InterWorld audiobook

I must be a real geek. I laughed my butt off at the phrase "opposition is unproductive." Only a real Star Trek geek would have been able to translate that to "resistance is futile." I'm in no way sure what "InterWorld" is. It's part science fiction, part fantasy, part allusion to all things in geekdom. Take some of "Ender's Game" and mix it up with "Neverwhere." Toss in some Star Trek, some Twilight Zone, and some Wizard of Oz for fun. I started this book at dinnertime last night and it's almost lunch time now. I stayed up too late; I overslept; and I missed church because of this book. Whatever this book is, it's terrific.n Best of all, I can hand it to my son without worrying about him asking me why I gave him a book with "adult situations" in it. It's really hard finding books that appeal to young teen boys who are no longer into fantasy that includes dragons and wizards. I think this book fills a niche that really needs to be filled.

A story about reality and dimensions. Every choice we make creates a new reality. Think about all those choices for all those people. It's endless. We see the choices of basically one guy and he gets to me all his other selves. Can you imagine being together with yourself from all these timelines, some boy versions and some girl versions and then none of them talking to you and you are an outcast among yourself. Isn't that weird?? I could see that happening to me. I finally have a chance to fit in and they would all think I was weird for myself. Then again, maybe that is simply self-preception and I carry that with me where ever I go.This book got me thinking and I was surprised at how quickly Neil put Joey into trouble and it felt like there was no escape. It was well done and a lot of fun for me. I need fun reads right now. Joey needs to save the entire Altiverse from evil and he needs to save a few of his other versions who think he is a screwup. Our choices do make up who we are, so seeing who we become with each different choice would be interesting. Interesting characters with intense situations. I look forward to more from this world. It would also be strange seeing older and younger versions of yourself all over the place and who that would be like. This book sparked my imagination.

Quite an enjoyable work by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves. Again while I wonder just how "youthful" the young readers this book is meant for ought to be...(as it's quite dark in a few places)...it is well plotted, written, and "characterized".This an adventure with many familiar points placed in a science fiction world that most YA readers will like. There is adventure, daring do, misunderstood youth, homesickness, even a slight twist on the "boy and his dog". I enjoyed it and think, being sure that the reader is old enough to deal with the slight amount of violence and emotional stress, it is a good read. For comparison, I'd say this book isn't as dark as either The Graveyard Book or Coraline. I have (as noted elsewhere) found myself reading more and more YA type books over the last few years. While my children are grown, I suppose the increase may go back to the Harry Potter series as it came along about the time my children were out growing wanting to be "read to" and I was still keeping up on what they read. Whatever the cause I have read many wonderful books over the last few years that just happened to be considered, YA.

INTERWORLD BY NEIL GAIMAN AND MICHAEL REAVES: Most people are familiar with Neil Gaiman, who has written such great novels as Neverwhere, American Gods, and Coraline for younger readers, but not so many know Michael Reaves. Reaves has written for Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Twilight Zone, and Batman: The Animated Series, as well as the New York Times bestseller Star Wars: Darth Maul – Shadow Hunter. Gaiman and Reaves began working on the idea for Interworld in 1995 wishing to make it a television adventure, but the idea was not received well, so they decided to write it down in novel form but was still never picked up. Recently, it was represented and has been picked up with a 2010 release, and the book finally published. It is the perfect young adult science-fiction adventure story to fill the vacuum left with the completion of the Harry Potter series.Joey Harker is an ordinary boy with nothing special going for him. He’s stuck in high school with few friends and a girl who doesn’t even know he exists. While on a routine school field trip, Joey suddenly “Walks” into a parallel world, just like the one he is from but with subtle differences. He Walks through a couple more worlds and soon finds people on his tail. He runs and an ally soon joins him, covered in this strange silvery suit, and looking uncannily like him. Joey eventually discovers that there are thousands and thousands of alternate realities which he is able to Walk through and get to. He discovers that there are two forces vying for control of all the worlds: the HEX, who are based in science and technology, and the Binary who believe in sorcery and magic. Finally there is the Interworld, where a seemingly endless number of Joey Harkers from different worlds, with different but similar names, all looking very different, of various ages, working together to stop the HEX and the Binary.Written in an incredibly descriptive and flamboyant style, with a pastiche of imagery styles – with the clear intention of transposing Interworld to the big screen – Interworld is a unique novel for all ages, taking you on a journey unlike any other where it requires you to stay on your “mental toes” to keep everything straight and make sure you know what’s going on in this strange universe.

