eXistenZ: A Novelization [Mass Market Paperback]

Christopher Priest (Author), David Cronenberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 1999

A world where fantasy is more real than life itself.

You are in a society where game designers are superstars and players can organically enter their favorite games. . . . A society where no one is more desired than Allegra Geller, the hip gaming goddess whose latest system, eXistenZ, takes a quantum leap beyond anything ever imaginedtapping so deeply into its users' fears and desires that it blurs the boundaries of reality.

Fleeing an assassination attempt from Anti-eXistenZialists determined to destroy the game and its creator, Allegra finds an ally in Ted Pikul, a young executive turned novice security guard sworn to protect her. Seeking shelter within her creation, Allegra persuades Ted to play the game, and the fugitives find themselves in a phantasmagoric world where existence ends and eXistenZ begins, a fantastic place where nothing is as it seems and the villains are all too realand all too deadly.

Now a major motion picture from Dimension Films, written and directed by David Cronenberg and starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, and Ian Holm.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This novelization of David Cronenberg's film by established British SF writer Christopher Priest involves confusion between levels of reality, as portrayed so vividly in novels by Philip K. Dick. "eXistenZ" is an all-senses computer game that seems more real than the real world and allows unwary players to enter deeper games nested within games, with the possibility of getting lost in the virtual maze. (Was exiting the game just part of the game? Did I only dream I woke up?) Violence at the first "eXistenZ" demonstration sends its beautiful designer and a security guard fleeing into a multilevel nightmare. Cronenberg's theme of disturbing biotechnologies crops up repeatedly. The game "hardware" is all too like a living organ that links to a new, artificial body orifice. There are recurring appearances of a repugnant handgun built from small animals' bones and sinews, whose bullets are human teeth. After briefly threatening to lose its way in surrealism and horror, the story develops an interesting bite and ends with clever revelations. Aficionados will have guessed before then what's really going on, but for movie SF eXistenZ is cheeringly sophisticated. Not for the squeamish, though. --David Langford, Amazon.co.uk

From Library Journal

This adaptation of Cronenberg's movie of the same name focuses on the role games play in our lives. In this futuristic world, the game eXistenZ allows one physically as well as mentally to suspend disbelief, which enables the player to overcome physical barriers. The story revolves around the top game designer and a novice player who provides the readers' viewpoint: shock, then acceptance, then enjoyment in playing the game. Eventually, the novel evolves into a discussion of what is real, as the characters lose the ability to determine whether or not the game has ended. In this day, with the pervasiveness of the media--especially the Internet--this book asks current questions and delivers an important message. However, its execution is clumsy. The atmosphere, potentially successful in a movie, is out of sync with what a reader demands, and the artwork is claustrophobic and not intriguing enough to compel attention. For larger public and academic libraries where media studies is popular.
-Stephen Weiner, Maynard P.L., MA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: HarperEntertainment (April 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061020273
• ISBN-13: 978-0061020278
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,211,060 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Inexcuseably amatuerish, August 17, 2005

By 

Ophiuchus (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Existenz (Paperback)

eXistenZ was a very good movie, but the book version...!
Of course, novellisations of movies tend to be bad, but this one was way in at the deep end of bad. There was no tension, no suspense, and the writer managed to give away every surprise plot-point before its time. The characters are flat and lifeless, the dialogue is corny and unrealistic... I refuse to believe this guy ever won awards for his writing, which is what the back of the book claims. Maybe he was paying attention when he wrote the award-winning stuff.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, July 19, 2000

By 

Yali Friedman (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: eXistenZ: A Graphic Novel (Paperback)

I'd been trying to rent "eXistenZ" for some time, but couldn't find it anywere. Finding the illustrated novel based on the movie, I snatched it up and consumed it. The watercolor panels provided enough clarity to make out what was happening, leaving your imagination to fill in the details of each scene. An excellent substitute/companion to the movie.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars One Crazy Novel, February 11, 2005

By 

Jantz T. "yeah" (GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Existenz (Paperback)

Existenz was more like amovie than a video game. The whole origin of the game was to kill the creator of it. The movie centered around video game creator Allegra Gellar. During this time the game creators were worhiped like gods and players can actually enter the game. Things turn sour when certain people try to kill Gellar. She must then go into hiding with her guard Ted Pikal. Soon Gellar must go inside the game because she feels the game is sick. She insists that Pikal come iwth her and he agrees. This movie was wierd but I like the idea of people actually being a part of the game. Thas was very intriguing. The ending has a twist to it.