[2] Variant is a book that follows the character of Benson Fisher as he is sent to Maxfield Academy on a scholarship.

In order to survive, Benson must join one of the three groups on campus: Society, Havoc, and Variant.

Society, the largest group, were the ones who followed and reinforced the rules, keeping the school in order.

Benson quickly discovers that the groups are constantly at each other's throats and that it's a much more dangerous game than he had anticipated.

Benson learns that the school operated under a system of points, where the gangs do their jobs to earn more.

Benson takes an interest in her, but when they are talking outside on the night of the dance, Laura and Dylan, members of Society, comes and stops them.

Critical reception for Variant was positive, with Kirkus Reviews praising the book's first person narrative.

[4] Voice of Youth Advocates stated that the book was "an exciting, edge-of-your-seat read" that "should join the ranks of today’s must-read science fiction and fantasy series".