Tristan wants nothing more than to win the Ket games and make it to the Inworld, where the wealthy rule and are protected from the toxic environment of San Francisco by a dome. Luisa, also a gamer, has other plans that involve a rebellion as the Outworld, where they live, is being used to make the Inworld a better place at a heavy cost to the Outworlders. While risking lifelong imprisonment and the caretaker death squad, a group formulates plans to make things better for the Outworlders. But first, the group must recruit others like the promising gamer, Tristan, and any other trustworthy person. Will Luisa and Tristan achieve their goals separately or together? Erik A. Otto presents A Toxic Ambition, a book that will shake the young adult sci-fi world.

You know when you read a story and the mood you get from it lingers long after reading and you wonder why you feel different? I felt just like that after reading A Toxic Ambition as the dystopian setting and the plights of the characters projected a fearful and perilous mood that made me appreciate how our world is not as bad as the one portrayed in the book. The futuristic world depicted by Erik A. Otto is well-developed and graphically portrayed, with distinctive and realistic characters and fun inclusions: the anti-gravity games and the futuristic robots. To sum up, A Toxic Ambition is a profound, touching, and heart-racing story that young adult sci-fi fans would enjoy. I am glad to have discovered this fantastic book by Erik A. Otto.

A Toxic Ambition by Erik A. Otto is gripping science fiction with a fascinating dystopian setting, featuring class conflict that will appeal to fans of Hunger Games. The setting is in San Francisco and in the future, a time when Earth is suffering from pollution and a climate crisis that makes it more and more inhospitable. A select few live away from the danger posed by climate change, isolated in towering domes known as the Inworld. These dominate the skyline and are impenetrable. The rest of the population occupies the harsh environment of the Outworld, prone to disease and scarcity. Those who live in the Outworld can gain access to the Inworld only by winning in the Ket— an antigravity game that is as challenging as it is deadly. Tristan is poised to be the San Francisco Champion and he has toiled so hard for it. Luisa and Michaelis are his companions in the game. With a deadly rival in the game and insurmountable obstacles, can Tristan and his companions find the path to Inworld?

Erik A. Otto is a great storyteller who has crafted a tale laced with tension and a riveting plot. The strength of the novel is in its setting that gives the reader a solid image of a fragmented world, where the few live comfortably off while many suffer in extreme conditions. It is a story of what happens when the slave picks their weapon against the master. It is a tale of revolt and the characters are driven and rock-solid. The author does a great job of writing motivation for these characters. For instance, Luisa has a painful past, and thoughts of her family assail her. The writing is gorgeous, and the narrative is embellished by the observant style, hugely descriptive, and laced with powerful imagery. I enjoyed the alternating points of view in A Toxic Ambition, the conflict that builds up steadily towards an explosive denouement, and the deft handling of the plot.