The Impossible Fortress: A Novel

The Impossible Fortress: A Novel

From the author of the New York Times bestseller The Last One at the Wedding —a sweet coming-of-age story about young love that’s an “endearing, full embrace of the late 1980s” ( USA TODAY ) and a delightful blend of humor, heart, and the universal experience of growing up. Fourteen-year-old Billy Marvin is living the dream of every nerd in New Jersey. His days are filled with endless debates over pop culture icons, late-night video game programming on his beloved Commodore 64, and the simple joys of friendship. But when Playboy magazine releases photos of Wheel of Fortune ’s iconic Vanna White, Billy's world is turned upside down. Enter Mary Zelinsky, a brilliant and equally geeky girl who challenges Billy in ways he never expected. As their friendship blossoms, Billy finds himself navigating the complexities of first love, all while hatching a plan with his friends to get their hands on the coveted magazine. Described by Newsweek as " thoroughly escapist joy," The Impossible Fortress is a testament to the power of nostalgia and the timelessness of falling in love. Fans of Stranger Things and those who cherish pop culture and 80s nostalgia will find themselves transported back to a time when life was simpler, yet full of joyful anticipation. * MOST ANTICIPATED NOVELS OF 2017 SELECTION BY * ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY * BUSTLE * INSTYLE.COM * PRAISE FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE FORTRESS "Revel in 1987 nostalgia in this debut about a teen boy, a coveted copy of Playboy, and a computer-nerd girl." — Entertainment Weekly "Need a sanctuary book right about now? Maybe a retro escapist read about simpler times that lets you laugh out loud, not overthink, indulge in nostalgia? Well, here you go. The Impossible Fortress is a quirky, endearing, full embrace of the late ‘80s. Set in those promise-filled, early years of the Computer Age, its clever plot is driven by surging teen hormones and fumbling first love, by bad adolescent choices and a struggle for redemption." —USA Today "Full of clueless boys, consequence-free adventures and generous helpings of adolescent humor, all served up with a kind smile...you relish the book’s countless callbacks to the 1980s." — Washington Post “Infused with 1980s music, pop culture, and plenty of the BASIC computer programming language, Rekulak’s debut offers a charmingly vintage take on geek love, circa 1987 in New Jersey… Rekulak’s novel will have readers of a certain age waxing nostalgic about Space Invaders and humming Hall and Oates, but it’s still a fun ride that will appeal to all.” — Publishers Weekly “Rekulak layers in nostalgic eighties references, like a mixtape created by Mary’s recently deceased mother, an oblique nod to Beetlejuice , and the wacky group of misfit friends with a 'really good' plan. Despite all that, in the end the plot manages to magically subvert the time period while also paying homage to it. An unexpected retro delight.” — Booklist (starred review) "Set against the backdrop of 1980s New Jersey, Jason Rekulak's charming coming-of-age debut about a 14-year-old computer nerd who schemes to steal an issue of Playboy from a local store and meets a girl who can code in the process will invoke pangs of nostalgia." — InStyle "A sweet and surprising story about young love." —A.V. Club "There are few things in this life more satisfying than a book that truly grasps what it's like to be a nerd—and what makes it so much damn fun. The Impossible Fortress is about video games, first crushes, idols and adolescence—and it's a thoroughly escapist joy in its most pure form." — Newsweek "Fans of Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One — or anyone who grew up as a nerd in the ‘80s — will be sure to find something to love in Philadelphia-based author Rekulak’s debut novel, about a 14-year-old Commodore 64 aficionado whose life changes when he encounters a Playboy photo spread and meets a computer programmer." — Men's Journal "This debut novel by the publisher of Quirk Books feels like a sort of spiritual prequel to Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One , with a young protagonist adrift in a sea of pop culture and new technology, trying to figure out his future." — Library Journal " The Impossible Fortress strikes the perfect balance of strangeness and relatability; it’s nostalgic in all the right ways. It reminds us that sometimes relationships are like video games, where small actions have big consequences and we have to fail a few times before we succeed." —Bookpage "This book is Stranger Things meets Halt and Catch Fire, to be enjoyed by those (like me) who have a soft spot for 8-bit games and the teenage antics of a more innocent time. " —Bookriot.com "A love letter to the 1980s, adolescence, technology, nerd-dom, and Vanna White , The Impossible Fortress will make you laugh and remind you of how much is possible when you're fourteen." — David Ebershoff, bestselling author of The Dani