Invitation to the Game

What begins as a chilling glimpse into the not-too-distant future evolves into an exultant, life-affirming balm for mankind. Ten graduates of the class of 2154 are assigned (condemned, actually) by the government to a routine of unemployment and ostracism in this overcrowded future of robotized services and thought police. The 10 stumble upon a secretive and elite contest that promises to raise their status should they win. But by the time they discover that ``The Game'' is really a government plot to colonize other planets with the youth of their world, it's too late. This bold and incisive parable for the future will by turns terrify and enchant both science fiction enthusiasts and readers concerned about the earth's fate. A moving epilogue chronicles the way that the group pools its diverse skills to create a better civilization in a pristine land. Hughes engenders an aura of optimism and hope that will both comfort and inspire. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)