One Word Kill

One Word Kill was fun. It starts out quite serious, however, with a leukemia diagnosis for the protagonist Nick. He's due to begin chemo therapy just as he meets Mia, a new addition to the regular Dungeons & Dragons game he and his three other (only) friends play. Mia's kinda Goth and there's an instant connection, but Nick has a lot of other stuff going on. In addition to chemo and the bullying he endures at school, not to mention the other problems that go with adolescence, it turns out that Nick is being stalked by a dark stranger. But who is it- and why does he look familiar? 

I liked this one a lot, and it's fairly short to boot. It's the first of a trilogy, and all of them will be out this year. How cool is that? This is a story about parallel universes and time travel, and leans heavily into the multiple timelines theory of time travel. Every time a decision is made, more or less, an alternate timeline is spawned. Nick finds that the time travel doesn't just concern him, however- the stranger needs his friends, as well, for whatever he has planned, and Mia is the focal point. At some point she faces great danger- and Nick can help her. 

The story is set in the 80's- bonus!- and it was a different era then, in a lot of ways. LGBT issues, the acceptance (or stigma) of D&D, the music- all of these are examined, and it's a fun, heady mix. In some ways this almost felt a little too fast, since I've gotten so used to longer books, but at the same time the story moves, and I appreciated that. Mia is awesome, and frankly so is the whole group. It's a slightly stereotypical 80's gaming group, in some ways, and Stranger Things has definitely affected how gaming in the 80's is portrayed, I think, but this was mostly effective.

I was a little unsure of the true purpose of the stranger, and what his motivations were. I liked the uncertainty, and the looming sense of peril throughout. And how often do you get a book where Power Word Kill is referenced? And actually plays a role? If you know what Power Word Kill means, by the way, this is most definitely a book for you! 

As with all time travel stories the subject matter is kinda heavy, but I thought the author did a great job of keeping it from getting out of hand. I feel like I'm getting to be an old hand at time travel stories now! I've read a ton this year alone. This is definitely a stellar addition to the list though, and I highly recommend this if you want a fast paced YA time travel story with a lot of heart.