Review of Otherworld by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

 

We've all had times where technology interferes with our everyday life. Checking your cell phone at a family dinner, playing games while you're supposed to be working (or doing homework 😉), watching TikToks instead of sleeping a full 8 hours. But has technology truly taken over the human experience

 I recently read a book by Jason Segel and Kristin Miller called Otherworld. It's a 3 book series that takes on the idea of society getting 'sucked' into technology in a Matrix and Hunger Games-like way. Admittedly, this book is very similar to the Ready Player One series, but has some enjoyable differences. 

The book starts with an introduction to a new game. Otherworld is a fully immersive virtual reality game created by a huge tech company. Eighteen year old Simon  is a typical gamer and of course has to get into the newest and best. This new game is not just a 'visual' virtual reality, but also includes all other bodily senses. The virtual reality portrayed within the text describes different worlds where any human desire can be met. But what is at first a fun and addictive new game, soon turns into something that will turn both his and his closest friends' reality upside down. I consumed this text as an audiobook and felt it added to the darkness of the tale. An easy sci-fi YA read, Otherworld and the following two books in the series, dives in to the idea of technology taking society down a very dark road. 

"It’s a game so addictive you’ll never want it to end. Until you realize that you’re the one being played.

Welcome to Otherworld, where reality is dead. Step into the future. Leave your body behind."