Otherworld by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller is the timely dystopic world you’ve been waiting to dive into.
We got to check out the first installment of the new YA series, Otherworld, written by the writing team of Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller. Learn more about the book and check out our review, here!
About ‘Otherworld’
Virtual reality is quickly becoming more prevalent and accessible to everyone. While that seems like it can only be a good thing, Otherworld takes a look at some of the many things that could go wrong with this technology.
The book does this through the experiences of Simon and Kat. They were best friends, until their circumstances forced them apart. Now that Simon’s on probation and Kat’s living in fear of her overbearing stepfather, everything has changed.
The release of the Otherworld virtual reality game gives Simon some hope. If he and Kat are no longer friends in the real world, maybe he can salvage their relationship in the groundbreakingly real, hugely advanced world of the game, developed by “The Company.”
The game is everything they thought it would be, but when freak accidents, corporate conspiracies, and real life threats takeover their lives in the real world, they start questioning both realities – the physical and the virtual. Unfortunately for Simon and Kat, neither are what they seem.
‘Otherworld’ review
It’s difficult to dispute that virtual reality is going to be a huge part of our future. The technology is still new and has only recently become accessible to own, but sometime in the near future it will likely be as common as standard video games!
The virtual reality technology that’s explored in Otherworld is extremely advanced, but it’s so easy to consider a time when that would be possible, that it almost feels inevitable. Where some dystopic worlds feel more like a work of fantasy (although The Hunger Games feels more and more possible, everyday), Otherworld feels grounded in reality; more like a continuation of our current path than a dramatic departure.
While reading Otherworld, you’ll find yourself exclaiming, “of course that would happen,” far more often than you’ll think, “imagine if that happened.”
The novel is filled with mystery from start to finish, with the riddles only escalating in scale. The first mystery on Simon’s plate is a very relatable one. Why won’t Kat speak to him anymore? This problem is a simple and accessible entry point into the world of the two characters, but it also manages to be one of the book’s most interesting problems until its conclusion.
The bond between the two characters remains a central theme throughout the entire story, even though they spend a good chunk of the book apart. Through Simon’s quest to help his friend, the reader gets to know both of these intriguing, likable characters, along with others. The sarcasm and wit of the characters’ voices is a clear highlight of Otherworld.
Beyond the believability of the story, one of the things that Otherworld handles best is its stakes. Whether the characters are spending time in the real world or Otherworld, the stakes always feel authentic and important. As each piece of the puzzle is revealed, the stakes only get higher. Everything the characters have to do as they navigate through the story feels necessary and significant.
As advanced virtual reality technology is becoming more ubiquitous in society, the topics of VR and artificial intelligence are also becoming more popular in our media. Ready Player One and Black Mirror’s “San Junipero” are two very popular examples of the VR phenomenon being explored from different angles.
Admittedly, when I first started paging through Otherworld, I was concerned that it was going to be a rehashing of Ready Player One, but I was so delighted to be proven wrong very quickly. While, understandably, Otherworld feels reminiscent of its predecessors as Simon experiences Otherworld for the first time, the story takes so many intriguing turns that it definitely holds its own within the genre.
Otherworld also took an interesting step past virtual reality, and the dangerous addictions that it could cause, and also examined the issues of morality around artificial intelligence. This was a surprising, yet equally important and well handled topic in the book, increasing the stakes ever further.
If you’re interested in virtual reality, artificial intelligence, corporate conspiracies, or just plain old hero quests, you should certainly add Otherworld to your list. It’s a fantastic journey from start to finish, and will keep your attention, long after you’ve put the book down.
Otherworld is available on October 31, 2017. You can preorder your copy at any of the outlets below.