Invitation to the Game (1990)

Invitation to the Game is a science-fiction book written by Monica Hughes. It has recently been published as The Game.

The book is a hard science fiction dystopian novel set in 2154, a time when machines and robots perform most jobs and children go to government schools. Because of this, very few people are employed, with many people living on a social welfare system for support. The unemployed people have nothing to look forward to, except various illicit drugs. Some have formed gangs, some are shown to be agitating for political reform (in chapter 5, there is a reference to leaflets being printed up), and many are involved in organized crime of some form or another. The government, possibly the only government in existence at this point, is shown to have complete control over its citizens by restricting the unemployed to designated areas (DAs), and having similar control over the working class.

The working-class people are taught to hate the unemployed citizens, while the unemployed generally want money and employment, in a classic class struggle.

The story is told from the perspective of Lisse, a recent graduate of a government school.

Plot summary

Lisse and her friends are unemployed sixteen year olds after graduating from a respected private government run school, and are dumped in the city along with nearly a hundred others at different locations, called Designated Areas or DAs. At the local Unemployed Rehab Center, the reality of their new lives is spelled out for them. They cannot leave their designated area unless they have a travel pass, something that is apparently quite rare. If they are caught outside their DA, they will be arrested by the Thought Police. As Unemployed, Lisse and her friends receive a monthly stipend of credits that they can only use at Government controlled food stores. Government controlled clothing stores are apparently free for the unemployed, and provide clothing in fantastic and garish colors and styles, a sharp contrast to the drab and simple clothes most employed workers wear. The group speculates that it's to make the unemployed stick out more in their colorless surroundings. Things like travel passes and non food related purchases are restricted to the employed, though it seems that both groups use the same type of credits, since unemployeds can make things to sell to the employed masses, and there is no mention of having to exchange one set of credits for another. The Unemployment center provides the monthly credit stipend, a free dining room that supplies 3 simple meals a day, a dorm that can be used for a very limited amount of time, and locations of rent free housing that the unemployed are allowed to live in. Lisse's group decides to stick together and, by claiming to be a "corporation" that makes things for the employed to buy, are allowed to move into a warehouse. Since they aren't allowed to buy anything but food and cleaning supplies, the unemployed must "scrounge" for everything else they would need, like bedding, furniture, cooking supplies, electronic devices that can be repurposed into other things.

They discover that by day, the area they live in is an unsafe place. By night, however, the unemployed residents come out and are active. Coffee bars, tea houses and discos are open and active at night, along with foot traffic, in colors that make what Lisse's group is wearing look like worker clothes. Lisse and her friends spend several evenings trying to fit into their new world and meet other unemployed groups after they realize that this is their life now. Karen, Trent, Katie, Paul and Alden all have skills that aren't easily translated into the very simplistic lifestyle of the unemployed. They are the catalyst of venturing out into the night to find out how the other unemployed groups spend their lives in their new reality.

The thought police quickly step in to quell any large problems or disputes. For their own safety, they study karate from Katie, one of the housemates. The local library has old fashioned books to help them learn other self-preservation skills to protect themselves and their home. Lisse finds many books of interest there, as she can lose herself in the fantasy of fiction and daydreams of a better life, a better world. Each of the housemates try to add their expertise to the home and keep their group busy. Brad uses his carpentry and mechanical skills, along with materials the group scrounges to turn their warehouse into a protected "castle". Scylla uses her artistic ability to paint murals on the walls of fantastic landscapes and outlandish scenes of fantasy, to help lessen the dreariness of their new existence. They also sell her paintings and Brad's toys to the employed to help bolster the meagre credits they receive every month. On one of their nightly excursions, Lisse and her friends hear of a mysterious 'game', called "The Game" with capital letters. It is known that participants can only be selected, and that anyone who requests to join will always be declined. In the unsafe night, they encounter a suspicious man named Charlie, who offers Lisse's friend and housemate Alden a partnership. Charlie wants to use Alden's skills in chemistry to create mind altering substances and offers the group money, travel and protection. Realizing that Charlie is a powerful gang leader, Alden refuses to help and is attacked on his way home. Thankfully his friends were watching and were able to help before Alden was seriously hurt. The thought police arrive very quickly and arrest Charlie's thugs, but Lisse's group manages to get away. This incident and earlier encounters with other young, unemployed people drive home the helplessness of their existence.