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Synopsis:
2065: the streets are abandoned, shops are empty, parks are silent. But is that really much of a surprise when you can connect to the Cybernet?
Everyone can turn on, log in and drop out.
Cyrus, a failed physicist, and drop-out game designer Everett are on the cusp of their big breakthrough into the meta ranks of Neverborn, the world’s most popular game.
But when several high-profile avatars disappear, and their human counterparts are found dead, Cyrus and Everett find themselves under suspicion. They must clear their names and unravel the deeper mysteries of Brith and the Neverborn. In doing so, they will uncover a dark secret that threatens not only the game-world but the safety of their physical realm.
Satire, science fiction, fantasy, and mystery combine in an epic adventure where no one ever leaves home…
Excerpt
Brith was vast and the most common way to avoid long travel was through dimensional gateways. They could take you from point A to B in a matter of minutes rather than requiring the usual hours or even days of travel. The Dimension Gate spell was available to high-level mages, or by engaging the services of one. Even then, very few chose to actually use them for several reasons:
Most didn’t have access to the spell or could afford a mage’s gateway fee.
The Brith countryside was awe-inspiringly beautiful to wander, filled with many idyllic picnic spots to eat lunch.
The gateways were four-dimensional virtual space. Not only did many get lost and end up in the wrong spot, but the experience made many ill, making it the perfect spot to lose the lunch you’d have otherwise enjoyed at one of those picnic spots.
Entering four-dimensional cyberspace was one of the most mind-bending activities you could do in VR. In 2041, Anton Singh was studying for his PhD in theoretical physics at MIT, when it occurred to him that it was perfectly plausible to create four dimensional virtual spaces. The main hurdle, of course, was that humans weren’t equipped with the necessary sensory inputs to perceive the fourth spatial dimension in all its magnificence. This all changed with the advent of the Virtech® helms. With just a few firmware tweaks, Anton was able to create four dimensional avatars, with three eyes, ears and additional limbs with which to observe and navigate the environment more easily. These monstrous creations were affectionately referred to as Cubinoids for their resemblance to certain artworks from the mid-20th century. Connecting via Virtech® to a Cubinoid was a challenge for many to process. The additional sensory inputs took more than a few minutes to adjust to. Actually moving around a four-dimensional space was a mind opening experience and 4D vertigo was common. The spaces themselves were immaculately detailed and constructed. Light fall, shadows, gravity and even four-dimensional acoustics were all calculated with accuracy using Singh’s carefully designed algorithms. Anton himself would go on to expand his algorithms to create both five and six dimensional spaces. In six dimensions it appeared he reached the limits of what the human mind could endure and after a mere five-minute exposure, his once brilliant mind was reduced to that of a blithering idiot. His research, however, did go on to earn him his PhD from MIT. Some would say he wasn’t the first blithering idiot to achieve this.
Interview
How did you do research for your book?
Research was easy. I’d lived and breathed the online world in all its forms since pre-2000 through my career. Following how those trends might progress into the future, touching all aspects of our lives was educated guess work. I keep tabs on futurology and tech breakthroughs which helped inform my writing too.
Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?
The easiest was Sir_Pendulous_Wang, the man is already a parody of himself. The hardest to differentiate personality wise were Cyrus and Everett. I think they were almost interchangeable in early drafts but became distinctive down the track. I have a clear idea in my head of their characters now, but still find it hard to write the way Everett talks sometimes.
Your book was set in cyberspace how did you arrive at that decision? What made you write a book set in the Metaverse?
I wanted to do a fantasy story that was funny. I’ve found it hard to do funny fantasy because you can’t integrate modern sensibilities or references. By setting the fantasy aspect in a cyberspace game, it negates that limitation and adds layers to the story.
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
Everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. Books, TV, film, comics, casual conversations with friends, personal history, half remembered dreams… you name it.
There are many books out there about cyberspace and the metaverse. What makes yours different?
It’ll get a laugh or two. It’s not just science fiction, its fantasy, mystery and satire. I can’t recall reading anything that crosses genres like this since maybe Dirk Gently.
What is your next project?
Meta : Game Changer. The second book in the series.
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Author bio:
Xander Black wasted a lifetime creating cheap disposable ideas to sell cheap disposable products. He’s now focused on creating cheap disposable stories. When not writing he’s reading, watching film & TV, hanging with Sarah, Hesper, and Hattie, and occasionally playing the odd video game. He has a few more stories brewing that may be disposed of soon.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/xblack_author
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