River of Blue Fire (Otherland, Volume 2)

Rating:
Summary: 4 stars - but only just
Review: I enjoyed this book much more than the first, mainly because it was not as long. Long books don't usually daunt me, but CoGS was so SLOW!!!! Anyway, this book was still slow, and a little boring in a lot of places (especially the kitchen, though that could be funny too). I wish something of real substance would happen, though. All they did was go through endless simulations. And how I detest the Oz simulation! I'll never see the wizard of Oz in the same way again. I wouldn't reccommend this book for anyone who likes fast-paced action, because there was little of that.

Rating:
Summary: Blue Fire is Brilliant
Review: What a treat it was to stumble upon Tad Williams' Otherworld Series. Volume 2 is even more exciting and complex than the first one, and the characters become more sympathetic and realistic. I am amazed by the diffirent virtual worlds that the author creates and explores, and the various literary and cultural references are fun to watch out for (see if you can find the quotation from the movie Blade Runner). Of course, upon finishing this book, I immediately picked up Volume 3. Onward through Otherland!