The Eye of Minds

Mortality Doctrine, Book One

By: James Dashner

Narrated by: Erik Davies

Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

From James Dashner, the author of the New York Times best-selling Maze Runner series, comes an all-new, edge-of-your seat adventure.

Eye of Minds is the first book in The Mortality Doctrine, a series set in a world of hyperadvanced technology, cyberterrorists, and gaming beyond your wildest dreams...and your worst nightmares.

Michael is a gamer. And like most gamers, he almost spends more time on the VirtNet than in the actual world. The VirtNet offers total mind and body immersion, and it's addictive. Thanks to technology, anyone with enough money can experience fantasy worlds, risk their life without the chance of death, or just hang around with Virt-friends. And the more hacking skills you have, the more fun. Why bother following the rules when most of them are dumb, anyway?

But some rules were made for a reason. Some technology is too dangerous to fool with. And recent reports claim that one gamer is going beyond what any gamer has done before: he's holding players hostage inside the VirtNet. The effects are horrific - the hostages have all been declared brain-dead. Yet the gamer's motives are a mystery.

The government knows that to catch a hacker, you need a hacker. And they've been watching Michael. They want him on their team. But the risk is enormous. If he accepts their challenge, Michael will need to go off the VirtNet grid. There are back alleys and corners in the system human eyes have never seen and predators he can't even fathom - and there's the possibility that the line between game and reality will be blurred forever.

©2013 James Dashner (P)2013 Listening Library

Critic reviews

Praise for the Mortality Doctrine Series:

“Set in a world taken over by virtual reality gaming, the series perfectly capture[s] Dashner’s hallmarks for inventiveness, teen dialogue and an ability to add twists and turns like no other author.” (MTV.com)

“A brilliant, visceral, gamified mash-up of The Matrix and Inception, guaranteed to thrill even the non-gaming crowd.” (Christian Science Monitor)

Great read!

Great Sci-fi book. Would love to see this made into a movie. Great twist at the very end. Enjoyed listening to the narrator.

Very unique

It starts slow but it's very interesting. It's completely different from other books I've read. Stick it out.

Amazing Story!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Eye of Minds to be better than the print version?

I don't own the print version. But the audio version was at perfect pace.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Both Michael and Sarah. They both have the sarcastic humor I can personally relate to. But all the characters were good in their own ways.

Which scene was your favorite?

The ending when Michael realized he was a tangent all along. The plot twist I'd expect from someone like James Dashner.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I read the book over a period of 2 weeks. But it was interesting enough for me to contemplate stopping each night I listened to it.

Any additional comments?

Great book. If your a fan of any works by James Dashner, you'll love this book! The plot was great, well played out and unique. It also allowed for a much more random series of events that didn't have to make sense, allowing for more creativity that you will never find in a normal book. There were a few moments that were a bit slow and more than a few that made me roll my eyes (such as the fact that everyone's screen name is just plain stupid) and there were a few parts of the story that felt a little too "quest like", something you would find in a children's book. But if you look past those minor details, you'll find this to be a very enjoyable read that you won't want to stop. I look forward to the second installment.

Fun and not overly nerdy

Any additional comments?

I think this book does a great job of being in a digital world without getting super nerdy about everything (though there are still plenty of references, no worries). I think that a significant plot point halfway through the book also changes the dynamics a lot, and I found that to be pretty cool.

Go on a quest inside (computer code) game w/risk

Micheal faces life or death stakes in a computer game to save his family and the world. The stakes become real life and Micheal faces the consequences of trusting wrong, real coding skills delimas, and who he is really.

it was very interesting with a twist at the end

it was nice Erik is a great narrator
the plot twist really hooked me i highly recommend

Another great story by Dashner

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this audiobook to a friend but it wouldn't be my first recommendation. I read another review on here to skip this book and try Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. I did exactly that and Ready Player One was fantastic if you have about 16 hours to spare in your life. I enjoyed it so much I needed another fix for the virtual reality world and came back to this book. This book was a similar topic but is much shorter(8 1/2 hrs) and almost as good. Considering this audiobook came from the author of the Maze Runner series, I was sure it would be good and I was not disappointed until the book was over and there isn't a sequel. Throughout the story, the elements are always changing as the main character(s) travel through completely different "worlds" in the video game with suspense and surprises all the way through the book. If you can get wrapped up in a video game you'll love how this book is set in the virtual reality world where anything can happen.

Great commentary on perceptions of life and death.

The Eye of Minds is a wonderfully suspenseful story bearing a seed of philosophy all too appropriate for our technological age. It will make you question your definitions of life and death and keep you wondering just what horrors the main characters will be forced to face next.

Not The Maze Runner but not too shabby of a story.

This story was an interesting one to say the least. I really didn't feel a deep connection with the characters like I experienced with The Maze Runner but I am interested in what happens to these characters.

Love the Reader!

Would you listen to The Eye of Minds again? Why?

Yes, I would love to listen to the Eye of Minds again. It is very interesting, and the reader is very good.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Michael is one of my favorite characters. He is very dramatic, and very good at describing his surroundings.

Which scene was your favorite?

I don't know, they were all great!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me get kind of scared with the amazing description.

Any additional comments?

No, but I am overall very happy with this book!