Customer Reviews

Rim: A Novel of Virtual Reality

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Besher's ideas are interesting. Take Johnny Mnemonic or Snowcrash and add in a great deal of Buddhist spirituality and a bit of Chinese medicine.

However, the writing is absolutely, Bulwer-Lytton contest awful.

Some examples: "His hands caressed the globes of her derriere," "Their feet touched, and they smiled," "His finger traced the slippery third rail of her shaven..." well, you get the idea.

Besher has no ear for dialog, and the prose is what you would expect from a senior high school student in the first week of creative writing.

Mr. Besher, you have a lot of promise. Please, take a year to practice writing with a good teacher. Your stories will benefit greatly, and your readers will be able to experience your ideas more clearly and pleasantly.

For readers who would like similar stories, but with better writing, check out Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson or almost anything from William Gibson.

This novel is a first one for Alexander Besher, one in which he explores a lot of new ideas, using cyber-punk (or cyber-noir or cyber-fantasy), as the delivery system. Now, I have books that have forced me to look at the universe in different ways. The Hitchhiker series and the Illuminatus! trilogy (which I think did some brain damage) are great examples.
This is not a great example. The plot-idea is that part of the VR world is in danger of crashing and taking a lot of people with it (including the main character's son). But the book seems to start off slowly, some parts don't seem to make sense or click into place till you're halfway thru and tons of the novel seems to be tencho-babble. In fact, some parts seem to be just plain made up on the spot. I know reviewers sometimes say that, but in this case I mean it. It has sci-fi stuff and, yes, Japanese businessmen and gangsters and VR and drugs and space stations - I'm sure William Gibson would be very proud. But I happen to NOT like Mr. Gibson's style (and his work at least had some logic to it).
Add Chi and zombies and a main character who can do anything (and get the girls) and it seems more like the wishful thinking of a 90's geek high on Jolt or no-doze.
What scares me is he wrote a series of this books!

I read this book over a year ago, and remember being extremely disappointed by it at the time.
As cyber-fiction goes it was average, but the most lasting impression (on me anyway) was the poor quality of the writing. I seem to remember having to put it down several times as a result of some extremely prosaic or downright cliched paragraphs.
Now, if I had to say something positive to conclude, it would have to be "Read Excession by Iain M. Banks"; That is genuinely original.

I also bumped into Rim for a coincidence at the bottom shelf of a large bookstore, at first it seemed to me that it was some kind of Nicholas Negroponte chronicles on how life will be (due to the Translation of the title into portuguese "Virtual World" and nothing against Negroponte). For pure curiosity I bought the book and found myself on a non-stoping reading week, amazed with the perfect conection between the future and concepts like Zen and Buddhism at their original form. Besher throw us right into a new dimension where the new frontier is not the outer space but a virtual universe, making it all seem very logical and even more frightening...very close to our reality ! I agree with a previous review about a certain uncomfort for those not into Oriental culture, but it certainly adds charm to this wonderfull book. Personaly I liked it much better than "Neuromancer", the very first of its kind but too far from reality. Lets see "Mir" now and if the son beats the dad...in quality pruposes at least.

One of the more literate books of the genre. A little like reading William Burroughs as the author challenges the reader to understand subtle sub-texts and a profusion of multi-ethnic symbols and references. I can understand that those unfamiliar with Tibetan Buddhism, Japanese Zen, Philip K. Dick and William Gibson may be left with the impression of a superficial cyberpunk thriller, but there is much more depth, humor and interest than first meets the eye. Highly Recommended.

Lines like, "he said with flawless, but slightly accented english" plague this book. The story is interesting, but there is almost no character development. The writing itself is below par.

All I have to say is that I hope that Mr. Besher decides to write another book. I started into RIM by reading the accolades and notes from other authors on the front and back of the book. They are all true. Not since Neuroumancer, has a book captivated and held onto my interest. It has everything from intrigue, that of Bond, and smarts , that of Holmes. I've since read the book four more times since them. I think I may do it again. Bravo Besher.

Webs_25

I came across this book by pure chance, luck, or you can say synchronicity! It is the best sci-fi book I have ever read and now can't wait till his new book, MIR, comes out to get more of Besher's brilliant and futuristic style. I believe that Rim would make an excellent film as well. His characters are vivid, the plot is spellbinding, his style is unique, Besher is truly one of a kind artist that I can't get enough of. I recommend this book to all with an open mind and imagination.

I found this book in a used bookstore in Seattle, now I'm looking for Besher's other novels. An incredible story, with an East-West future angle, so many different elements: it's metaphysical, funny, a thriller, with far-out ideas I've never seen anywhere else before. What a writer!

This is without a doubt one of the worst books I have ever read.

trust me ... don't waste your time.