Otherland is a four part science fiction series that perfectly straddles the line between cyberpunk and fantasy. If you enjoy a good epic following multiple characters throughout various worlds, you just might be interested in this quartet. There are also obvious parallels between the Sword Art Online anime/ light novels and this story.
The series takes place in the not too distant future where full body immersive virtual reality has become commonplace. When children suddenly begin falling into mysterious comas while plugged into the Net, it will take a handful of brave and curious individuals to find the truth hidden behind corrupt corporations, secret societies and military cover-ups.
The cast is wonderfully varied, and Williams has included various ages, genders, sexual orientations and cultures. Each character with a personal agenda and intensely emotional motivation.
An African teacher trying to save her little brother. Her student, an African nomad unfamiliar with technology. A blind researcher from France looking for answers. A dying boy whose only friend has been taken. These and others venture into the Otherland - an exclusive network containing handcrafted worlds, more realistic than technologically possible. There they encounter a man with missing memories, a prisoner of the system.
In the real world an Australian police officer puts her life on the line to hunt a vicious killer. A little girl secretly befriends an ancient man hidden away in a military base. A woman who has lost everything infiltrates the most powerful company on the planet. All are connected with with the network, though they may not know it.
Otherland is a complicated but engaging story that takes place in dozens of worlds both original and based on literature like The Wizard of Oz, Alice Through the Looking Glass and A Princess of Mars. If you're looking for a unique read, this just may be it.
11 days until Christmas!
11 days until Christmas!
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