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4 out of 4 stars
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Am I Real or Virtual? was written and illustrated by Val Fernbach. The author explains two worlds: the real world and the virtual world. The author explored the features of the two worlds by using Justin, Olivia, Sally, and Jack's characters. In virtual travel, a traveler can have his identity changed, and he will be exchanged with someone else who will have the same memory but a different face.
Justin was awarded the Star of the Universe status. He was asked to campaign for a position in the Presidium, which will enable him to overthrow the alleged corrupt leader, Vom. As the novel unfolds, we discovered how Justin bargained with Vom to abandon his campaign and go in search of his wife Sally in the virtual world. His love for Sally was his weakest point. His jealous attitude was uncontrollable, as it caused him to make unwise decisions. Did the virtual world change the identity of his wife? Was he able to recognize her? After Vom discovered the plot against him, what was his reaction?
The plot of this novel seemed complicated at the beginning, but it became easier to understand afterward. Val Fernbach did not centralize his point of view on a particular character. In other words, the story was not centered on one character. What I liked most about this novel was that the author easily mixed science fiction and romance. Because Justin loved his wife Sally, he decided to make the necessary sacrifices to keep her close to himself. Another instance of romance was Rosa’s secret love affair with her boss, Vom. I wouldn’t say I liked the character of Rosa due to her unfaithful lifestyle in relationships. Unfaithfulness displeases me.
The characters in this novel were engaged in complicated romantic relationships. In my opinion, children should avoid reading this novel because of its erotic content. The nature of the relationships between Vom, Rosa, and Tozor was too romantic. Another thing that pleased me about this novel was that the writer created a world where human beings and robots could live together. I witnessed in this book how robots were serving as waiters.
The thing I liked least about this book was the confusing virtual traveling that changed the identity of the characters. It was difficult for me to know which character was performing a given role. For example, Olivia and Sally exchanged their identity during the virtual travel; this resulted in mistaken a name for the other. It was difficult for me to recognize Sally since I was focusing on her.
Due to the simplicity of the author’s writing style and the fact that this book was professionally edited, I rate this novel 4 out of 4 stars. The story has a few typographical errors; therefore, I did not see that as a reason to remove a star from the rating. Children should not read this story since it has sexual content. I recommend this novel to those who enjoy romance novels with a mixture of science fiction.
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Am I Real or Virtual
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