Reviewed by Stephen K.

TITLE: Tracker Hacker

SERIES: Codename: Winger #1

AUTHOR: Jeff Adams

NARRATOR: Kirt Graves

PUBLISHER: Big Gay Media

LENGTH: 8 hours and 7 minutes

RELEASE DATE: June 1^st 2021

BLURB:

High school student. Hockey player. Computer whiz kid. Covert agent?

At sixteen Theo Reese is the youngest agent for Tactical Operational Support. His way with computers makes him invaluable. He designs new gadgets, helps agents (including his parents) in the field, and works to keep the TOS network safe. But when a hacker breaches the system TOS uses to track agents, Theo is put to the test like never before.

Thrust from behind the safety of his desk, Theo must go into the field to put a stop to the hack. He’s scared but resolved because one of the missing agents is his father. And just to make it more interesting, he has to keep everything a secret from his boyfriend and teammates.

Can Theo get the job done, save his dad, and make things good with his boyfriend?

REVIEW:

Did you like the Alex Rider book series but kind of wish that Alex had been gay? Well, meet Theo Reese. Unlike Alex Rider, Theo isn’t physically ninja quick, but he is smart. And he uses that skill in his work with the ultra-secret TOS agency that he and his parents work for. At the tender age of 16 he’s attending high school, taking a class at MIT, playing hockey for his high-school team… and oh yeah… He’s a hacker/tech guru for the spy organization his parents work for. But this is spy fantasy… He’s also got a sexy and caring boyfriend. and both sets of parents are understanding enough not to be troubled by having gay sons.

That said, this is not so much a romance as a YA “action movie” style title. There are some bits where Theo (or Winger since he’s most often using his code name) is concerned that his boyfriend Eddie might be getting fed up with the secrets he’s keeping from him. There’s also his very legit concern that he may be endangering Eddie’s life without every really letting him know the full truth. But, it’s most definitely NOT a romance novel.

I do love the way that being gay is just accepted by his parents, his teammates, and his workmates as if it were just commonplace. Talk about a fantasy!

Also along those lines, Eddie is described as being “darker skinned.” In one bit Theo reflects on how Eddie doesn’t blush very often and when he does it takes longer to spot. Also at one point his hairstyle is described as being a short afro-style. While it’s not spelled out anywhere, I’m guessing/hoping that Eddie is at least partly African-American. While I love to celebrate diversity, I like to think that someday we’ll all get to a point where all of our differences can be celebrated without necessarily commenting on them.

Some critics have mentioned that Theo exhibits way more maturity than any teen has a right to. While I can understand their concerns, I wasn’t particularly bothered by that aspect of his character. He may be a bit too perfect in that regard, but unusual abilities are just part of the super-spy genre, no? Anyone who’s dealt with what he has for any length of time, and who has caring and supportive parental role models might well be more mature than most of his peers. He is still dealing with many of the other issues of being a teen. In some ways he’s completely normal. I was particularly touched by his concern that his employer, TOS were actually “the Good Guys.” Though he may be “too good to be true” on another front as well. At one point he sends himself to his room.

As you’d expect with teen-aged main characters, there is no graphic sex depicted here. Theo’s kept so busy that very little sex is even suggested here.  Though both boys do get to spend some private time. …in Eddie’s room, in Theo’s hotel room, and even a sauna at various points.

An earlier release of this audiobook was criticized by some for John Solo‘s voice not being a good match for the teen-aged protagonist in this single POV story. The current version is narrated by Kirt Graves who’s definitely got a youthful voice. At some points his boyish timbre still rings of Clearasil®. He’s also got some pretty spot-on regional accents that make a few of the tale’s characters more interesting as well.

Not sure if it’s just my preconceptions or something about Kirt Graves’s voice acting, but I kept picturing Theo as he might be portrayed by Ansel Elgort; and that’s despite his self-described status as a ginger.

If like me, you’d like to read something with a gay main character, but where romance (and/or being gay) isn’t the primary focus, you could certainly do worse than choosing this title. I’m already diving into book 2.

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Audible (Coming soon)

Amazon

Author site