Over the weekend, I had the fortunate experience of attending a virtual “Meet the author” book club meeting held in Second Life. Cory Doctorow, the author of “Down & Out in the Magic Kingdom”, was gracious enough to come in-world (although he doesn’t “play” Second Life) to give an interview and to field questions based on the ideas and topics raised and touch on in his novel.
I managed to read though the novel a day before the book club and I find it to be very much to my liking. It falls firmly in what I consider to be CyberPunk, in which instead of technology being the basis of bigger and faster action like in Star Wars and Star Trek, it uses technology to bring to light the essence, strength and overwhelming frailty of Human nature. I have nothing against both Star Wars or Star Trek, but sometimes I just need a good dose of a more gritty type of science-fiction.
And what a concept the book paints, a world were reputation is currency, where death is defeated by “back-up” booths and forced-grown clones, where computers are implanted and all set against the backdrop of Disneyland. Yet with all the technology, humans are still subjected to the roller coaster ride (if you pardon the pun) of emotions such as failure, disappointment, betrayal and boredom.
In the end the book comes highly recommended. If you like you can download a full copy of the novel from here.
All in all one of the best events I have attended in Second Life in some time. Looking forward to the next one.