Questo libro è stato una bellissima scoperta! Avevo sempre sentito parlare della bravura di Neil Gaiman e finalmente ho avuto la possibilità di leggere questo capolavoro della fantascienza che realizzó insieme a Michael Reaves. Leggendo, mi capitó svariate volte di rimanere sbalordita dall'immensa fantasia racchiusa in questo libro, mi chiedevo come avesse fatto la loro mente a dare origine a un intero "universo" formato da una miriade di mondi paralleli, all'idea che a salvare questi mondi non sarebbe stato soltanto "un" Joey Harker ma anche altre cinque sue versioni provenienti da altri mondi. Lo stile di scrittura è impeccabile e perfettamente inerente alla materia trattata, infatti all'inizio è un po' difficile capire come funziona l'IntraSpazio a causa della terminologia prettamente fisica. Tutto diventa più chiaro man mano che si legge e il nostro protagonista comincia anche lui a capirci qualcosa. Sicuramente cercherò e leggeró altro di questi due scrittori perché ho davvero apprezzato questo romanzo che ti tiene attaccato alle pagine dall'inizio fino alla fine, stupendoti con sempre nuovi colpi di scena.

Este, sin lugar a dudas, es uno de los libros más raros que he leído. No sólo por la trama, que por sí sola ya es bastante loca, sino también por los escenarios y las descripciones que te dejan la cabeza a un paso del cortocircuito porque es dificilísimo imaginárselos. Pero, a pesar de todo eso, InterWorld es una historia única -al menos para mí, pues no había leído nada parecido- y bastante entretenida. Aunque, claro, nada de todo eso le quita lo liosa y confusa que es por partes. Vamos a ver, InterWorld sigue la historia de un chico bastante despistado y desubicado en la vida que se llama Joey Harker. Un día este chico va caminando por su ciudad y... se pierde, o algo así. La cosa es que no sólo se pierde, sino que Camina -con mayúscula-. En otras palabras, viaja entre dimensiones y realidades paralelas a su realidad en la Tierra. Sin embargo, este pequeño viaje interdimensional del que él ni siquiera es consciente en un principio, desata las alarmas de unos grupos -Maldecimal y Lo Binario- que quieren conquistar todos los mundos y someterlos a sus principios. Ahora, la cosa es que estos dos grupos son malos y pronto aparecerá un tercero, algo así como los Guardianes Galácticos o de los Mundos Paralelos o yo qué sé, jajaja. El caso es que son los buenos y quienes tienen en sus filas a todos los Caminantes -quienes pueden viajar entre planos, para los más frikis: PlaneWalkers-. Joey pronto aprenderá todo sobre ellos, lo que hacen, cómo entrenan y las misiones que cumplen. Pero bueno, eso que acabo de decirles es sólo una pequeñísima parte de la historia porque, como mencioné más arriba, este libro es demasiado loco. Hay mil dimensiones, mil reglas, mil planos y un montón de personajes con nombres demasiado parecidos, aunque todo siempre tiene una explicación. Lo bueno es que una vez te acostumbras al nivel de frikismo y complejidad descriptiva y narrativa del libro, la historia fluye facilísimo y te encuentras metido de cabeza en InterWorld. No pensé que me enganchara tanto el libro en un primer momento, pero ahora veo que estaba equivocada y ¡menos mal tengo ya la segunda parte! Y no es que InterWorld termine en punta, sino que sencillamente quieres saber más de estos mundos y dimensiones que Gaiman y Reaves crean.

