“There’s something in that sound. Something bad. Something dangerous.”

Fifteen-year-old Ani Lee is a skilled hacker researching a strange .wav file that she’s downloaded when it behaves as no file ever should.

Joe Dyson is a seventeen-year-old American transplant recruited into a secret teen division of the British intelligence service who’s looking into the disappearance of a friend caught up in an underground music scene that might be more than it appears.

When Ani and Joe’s investigations intertwine, they discover that the .wav file and the music are linked—someone’s embedding the file into tracks to create a mind-controlled teen army.

But who’s behind it? And why? And how do you stop a sound?

An exhilarating sci-fi techno-thriller that blends music, mind control, and conspiracy perfect for fans of Little Brother, Brain Jack, and Proxy.

Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home. "With charismatic protagonists, sharply self-aware dialogue, and gut-wrenching detail—particularly in the visceral portrayal of X-Core’s adverse effects and Ani’s haunting recollections of her mother—this tale of ingenuity in the face of insatiable evil is a deeply infectious one." —Booklist

“Combining a love of science fiction with modern technology and some very original thinking, this novel takes a look at some of society’s preconceived notions from a slightly off-kilter view. . . . Though it takes its time, it never drags, parceling out plot details and worldbuilding in classic thriller fashion. This one’s a page-turner.” —Kirkus Reviews

"Believably written characters and a quick-moving plot distinguish this compelling thriller with an SF twist." —Publishers Weekly

“A fast-paced sci-fi thriller for the geek set.” —School Library Journal

Praise for Mike A. Lancaster's previous work:
A Booklist Top 10 YA SciFi/Fantasy 2013 Pick, The Future We Left Behind
A Booklist Top 10 YA SciFi/Fantasy 2012 Pick, Human.4
A YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, Human.4

* “Wringing his Stephen King-like premise for all it is worth . . . few plots race along with this kind of speed and purpose.” —Booklist, starred review of Human.4

* “Lancaster effortlessly incorporates into his whiz-bang plot big ideas . . . along the way borrowing from the sf masters.” —Booklist, starred review of The Future We Left Behind