"Kali Ling has faced down death hundreds of times for the entertainment of millions. She knows fear-and she knows what's truly terrifying... There's a new game in town. A brutal, winner-takes-all, international video game tournament between the world's most elite players, promising fame, prestige, and unbelievable fortune. But there's a catch. The game uses new VR pods guaranteed to push digital warriors to their physical and psychological brink-adapting every time a gamer makes a move. As the first female captain and youngest team owner in VGL history, Kali is used to defying the odds. But as the all-star tournament heats up, her determination begins to waver and the pressures of media, sponsors, and the game itself begin to put cracks in her hard-set convictions-and strain on her relationship with the one person who matters most. If Kali and her teammates are to survive, they'll have to find a way to be stronger than ever before. But battling the system may prove too difficult for even the most hardened of fighters..."