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Post by Helena Trooperman Dated:28th March 2023
Caitlin Decter is young, pretty, feisty, a genius at math – and blind. Still, she can surf the net with the best of them, following its complex paths clearly in her mind.
But Caitlin’s brain long ago co-opted her primary visual cortex to help her navigate online. So when she receives an implant to restore her sight, instead of seeing reality, the landscape of the World Wide Web explodes into her consciousness, spreading out all around her in a riot of colors and shapes.
While exploring this amazing realm, she discovers something – some other – lurking in the background. And it’s getting more and more intelligent with each passing day.
BONUS AUDIO: Includes an exclusive introduction written and read by author Robert J. Sawyer.
Get WWW Wake from Amazon
Robert J. Sawyer has been described as Canada’s answer to Michael Crichton. Critically acclaimed in the US he is regarded as one of SF’s most significant writers and his novels are regularly voted as fan’s favourites. He lives just outside of Toronto. Find Robert J Sawyer’s Website
Wake is the first book in the WWW series of near-future sci-fi. The ordinary world of Caitlin Decter, a young woman blind from birth, discovers a world of partial sight thanks to her groundbreaking implant. She is already tech savvy like most teens and enjoys using the internet, but it’s the discovery that her implant has changed how she experiences the web that’s most original. Anchored in today’s fast paced world of tech, the story still feels relevant. As Caitlin begins to experience her world differently there’s a sense of rebirth, which is then echoed by the birth of the consciousness.
What will happen if others find out about the entity?
I consider this a thought provoking coming of age story for young people and anyone that enjoys sci-fi from a young adult’s perspective. It’s great to find a unique story about how technology positively enhances our everyday lives through medicine and then takes it one step along the path of a future with a self-evolving consciousness.
Will optimism win out over fear?
However, it was a long time before the consciousness started to evolve, so the story didn’t feel very sci-fi for much of this read/listen, but that’s common with near-future, especially at the start of an Earth based series. I did enjoy the read overall but didn’t feel the pull to read the next story immediately. It felt like a good standalone.
But wait…the story lingers in your mind and the clever title in particular drew me back.
I just had to read the next one. Boy, oh boy, was I glad I did. Enough said. The next title is: Watch, followed finally by Wonder.
Caitlin’s voice is the most significant and really brings her to life. However, there is a cast of voices telling this story, including Jessica Almasy, Jennifer Van Dyck, A. C. Fellner, Marc Vietor, and Robert J. Sawyer. As the entity emerged it took me a while to work out what was happening. It soon became apparent, so hang in there. Overall, the story telling, although unique to convey a new consciousness, was most enjoyable.
Inching toward a protopian society and extremely thought provoking.
This first of three novels takes place on Earth and is about the good technology can be if that’s how we choose to use it. The main character, Caitlin is 15/16 and we follow her through how much her sight implant changes her life as the first test case for her sight defect.
#hardscifi #scifi #invention #nearfuture #youngadult #comingofage
Robert’s newsletter is worth subscribing to as one of the first in Canadian sci fi and he’s known for his fantastic blog. Why not check it out?
You can get a copy of WWW Wake at your Amazon store.
Click on Robert’s Amazon Author page. Following is a great way to hear about future releases, offers on his stories, and improved recommendations.
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Afterword:
(I live in Canada & my stories are in Canadian. 😘 That’s why some of the spellings are British rather than American. These are not typos, although occasionally, I still make those – oops! But not too many.
Buy at: https://www.amazon.com/WWW-Wake-Robert-J-Sawyer-audiobook/dp/B00262UAJQ/
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