Based on the Net Force mini-series and set sometime in the next century, these books are about the Net Force Explorers, a group of computer-savvy teenagers specially trained to help investigate on-line crime. The idea is that teenagers often know more about technology and can sometimes access places on the Internet where adults might look suspicious; virtual reality is now commonplace, and monitors and keyboards a thing of the past. In Virtual Vandals, Matt Hunter is sent to investigate a group of teen vandals suspected of disrupting virtual reality sites, while in The Deadliest Game, Megan O'Malley and Leif Anderson look for a player bent on sabotage in a complex virtual reality game. The reader is treated to a number of descriptions of virtual reality experiences and flashing around the Internet, but for all of the high tech trappings, this is very much formula fiction, and not a particularly original formula: teenagers recruited and trained for a government agency eventually stumble across something too dangerous for them to handle alone, and when they are told to back off, they persist anyway. Naturally, they do not say anything to anyone who could be at all useful and end up in the middle of a dangerous confrontation. At the end, after being plucked from the jaws of death, they get a stern (but slightly approving) lecture from their supervisor. It is hard to imagine teens beyond junior high taking an interest in this series. True, the series is mind candy, but the writing is a bit stilted and while obviously targeted at teens, the content underestimates them. Characterization is weak; one gets little information about the characters apart from their appearance and a few character quirks. The dialogue seems clich￯﾿ﾽd as well, and the plots are predictable. Although Clancy's name appears on the cover of the book, nothing says for certain that he is the actual co-author; whether he is or not, Clancy fans who reach for this series will probably be disappointed. You may wish instead to put your time and money toward scouting out good thrillers for your collection rather than these tepid wannabes. Note: This review was written and published to address The Deadliest Game and Virtual Vandals. VOYA Codes: 2Q 2P J (Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9).