SOJALS rating:

Mediocre (2/5)

I first read this in June 2000.

In the near future there is a new technology about to hit the streets. This is an full-immersion Virtual Reality broadcast technology. Alex Munn, a scriptwriter, has written the first few episodes of this new series. Now, He's disillusioned and burnt out. He's fed up with the new series and all he really want's to do is spend time in the virtual world he's been building for himself. Furthermore, he's still suffering from his divorce, and his ex-wife is not making it easy to disengage.

Then there are a few surreal, almost dreamlike attacks on his life. He's beginning to get a real problem with what looks like an impossible seepage between the real and the virtual worlds. Some of his friends are murdered and collecting some replacement friends he attempts to puzzle out what is going on. Can he do it before he and they are killed?

This was really rather good. It was taut and exciting, something of a detective novel, I enjoyed, rather unexpectedly, the historical descriptions and particularly the scenes with the enterprising Cosmo.

What else has it got? Some exhibitionistic sexuality (but sadly no aliens), good humour and the wonderful Rodney technique of self-defense.