Game Changer - by Neal Shusterman (Paperback)

About the Book

"All it takes is one hit on the football field, and suddenly Ash's life doesn't look quite the way he remembers it. Impossible though it seems, he's been hit into another dimension--and keeps on bouncing through worlds that are almost-but-not-really his own. The changes start small, but they quickly spiral out of control as Ash slides into universes where he has everything he's ever wanted, universes where society is stuck in the past...universes where he finds himself looking at life through entirely different eyes."--

Book Synopsis

"A timely,
speculative thought experiment in perspective, privilege, and identity." --Kirkus

"The conceit
behind Shusterman's latest is truly unique. While it exhibits the author's
usual storytelling aplomb, it also manages to delve into more serious and
timely subject matter, such as racism, sexism, and homophobia. Despite these
heavy topics, the story still moves at a lively pace and, thanks to a zany
sci-fi twist, manages to pack in a few laughs as well." --Booklist

All it takes is one hit on the football field, and
suddenly Ash's life doesn't look quite the way he remembers it.

Impossible though it seems, he's been hit into another
dimension--and keeps on bouncing through worlds that are almost-but-not-really his
own.

The changes start small, but they quickly spiral out of
control as Ash slides into universes where he has everything he's ever wanted,
universes where society is stuck in the past...universes where he finds himself
looking at life through entirely different eyes.

And if he isn't careful, the world he's learning to see more
clearly could blink out of existence...

This high-concept novel from the National Book
Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling
author of the Arc of a Scythe series tackles
the most urgent themes of our time, making this a must-buy for readers who are
starting to ask big questions about their own role in the universe.

Review Quotes

"The conceit behind Shusterman's latest is truly unique. While it exhibits the author's usual storytelling aplomb, it also manages to delve into more serious and timely subject matter, such as racism, sexism, and homophobia. Despite these heavy topics, the story still moves at a lively pace and, thanks to a zany sci-fi twist, manages to pack in a few laughs as well." - Booklist

"A timely, speculative thought experiment in perspective, privilege, and identity." - Kirkus Reviews

"A straight, white, cisgender teen is confronted with his own privilege via iterative realities in Printz Honoree Shusterman's (Scythe) ambitious speculative novel." - Publishers Weekly

"Shusterman has an eye for clever concepts and a masterful control of pace." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"National Book Award winner Neal Shusterman's Game Changer is a brilliantly mind-bending YA work of speculative fiction...Shusterman fictionalizes these big issues while simultaneously making connections to our own reality, prompting readers to question how their own biases and privilege might distort their perception of the world. Game Changer is a book with a sense of humor and an existential bent that is overflowing with biting social commentary and aphoristic wisdom. Easy to read, with perspective-altering drama, this novel is on track to become the go-to contemporary fable for this generation of readers." - Shelf Awareness (starred review)

"It's a testament to Shusterman's storytelling powers that he is able to develop a cohesive narrative across these multiple shifts, exploring the subtle nuances of how they affect not only Ash but the entire supporting cast." - Horn Book Magazine