City of Golden Shadow (Otherland, Volume 1)

Rating:
Summary: Great author - great book !
Review: This is the best novel about the future of the net! Tad Williams (who could not write a bad book - even if he tried) starts a series that is at least as gripping and suspensefull as his "M,S&T"-series. It ends with a cliffhanger and we will have to wait at least another two years to see the end of the story (in volume four) but it is really worth the wait !

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Summary: Ultimate cyber conspiracy begins!
Review: This is a excellent epic sf thriller.I usually don't read cyberpunk novels but this a gripping read. You have a sinister cabal of powerful men who creates a brilliantly realized cyber universe and will kill to keep secret.Against them are a african teacher named Irene(renie) who's brother falls victim to the brotherhood, her bushman friend, a dying boy and W.W.I soldier who lost his memory and is trap in the cyber universe. This novel combines science fiction, conspiracy and mythology, history.

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Summary: A scary look at where the Net could be going
Review: I would have rated this book 5 stars if I hadn't found out at 3am this morning that it is the first of 4 books and that the last 2 are not published yet. I travel a lot and only take paper backs so now I will have to wait years (?) to find out what happened. The story has multiple character with their own story lines and, in one volume, it works, but having to track across 4 volumes that won't all be available at one time until ??? means, for me, I will just stop with the first one.

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Summary: Snow Crash look out!
Review: You will try to take your bleary eyes away from this book more than once, hoping for sleep to give you the rest you need to continue. This book cannot be read in one day...the huge tome takes several. As you become immersed in the characters who, in turn, explore virtual reality of which we can only dream, your own world will seem a pale shadow and you will hunger to read more. This step into science fiction takes the science fact of artificial life and examines the implications of awesome computing power and terrabyte bandwidth. Follow a young South African woman and her Bushman student as they try to find the cabal that has pushed her brother into a coma. For conspiracy lovers, sci-fi freaks, and techno-geeks, this book wraps drama and character development in rich technology. As a precaution, I suggest you turn to pages 300 and 600 upon purchase of the book and put notes to yourself to eat, drink, and, please, shower. Forget sleep.

Rating:
Summary: A well written Sci-Fi/Fantasy mix.
Review: Tad Williams, one of the leading fantasy authors of today, has written a very good, well-written, compelling novel with Otherland:City of Golden Shadow. The characters are well developed, and the story line always leaves you wondering what will happen next.

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Summary: An ashtonishing idea of what could become of the net
Review: Williams sets down good characters wich start living in your imagination. It is very difficult to put the book down. It is dangerous; sleeplessness will overcome you. Even for me, and english is not my mother language, it is hard to stop reading. The only stupid thing was, that the ending was too sudden. Look, I know about open endings, but I have never seen an open ending like this; all the questions were left unanswered! So I have to read part two now; Luckily I have already purchased it. (Luckily for Mr. Williams) But I would reccomment it to anyone who likes to get swept away in a world you cannot imagine but is so close at hand.

Rating:
Summary: Definitely worth reading
Review: It's important for the reader to know that this isn't a normal series; it is as Tad said one very very long volume. He didn't feel like ending a book with a conclusive ending, then having to start up on another thread all over again; he wanted to just have people go on from the ending even if it means an inconclusive cliffhanger-like ending. It's a very good book though, a wonderful mixture of fantasy, science fiction, and cyberpunk; I myself am a fantasy buff, and this had just enough to definitely catch my attention. It's also like reading a very entertaining history book; he's researched it so well I'm totally in awe. I have the second book now, signed by him, am and hoping that it's as good or better than book 1. :)

Rating:
Summary: Don't sit down with this book if you only have a few minutes
Review: This is the first book I have read from this author and I am spellbound...at first I was a little lost but after a few chapters I could not put the book down. Often times I would sit down with this book and read from 6pm to 3am straight and only be able to close the book because I cannot keep from closing my eyes. Those who have complaints about the complexity of the storyline, just are not mentally matured enough to enjoy a writer on this level of writing. This book earned its 5 star rating. I am on the second book and cannot wait for the others to come!

Rating:
Summary: A must read for the cyber addicts
Review: Where to start ? In his latest epic, Williams has created a near future world which always seems plausible those fond of the web. Taking the premise that the web will eventually link just about everyone, and will find new ways to amuse those in need of a break from real life, the author creates a world just a few steps away from where we are now, to a potentially frigntening network of intrigue and subterfuge. Less far fetched than Gibson, and drawing heavily on Conan Doyle and Carroll (so far - with more to come), this book should grip from beginning to end. Roll on episodes 2 through 4.

Rating:
Summary: book is excellent
Review: I read a lot of SF and fantasy and this bok really surprised, his other books were very good but this blew me away, it was compltely different from anything else ive read, even my dad liked it!!!! and he doesnt like much of the stuff i read.