the team.