Synopses & Reviews
The end of a universe...
Otherland the private, multidimensional universe created and controlled by The Grail Brotherhood, an organization made up of the world's most powerful and ruthless individuals was crumbling. The Brotherhood's plans for immortality within the network had been shattered by the monstrous intelligence that ran the network, a presence known only as the Other, and by an even more monstrous human being who called himself John Dread. Seizing control of the network from his employer, Felix Jongleur, Dread had now made himself the god of this virtual universe and was systematically turning the network's worlds into killing grounds.
As helplessly trapped as Renie Sulaweyo, !Xabbu, Sam Fredericks, Martine, Paul Jonas, and the rest of the small band who had entered Otherland in an attempt to save the many children held captive within this virtual reality, Jongleur was now forced to make common cause with his enemies. Yet even as they struggled through the maze of invented worlds, striving to reach the true heart of Otherland, time was growing shorter.
Caught in the surreal and deadly landscapes of the failing network, the desperate band battled against increasing odds to save the children, solve the bizarre mysteries of Otherland, and escape back to reality.
But before long there might not be a "real" world to return to for any of them. For destroying Jongleur's playground was merely a dress rehearsal for Johnny Dread. Dread's ultimate plan was to gain control of Jongleur's massive corporate holdings and spread apocalyptic destruction throughout the entire Earth....
Review
"The Otherland series concludes triumphantly in this fourth and final volume. The real and virtual plots all come to a spectacular climax, but Williams avoids any neat and tidy resolution a surprisingly satisfying conclusion to such a fantastic adventure." Locus
Review
"Williams notably extrapolates the technology of virtual reality...and he exhibits a fine satirical touch when writing about games, folklore, and the influence on society of ultra-high-tech. He is less handy with narrative technique, for the subplots multiply seemingly without end, and with the stage management of an equally multitudinous number of characters." Roland Green, Booklist
Review
"This stunning finale to the gigantic Otherland tetralogy...is sure to please Williams's many fans....[A] well-crafted if convoluted plot sustains interest through the lengthy climax, which explains the inexplicable....The Otherland books are a major accomplishment." Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
A group of adventurers searching for a cure for comatose children find themselves trapped in a sequence of virtual worlds, the only opponents of a conspiracy of the rich to live forever in a dream. Now, they are forced to make an uneasy alliance with their only surviving former enemy against his treacherous sidekick Johnny Wulgaru, a serial killer with a chance to play God forever.
Few science fiction sagas have achieved the level of critical acclaim-and best-selling popularity-as Tad Williams's Otherland novels. A brilliant blend of science fiction, fantasy, and technothriller, it is a rich, multilayered epic of future possibilities.
About the Author
Tad Williams has held more jobs than any sane person should admit to-singing in a band, selling shoes, managing a financial institution, throwing newspapers, and designing military manuals, to name just a few. He also hosted a syndicated radio show for ten years, worked in theater and television production, taught both grade-school and college classes, and worked in multimedia for a major computer firm. He is cofounder of an interactive television company, and is currently writing comic books and film and television scripts as well. Tad and his family live in London and the San Francisco Bay Area. You can find Tad Williams at tadwilliams.com.