Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Grand Fantasy Adventure With A Heart And Soul, October 1, 2004
"Killobyte" wouldn't have to be anything more than what it's described as on the back - a near-future hyper-realistic virtual reality game where players can play almost any role, until a hacker brings into the game the possibility of real death to the players - and succeed marvelously as an exhilirating adventure story and prime fodder for any number of dreams and fantasies. But, being written by Piers Anthony, it also adds in some extra dimensions for even more reward.
First, the VR-adventure themes - players play 'online' with and against any number of other players (and bear in mind that this was written in 1993, when things like the Internet were still in their infancy), choosing from a vast array of scenarios - High Fantasy type with dragons and sorcerors and dashing knights and beautiful maidens; Science Fictional settings; 'real-life' political intrigue/military settings - just about anything you can think of - and select from a host of loosely-defined 'roles' within their scenario, then go on to custom-make the specific attributes of their character. Players can log in and out of their scenario and come back in inprogress, but if killed ingame must start a new character. For any fan of video games, adventure/fantasy movies, and the sexier possibilities in Virtual Reality role-playing, this guarantees a great novel provided it's written well, which this is.
But there's more - first of all, though it's evident that the majority of Killobyte-players are 'normal', reasonably well-adjusted people whose excursions into the VR world no more mean that they can't enjoy the real world, any more than people who watch a lot of movies or read a lot of books can't enjoy numerous other aspects of life; the two lead characters - Waler and Baal - are indeed hampered by limitations that severely hamper their ability to partake of the 'real' world. And their backstories are given, providing insight into and generating real empathy for the characters. Baal, for example (this isn't giving anything away, it comes up early in the book) is both severely diabetic and hypershy. This is one thing I love about Anthony's writing: like Stephen King and Dean Koontz he includes characters with physical and/or mental ailments as main parts of the cast - sometimes it's not a main point, just a 'just-happens-to-be' kind of thing; other times it's a significant part of the character. But even when it's significant in the character and the story, it's always made clear that the affliction (or disability or whatever you want to call it) is FAR from the sole characteristic that makes up the person. This is true of Koontz's and King's books as well.
Piers also frequently includes characters of different races, belief systems, ethnicities, and the other things that unfortunately tend to divide people, into his books. Here, for example, the Druze religion is briefly brought into things, an actual religion that I had never heard of before reading "Killobyte". As a species, humanity isn't doing as good a job as it could of the different peoples mingling and understanding and respecting one another in the real world. Perhaps greater exposure to different cultures, religions, etc., through things like books and movies is a place to start? (If you agree with that, I'd enthusiastically urge you to check out "The Veiled Web" by Catherine Asaro, an excellent book that has the very notions above as one of its two main themes, along with the emergence of genuine Artificial Intelligence)
There's one other thing about this that's a big drawing point - the Author Notes at the back. Years back I gave up reading most Author Notes and interviews and the like, and I Never watch the behind-the-scenes making-of features on DVDs, because I don't want to risk spoiling the magic of the story. At the time I ceased with the interviews and stuff, I decided there were a few sources who were 'safe' in this way, Anthony being one of them. His notes are always entertaining, enlightening, and never take away even a smidgen of the magic of his books
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quick, easy, enjoyable, September 5, 2000
Having avoided Piers Anthony since junior high school (16 years or so ago), I was first exposed to him through Killobyte. As a graphics programmer, this book is awful and very, very, very wrong. As a fiction reader, though, this book is complete, well written, and a delight to sit and pour through.Killobyte's characters, Walter, Baal, and Phreak, are perfectly described, their actions, their pasts...they all seem congruous and well-thought. The action is quickly paced and often funny. Fans of computer gaming will find it especially enjoyable to be immersed in this fantasy world of gaming, even one that is so very unlikely. You will read this book at one sitting, and end up wanting more, guaranteed.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Piers Anthony Book Ever!!!, December 29, 1998
By A Customer
I have been an Anthony fans for about 11 years and though I haven't read every novel he has written I have read many of his series. This was the first single novel of Anthony's that I read.As a matter of fact, next to the FOUNDATION TRILOGY, it was one of the MOST enthralling books I have ever read. This was an "edge of your seat" book. It not only was exciting but it was a "peek into the future." To begin with I read it cover to cover in 1 day I took the next 2 days to re-read and savor it all over again. On top of that it inspired me to write my first and only fan letter. (Of which was replied to by Piers himself.) I urge any and all fans to get and read this book. It is definatly worth the price (and a real bargain from AMAZON.COM) And for all you Sci-fi fans that haven't read Anthony, but liked the movie TOTAL RECALL, This is the author for you!
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