Okay, the thought that came to me about 70 times while reading the book was: 
 This is a cross between Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (though I haven't finished that book, I've read enough to compare it to this one) 
 It was pretty epic, I must admit. There is no hesitancy when saying that. The plot is fantastic, constantly leaving me on edge waiting for more, the characters were all so different and, well, funny (the Android and Man Hands are good examples), dialogue and the jokes - that were actually supposed to be jokes - were hilarious and witty (and other times just weird). It has the whole military-using-children/outer-space-epic-battles that is in Ender's Game, and the whole playing-virtual-reality-games/obsessing-over-a-girl thing. Well technically it's an obsessing-over-the-enemy thing then the girl one, but still. And there are still a lot of things that make this book different, as all books need. I really loved it. 
 The characters: 
 I would describe everyone, but they are something you have to experience for yourself to really understand how genius they are, so I will only do small descriptions. 
 -Thomas (Tom/Doctor/Mordred) Raines: Sarcastic, Impulsive, Lone Wolf, Funny, and a tad crazy. (love him) 
 -Wyatt (Man Hands/Evil Wench) last name forgotten from disuse: Genius, Anti-social, Blunt and Loyal. 
 -Vikhram (Vik/Doctor/Spicy Indian) Last name forgotten from disuse: Stupid, Loyal, Immature and a by the book soldier. 
 -(Russian guy whose name I forgot because his nickname, the Android, was too funny): Scrambled, Dedicated, and so gosh darn cute (in a clumsy puppy or laughing baby kind of way). 
 I loved the Applied Sims, and the crazy people, and how not everything is explained too early, or how not everything ends in this book. To be honest, even with all the bloody hints toward the semi bad guy, I didn't figure out who it was until it was told to me, which is a pro to this book. 
 Please read it, you won't regret it.