The Demi-Monde - a computer simulation designed for the US military, peopled by
some of the most dangerous and psychopathic characters from history, for
training the US military in Asymmetric Warfare Enviroments. It is "the first
simulation product ever to be platformed on and operated by the ABBA quantum
computer" This computer has enough processing power to simulate sentience in the
Dupes (the 'characters in the simulation') and herein lies the root of the
problem. The US military want to shut the simulation down but the Dupe leaders
have other ideas!
They have managed to trap Norma Williams, the daughter
of the US President in the Demi-Monde and have shut down all but one of the
access ports. Until Norma can be rescued the Demi-Monde continues to
exist.
Enter Ella Thomas, an eighteen year old American who is the
perfect match (indeed, the ONLY match) for a dormant Dupe in the Simulation, who
has to go in, rescue the President's daughter and get her out.
The first
section of this book sets the story up well, telling you all you need to know
about the Demi-Monde, while having every alternative chapter actually set in the
Demi-Monde. An appetiser, if you will.
The second section, though, really
steps things up a gear as Ella enters the Simulation and we are introduced to
more of the Demi-Monde's inhabitants such as Vanka Maykov, who takes Ella under
his wing and, one of my favourite characters in the early sections, the
disreputable club owner Burlesque Bandstand who has great comedy
value.
The world of the Demi-Monde is a semi-steampunk victorian setting
and very well realised. It is split into different sections representing various
'Real World' settings, all side by side with the five main sections (Noirville,
The Coven, Rodina, The Rookeries and Quartier Chaud) seperated by five rivers.
Each area has it's own belief systems and ideas for rule. This first book in the
series deals only with events in The Rookeries and a small part of
Rodina.
It is obvious from early on that there is more going on than
meets the eye and later books will open the story out even more. Thankfully I
have volume two (Spring) near to hand as Winter finishes on three seperate
cliffhangers.
There is a lot of 'derring-do', capture and escape and
general rollicking adventure in this book, which means the story rattles along
at a good old pace - I reveiwed from the Hard Back edition and though it is a
chunky doorstop of a book it was over far too soon. The characters are very well
defined and believable (the transformation of Trixie Dashwood is especially well
done). The world comes to life off the page and feels real, and it also reminded
me of the gaming worlds of, for example, Grand Theft Auto, where you are only
allowed to play in one section until you have completed set tasks. The other
areas are there, you can see them, but you can't get into them yet - I am
looking forward immensely to visiting these places in the remainig three books
of the series
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