Science fiction is not usually Neil Gaiman's forte, but I doubt many would suspect that after reading Interworld. Granted, he doesn't quite abandon his use of mysticism and, in my opinion, it's one more thread adding to a rich tapestry of story weaving.Like with Coraline, Gaiman is appealing to a younger audience than the one he usually writes for. Unlike Caroline, I don't think he quite hit the mark. The general plot and some of the vocabulary might prove frustrating to someone younger than high school age since it's dealing with inter-dimensional possibilities and all the quasi-scientific terminology associated with it.While I wouldn't say it's impossible for a 9 to 12 year old to enjoy Interworld (in fact, I think they would like it a lot), I think it's one of those books that a parent should consider their child's reading level before blindly buying. Similar to novels like A Wrinkle In Time, this might be a novel to read with your kid if they like books, but aren't yet a strong reader.Although I'm well over the recommended reading age, I can honestly say this was an entertaining, fanciful read for me with sincere characterization and genuine suspense. Imagine how much a 9 to 12 year old would enjoy it?

I enjoyed this book probably more than I ought to have - I found it in the discount bin of my college bookstore with a "Kids" label on it for $5.99. In hardcover. But it said Neil Gaiman on the cover, so I swallowed my questions and bought it.And honestly, I'm really glad I did. It's patently a book with a four-star ceiling, as the characters aren't quite developed to the point that I would have liked (the afterword reveals that the original idea was for the whole thing to be a children's cartoon, which would have been BRILLIANT and I would DEFINITELY have watched it as a kid in the 90's: magic and science and alternate realities?! Count me in), the copy editing is a little slack (five or so errors that I noticed in just 240 pages), and it's obviously watered-down for the younger crowd, even if it's not truly a kids' book at heart.But the pacing is really well done, even if it is a short book to begin with, and it's a certifiable page-turner from about page 50 on. The action scenes are universally gripping, especially for a book with a younger target age group. It's consistently funny (one character uses the biggest words possible at all times) and the dialogue is fresh and real.I think it has to be said that this is less a Neil Gaiman book than a Michael Reaves book that has Neil Gaiman spilling into it at several points. You can sort of tell. Like when there's five pages left in the book and suddenly, there's an extended analogy to the fall of Adam and Eve from Paradise. This isn't a bad thing. It just makes a dual-author novel what it is, and I know I've probably blasphemed by reading this before Good Omens, but InterWorld manages to be deeply involving while remaining basic and open for expansion.Two more things: there are some odd loose ends and unanswered questions, like why are all the members of InterWorld variations of Joe Harker? And what the heck is FrostNight? I'll probably never know, and that's why this should have been a cartoon in the 90's that I would doubtless be an expert on by now.You should read this book for the character of Hue the mudluff alone. Trust me. Beautifully done.

I don't think I can add more to what has already been said, but will agree that this book will have appeal to boys who like science fiction, but a not total science geeks. Sure, the plot delves into some heady theoretical physics and advanced mathematatical concepts, but they don't really bog down the plot. Seeing as how this was co-written with Michael Reaves, who has extensive sci-fi cred and is a talented screenwriter, I can see how this may become a series of novels, depending on Gaiman and Reaves commitments, with titles coming out at least once a year. I found Joey to be charming in the best of The Average Boy With Above-Average Abilities. The cast of characters that make up his team could (and probably were) lifted from any number of ensemble adventure plots. Overall and enjoyable YA read.

I.Loved.This.Book.Can't yet decide whether it was a magic-fiction written by scientists or science-fiction written by magicians (The sorcerer Neil Gaiman and his apprentice Michael Reaves).I feel like a synesthetic after reading this : taste of the book sounds like yummy chocolate..can't stop smelling!!Multiverse, Altiverse, Multidimensional Lifeforms(MDLF), Möbius strips, Klein bottles, {IW}:=Ω/∞, BINARY and HEX worlds fighting with each other to rule all infinite or finite possible universes in all possible dimensions,and everything in between. Literally 8-bits me.

