Fortnite is very popular, and this book can serve as a bridge for older students and adults who like playing Fortnite to learning about physics in the real world. They might not pick up a "how things work in real life" book, but starting from Fortnite (and what is/is not possible in the real world), they can learn a lot of interesting things!

The idea behind this book is to examine items and weapons in the game Fortnite and determine whether or not the science behind the game is realistic. While this may sound like someone is trying to destroy the fantasy behind the game, know that author James Daley is a long-time player of Fortnite. So what is his real purpose for writing this book?

For that matter, what is my purpose in reading this book? I am a complete noob when it comes to playing console games (if you don’t believe me, there is plenty of proof on my Twitch feeds or on my Youtube channel, The Professional Newbie). However, unless you live in a complete vacuum, you have to at least have heard of Fortnite, one of the hottest games to ever be released. Having an interest in science and a small desire to learn a bit about this Fortnite phenomenon, I decided to read the book.

“The Science of Fortnite” is not what I expected it to be…which is neither a good or bad thing. The author uses gadgets and weapons available in Fortnite to start his discussions, but ultimately the book is a primer in how things work and is broken down into three parts. The Physics examines physical items like jetpacks, hoverboards, and the Battle Bus. Gravity is also discussed, as well as two natural elements that are a part of the game, The Volcano and The Storm. Shooting Science covers everything from guns to cannons while Things That Go Boom talks about items like grenades, rocket launchers, and bombs.

Mr. Daley approaches it all with a smile, and his explanations of the science behind all the items is easily understood. He writes with a breezy, entertaining style that keeps you interested. As expected, some of the items in the game are not realistic and cannot be duplicated in real life, but no matter. People don’t play Fortnite and other console games because they replicate the real world, they play the games to escape reality and have a few hours of entertainment.

Reading this book will not make you a better Fortnite player. It will educate you on how things work in the real world, and a little knowledge never hurt anyone. I found it to be a quick read and extremely informative without getting bogged down in a lot of useless details. Recommended for everyone (not just Fortnite fans). Five stars.

My thanks to Skyhorse Publishing for an advance electronic copy of this book.