sequels

Read Chapters 1-5 of “MultiReal” in the Pyr Sampler

Interested in reading chapters 1-5 of my new novel MultiReal, a good three and a half months before the book’s in stores? Now’s your chance. Pyr has just released a 326-page sampler (PDF, 3.5 MB) of its upcoming titles for the spring and summer, and the first 45 pages or so of MultiReal are in it. Keep your eye out at science fiction conventions if you want to get your hands on a paper copy, … Read more

A Preview of “MultiReal,” the Sequel to “Infoquake”

Today I’ve reached a milestone. I’ve finished what I’m labeling the fourth draft of MultiReal, the sequel to Infoquake. The book still has some rewriting to do before I let it out into the world for the public’s delectation. But if MultiReal were a piece of software, you’d call it “feature complete.” Meaning it has all the bells and whistles that will exist in the final version, even if some of them still have some rough edges.

Here are some things you can expect to see when MultiReal finally hits the shelves:

  • The death of at least one (and possibly two) major characters
  • The return of the group in black robes, and the answer to the question of who was behind the black code attack on Natch
  • A hands-on demonstration of how an enraged Islander delivers smackdown justice (hint: you need a big-ass Islander shock baton)
  • Many more details about the MultiReal program, including what happens when two users pit MultiReal programs against one another
  • A vicious power struggle between Natch and Jara for control over the Surina/Natch MultiReal Fiefcorp
  • The hidden truth behind the death of Marcus Surina and the onset of the Economic Plunge of the 310s
  • The introduction of several new pivotal characters, including:
    • Magan Kai Lee, Len Borda’s right-hand man
    • Papizon, Rey Gonerev and Ridgello, Magan’s loyal aides
    • Khann Frejohr, the newly elected speaker of the Congress of L-PRACGs
    • Pierre Loget, bio/logic programmer and rival to Natch
    • Geronimo, some anonymous dimwit who looks almost exactly like Natch
    • Berilla, the infamous queen bee of Horvil and Ben’s family
  • More slippery dealings by Frederic and Petrucio Patel
  • A look at what the Defense and Wellness Council is really up to, including several chapters from the POV of Len Borda and Magan Kai Lee
  • Scenes set on the virtual sex gratification network known as the Sigh, and a nice fat appendix about the workings of that network which will probably frighten my wife when she reads it
  • Chapters set in:
    • Old Chicago, a bombed-out city now inhabited mainly by the diss
    • Melbourne, the city of the central government
    • D-WeCC, the hidden headquarters of the Defense and Wellness Council
    • London, locale of Berilla’s cavernous West End estate
  • A look at the inner workings of the Prime Committee, including a section that does for governmental hearings what Infoquake did for product demos
  • An explanation from Brone about how MultiReal is pivotal to his impending “Revolution of Selfishness”
  • A climactic scene full of surprises, dartgun battles, double-crossings, quick escapes, and multiple realities
  • Another set of appendices exploring the world of the Jump 225 trilogy, and a thorough synopsis of the events of Infoquake

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