Voice of Youth Advocates

Finn Blackstone has been unable to dream for a long time, but once the dreams start coming, she cannot stop them, even when she is awake. Most frightening, Finn thinks these dreams may actually be memories from her past. At seventeen, she has never met her father, CEO of Blackstone Technologies. She grew up in a household of odd servants who hid a mountain of secrets. When her best friend from boarding school, Bit, decides to hack into Blackstone Technologies headquarters so Finn can meet her father face-to-face, the hacker-arranged school tour turns into a horrific nightmare of murdering machines and ghosts from Finn's past. As Finn is hunted like an animal, she tries to piece together why someone would want to kill her and who she really is.Infinity Lost raises more questions than answers. The flashbacks to Finn's past are the most interesting portion of the story, while the current adventures within the walls of Blackstone Technologies are confusing and filled with gory violence. There is no character development of the secondary characters other than stereotypical dialogue and actions that seem to hit a checklist. Plot twists are not resolved at the end of the book, leaving readers to wonder about Bit's motives, Finn's real identity, and what key parts her servants played in the game that is her life. The unfinished ending suggests another installment of the story. This is an additional purchase for readers who like technology-based science fiction that is more hype than substance.Laura Panter.

School Library Journal (Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)

Gr 8 Up-Most people don't know that Finn is actually Infinity Blackstone, daughter of the brilliant and elusive founder of Blackstone Technology. Ever since her mother passed away, Finn was raised by various members of the household staff. While at boarding school, Finn began having strange dreams that distorted her childhood memories. Unsure of the truth and determined to confront her father, the teen takes advantage of a field trip to Blackstone Technology headquarters. What was originally an innocent plan quickly devolves into a dangerous melee when the robotic technology turns murderous. Finn isn't sure she will be able to piece her memories together in time to save her friends, much less make sense of what these dreams mean for her. Harrison's writing changes frequently between the forward progression of the story line and snippets of flashbacks to various stages of Finn growing up. These transitions are occasionally confusing, but usually because Finn herself is struggling to make sense of the memories. Other than the protagonist, the characters have little depth, although this may be shaped by Finn's perception of them. The plot follows a relatively predictable path that is only surprising in the last few chapters' vividly grotesque violence. The book ends in a cliff-hanger, leaving readers to assume that a sequel will address remaining questions. VERDICT Recommended for avid science-fiction fans; a good addition to larger collections. Paige Rowse, Needham High School Library, Massachusetts

ALA Booklist (Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)

Everyone loves Blackstone Technologies. They have to eryone who doesn't is subject to radical reeducation and returned to their lives once they've been neutralized. But Infinity Blackstone, known as Finn and daughter of the CEO, is the exception. Four weeks ago, she started dreaming, a new experience, and in an effort to find out why, she's seeking out her dad, a mysterious man that she's never met. As her birthday approaches, her dreams become more like memories, only they're moments she can't remember, and isn't sure she wants to. On a field trip to the Blackstone labs, Finn discovers long-hidden secrets crets that may be better not revealed. Who is Infinity, really? Why are her dreams so real? Where is her father after all this time? These answers come, but the ending is left open for future installments. The central mystery is heavily teased, so the big reveal may not be much of a surprise for readers. This is decent, modern sci-fi, though better as a supplement for larger collections.