Buku ini sebuah karya bersama Neil Gaiman dan Michael Reaves yang dimaksudkan untuk konsumsi anak-remaja, sehingga ringan dan renyah, meski tetap menakjubkan bagaimana dia (mereka) memadukan banyak sekali teori-teori fisika modern dengan gaibnya dunia sihir.Idenya adalah tentang dunia-dunia paralel yang infinitif, di mana di satu ekstrim berkuasa kaum binari, yaitu dunia yang mendewakan ilmu pengetahuan, sedangkan pada ujung ekstrim yang lain ada kaum HEX, yaitu dunia yang orang-orangnya berkuasa menggunakan kekuatan sihir absolut (dunia kita berada kira-kira di tengah-tengahnya sedikit condong ke ilmu pengetahuan). Di antara kedua kaum yang sibuk menghancurkan dunia-dunia paralel lain yang ada, ada sekumpulan orang yang mampu berjalan melintasi batas-batas antar dunia ( interworld ) dan mereka inilah yang menjaga keseimbangan semua dunia yang ada. Nah, tokoh utama buku ini adalah salah satu orang seperti itu yang berasal dari dunia kita, Joey Harker. Sedangkan ceritanya, ya seperti biasa, from-no-one-to-hero journey.Bagi saya, dongeng-dongeng Neil Gaiman selalu menarik karena, meski temanya 'biasa', latar belakang ceritanya selalu jauh 'normal'. Dalam Coraline ada dunia di balik pintu, dalam Stardust ada dunia di balik tembok, dalam The Graveyard Book ada perkampungan hantu-hantu di balik pagar kuburan, dalam American Gods ada 'dunia' dalam dunia. Juga dalam setiap novelnya selalu tersirat dan tersurat luasnya pengetahuan, baik tentang mitologi, folklore, hantu dan peri, maupun tentang sains dan pengetahuan umum. Semuanya diracik dengan pas untuk jadi bacaan yang nikmat. Dalam cerita ini, ada dua kubu yang bertentangan dalam dunia-dunia paralel, dinamai binari dan hex. Binary (biner), adalah sistem angka 1 dan 0, yang menjadi perwujudan ada/tidak adanya sinyal listrik, yang akhirnya menyusun data-data, program, komputer, internet, dst. Atau dengan kata lain ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi. Namun bagi para pelajar ilmu komputer, sistem angka hexadesimal itu juga sama ajaib nan keramatnya dengan sistem angka biner (singkatnya, dengan segala ocehan tentang bit dan byte dan word, angka (bin)11111111 itu sama dengan hexa(FF)). Tapi 'hex' juga bisa berarti sihir. Permainan kata-kata ini ditambah sedikit imajinasi tentang fisika quantum dan dunia-dunia paralel menjadi latar belakang unik bagi dongeng yang satu ini.Tapi sebenarnya ide permainan bahasa istilah HEX ini sudah pernah dipakai Gaiman dalam kisah Cold Colors dalam kumpulan cerita pendeknya Smoke and Mirrors, sehingga waktu membaca cerita ini sedikit seperti terkena deja vu, tidak segar kinyis-kinyis. Itu ditambah fakta bahwa ide cerita ini pertama kali dimaksudkan untuk menjadi serial televisi dan bukannya satu cerita tunggal, akhir kisahnya -bagi saya- terasa menggantung dan ada sesuatu yang kurang. *karena itu bintangnya 4 saja, tidak sampe 5 kayak biasanya*Oiya, meskipun begitu, saya suka sekali dengan ending bahwa (view spoiler)[Joey memilih untuk tetap berada dalam org interworld. Bukan karena amanah, bukan karena dipaksa, dan bukan karena terpaksa. Dia sadar akan tindakannya dan tahu konsekuensinya. (hide spoiler)] Sebuah detil kecil tapi signifikan yang biasa dibuat Gaiman dalam kisah-kisahnya dan itu menjadikannya penulis hebat.*betewe, kalau makhluk-makhluk binari itu dipimpin oleh AI bernama 01101, harusnya para tukang sihir hex bukan dipimpin oleh dewan 13 dunk, tapi dewan D* ;p----edit 10 menit kemudian----oiya, buku ini terbitan Gramedia dan diterjemahkan oleh Tanti Lesmana. Setelah bencana terjemahan Neuromancer yang saya baca sebelum ini *masih gondok*, buku ini membuktikan bahwa meski dengan segala macam istilah komputer, fisika quantum, dll, sebuah buku tetap dapat diterjemahkan dengan layak dan benar. Kualitas penterjemah dan penerbitnya jaaaauhh berbeda! *angkat topi buat mbak Tanti*