Tyler Berkshire's home life is a mess, but when he sees an ad for game-testers in his area, it sounds like a perfect summer job before his senior year of high school. He tests a virtual reality epic fantasy MMORPG before its release and gets to meet players around the world helping RE Games to develop their product into a spectacular gaming experience.

Immersive storylines and memorable quests are only the beginning, because in this game choices have irreversible consequences. Tyler works hard to learn the mechanics and progress through his beginner zone, but soon finds that his experience in the fantasy world isn't the same as everyone else's. Some of the other players seem to be way ahead of the rest, and it isn't until Tyler visits one of the players he has a crush on in her gamescape that he understands why. Her world looks very different than his, and he can't wait to leave the warzone she created.

When the head of RE Games visits their small office and announces that the top five players will be offered scholarships and jobs as developers with the company it's a mad scramble for everyone to be at the top. Except, no one really knows what benchmark the company is measuring against. Tyler must navigate guild politics, dangerous dungeons, and impossible quest choices if he wants any chance of securing one of the top spots. And with his parents in the middle of an ugly divorce, he needs the security of a scholarship to get himself out of their problems and into a future of his own choosing.