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Leap Point
In 2014, Medicine Falls is just another rural town with a dying economy and a way of life that has become increasingly irrelevant. The lure of the Net and virtual-reality games has replaced the malls and movie theaters. The hottest game of all is Nir--short for Nirvana--with its promise of escape into a world of addictive pleasures.
When Abbey McCrae's teenage daughter dies mysteriously, everyone calls it suicide. But Abbey believes it's murder, somehow connected to her daughter's addiction to Nir--and to the cultlike Dimension Institute, led by the charismatic Zachariah Smith. As more and more townspeople fall under Nir's spell, Abbey and a cynical detective uncover a horrifying conspiracy involving the game, the Institute, and the secret "guests" Zachariah Smith keeps at his ranch. And Abbey will learn that she alone can stop an alien threat that seeks to consume all of humanity....
When Abbey McCrae's teenage daughter dies mysteriously, everyone calls it suicide. But Abbey believes it's murder, somehow connected to her daughter's addiction to Nir--and to the cultlike Dimension Institute, led by the charismatic Zachariah Smith. As more and more townspeople fall under Nir's spell, Abbey and a cynical detective uncover a horrifying conspiracy involving the game, the Institute, and the secret "guests" Zachariah Smith keeps at his ranch. And Abbey will learn that she alone can stop an alien threat that seeks to consume all of humanity....
- GenresScience Fiction
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 2, 1998
36 people want to read
About the author
Kay Kenyon
50Ìýbooks253ÌýfollowersKay Kenyon is the author of nineteen fantasy and science fiction novels. Her work has been shortlisted for the Philip K. Dick Award, the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, and the American Library Association Reading List award.
Her newest fantasy series is The Arisen Worlds quartet. "A story of powers and magic on a grand scale. This will be a series to treasure.� —Louisa Morgan, author of The Great Witch of Brittany.
The series: Book 1, The Girl Who Fell Into Myth, Book 2, Stranger in the Twisted Realm, Book 3, Servant of the Lost Power and Book 4, Keeper of the Mythos Gate.
Her acclaimed 4-book series, The Entire and The Rose, has been reissued with new covers. It opens with Bright of the Sky. Called "a riveting launch" by Publishers Weekly (starred review) and "a splendid fantasy quest" by The Washington Post.
Other novels include: Queen of the Deep, A Thousand Perfect Things, and The Dark Talents, a trilogy that begins with At the Table of Wolves. Connect with her at .
She lives in beautiful eastern Washington State in the foothills of the Cascades.
Her newest fantasy series is The Arisen Worlds quartet. "A story of powers and magic on a grand scale. This will be a series to treasure.� —Louisa Morgan, author of The Great Witch of Brittany.
The series: Book 1, The Girl Who Fell Into Myth, Book 2, Stranger in the Twisted Realm, Book 3, Servant of the Lost Power and Book 4, Keeper of the Mythos Gate.
Her acclaimed 4-book series, The Entire and The Rose, has been reissued with new covers. It opens with Bright of the Sky. Called "a riveting launch" by Publishers Weekly (starred review) and "a splendid fantasy quest" by The Washington Post.
Other novels include: Queen of the Deep, A Thousand Perfect Things, and The Dark Talents, a trilogy that begins with At the Table of Wolves. Connect with her at .
She lives in beautiful eastern Washington State in the foothills of the Cascades.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 28, 2020
Published in the late 1990s, Leap Point is a near-future (it's set in 2014) cautionary tale of immersive virtual reality and a murder mystery. There are quite a number of characters, and it's one of those books that should be read in a long stretches rather than a few pages here and there. It has a nice element of alien intervention and a surprisingly hopeful conclusion. It's quite enjoyable once you get settled in.
March 18, 2013
Society is on the downturn. Increasing numbers of people under age 65 are tuning in to the latest craze, a virtual reality game that has them forgetting work, friends, and personal care.
Guru, Zachariah, is reaping riches from this game, which he has named Nir, short for Nirvana.
Abby McCrae, antique shop owner, suspects that her daughter, Vittoria, died because of this game. Was she murdered? With the help of a detective, Abby seeks answers to her daughter’s demise, only to discover other unsettling news. The game seems to originate from nonhuman aliens who are using it as a Trojan horse.
Jaguar, a mysterious shaman, appears and chooses Abby to save civilization, at the possible cost of her life.
The beginning confused me. I wasn’t sure if Zachariah was an alien or an earthling. I got the initial impression the story was taking place on a far planet. Eventually I realized Zachariah is human and the story is set on Earth. On occasion I was challenged to remember the many characters who are introduced. It helps that these characters are distinct, one from one another. The leading characters are well developed, so we understand their strengths and failings, and we can understand how they change. We don’t learn so much about Jaguar, but enough to satisfy our curiosity. After all, he must remain mysterious, therefore intriguing. Several of the characters are strong enough and likable enough that a writer of lesser ability might have allowed them to upstage the protagonist. At the story’s end, we have a sense of continuity. Our protagonist is stronger and somehow more alive. We feel she can jump into more adventures.
Kenyon wrote this novel in the 1990s and set it in 2014. One year removed from the setting date, the reader can see how accurate or inaccurate the author is in describing technology, slang, and fashion. But never mind the dates. This is a gripping story that you’ll want to read to the end.
Guru, Zachariah, is reaping riches from this game, which he has named Nir, short for Nirvana.
Abby McCrae, antique shop owner, suspects that her daughter, Vittoria, died because of this game. Was she murdered? With the help of a detective, Abby seeks answers to her daughter’s demise, only to discover other unsettling news. The game seems to originate from nonhuman aliens who are using it as a Trojan horse.
Jaguar, a mysterious shaman, appears and chooses Abby to save civilization, at the possible cost of her life.
The beginning confused me. I wasn’t sure if Zachariah was an alien or an earthling. I got the initial impression the story was taking place on a far planet. Eventually I realized Zachariah is human and the story is set on Earth. On occasion I was challenged to remember the many characters who are introduced. It helps that these characters are distinct, one from one another. The leading characters are well developed, so we understand their strengths and failings, and we can understand how they change. We don’t learn so much about Jaguar, but enough to satisfy our curiosity. After all, he must remain mysterious, therefore intriguing. Several of the characters are strong enough and likable enough that a writer of lesser ability might have allowed them to upstage the protagonist. At the story’s end, we have a sense of continuity. Our protagonist is stronger and somehow more alive. We feel she can jump into more adventures.
Kenyon wrote this novel in the 1990s and set it in 2014. One year removed from the setting date, the reader can see how accurate or inaccurate the author is in describing technology, slang, and fashion. But never mind the dates. This is a gripping story that you’ll want to read to the end.
August 27, 2020
This was another terrific find, a fun novel I chanced across at a library sale. Sadly I can recommend it only vaguely to avoid spoiling the story. So: if you like character-oriented, plain and straightforward sci-fi with a fun plot that gets very dark very quickly, you should seek out this one. Fortunately Kenyon's backlist is appearing in ebook form, so it should be cheap and easy to snag.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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