Questland

Professor Addie Cox is pulled into a real-life roleplaying game in this entertaining genre-bender from Vaughn (the Kitty Norville series). Insula Mirabilis, the Wonderful Island, is the brainchild of tech giant Harris Lang, conceived as a fantasy theme park off the coast of Washington State complete with magic and mythical creatures, all created through advanced technology. But after Lang’s production team mutinies and isolates the island under a high-tech shield, Lang hires a team of soldiers to quash the rebellion and brings in Addie to help the mercenaries understand the myth and folklore that rule the island. Addie may also be his best hope for reining in Dominic Brand, the mutiny’s leader and Addie’s ex-boyfriend. Replete with dragons and enchantment, the island is even more fantastic than Addie could have imagined, but she soon discovers that the developers have continued working, rendering useless the maps she and the soldiers have. To regain control from Dominic, the group will have to navigate a series of traps, challenges, and side quests to reach the island’s center. Vaughn lays out every tabletop gamer’s dream as she skillfully creates the illusionary world of Insula Mirabilis. The result is a delightful romp. Agent: Seth Fishman, the Gernert Company. (June)