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Last Reality #2
Otherearth
Return to the series BuzzFeed compared to Ready Player One in the second book in a new fast-paced trilogy from New York Times bestselling authors Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller that's perfect for fans of HBO's Westworld.
Simon saved his best friend, Kat, from the clutches of the Company and their high-tech VR gaming experience, Otherworld. But it was at a steep price. Now he, Kat, and their friend Busara are on the run. They know too much. About the Company's dark secrets. About the real-life consequences of playing Otherworld. And about Kat's stepfather's involvement in everything. The group is headed to New Mexico to find Simon's old roommate, who is a tech genius and possibly the only person who can help them reveal the truth about the Company before it's too late and the line between what's real and what's fantasy is erased... forever.
Imagine a future in which you can leave reality behind and give in to your greatest desires. That future is now. And the future is terrifying.
Simon saved his best friend, Kat, from the clutches of the Company and their high-tech VR gaming experience, Otherworld. But it was at a steep price. Now he, Kat, and their friend Busara are on the run. They know too much. About the Company's dark secrets. About the real-life consequences of playing Otherworld. And about Kat's stepfather's involvement in everything. The group is headed to New Mexico to find Simon's old roommate, who is a tech genius and possibly the only person who can help them reveal the truth about the Company before it's too late and the line between what's real and what's fantasy is erased... forever.
Imagine a future in which you can leave reality behind and give in to your greatest desires. That future is now. And the future is terrifying.
320 pages, ebook
First published October 30, 2018
About the author
Jason Segel
11 books1,073 followersNew York Times bestselling author Jason Segel used to have nightmares just like Charlie, and just like Charlie, he's learned that the things we're most afraid of are the things that can make us strong...if we're brave enough to face them. Jason likes acting, writing, making music, and hanging out with his friends. Sometimes he writes movies. Sometimes he writes songs for movies. Sometimes he stars in those movies and sings those songs. You might know him from The Muppets and Despicable Me. Your parents might know him from other stuff. Nightmares! is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 305 reviews
November 13, 2018
3.5 stars
I received a copy from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.
Hmm.. I’m a bit torn. I mean I enjoyed it but it just didn’t have the same magic as OtherWorld.
It was super easy to dive in at the start of OtherEarth and remember what happened previously (which is fabulous - I love being able to do that). It was still an easy read with a semi unexpected ending.
A seed started growing for me around the halfway mark - which was then confirmed for me at the end. Which hell yeah!! Those last few chapters were gold. All the action was happening.
Everything was coming together until.. it wasn't?
Because that ending had me like "is the rest of the book irrelevant now?"
I’m sure it’ll all make sense in the next book as it often does. But for now I'm just like
Let's hang in there team and see where they take us!
I felt like there was a whole lot of plot set up for the next book, so the pace did stutter about for me at times and I did have to stifle a yawn here and there. I missed the pace of OtherWorld.
I must say, I did kinda enjoy getting to see a different side of Simon.
The mental effects of OtherWorld were beginning to show and at other times his brain was trying to tell him that something wasn’t quite right. He wasn’t the Simon I remembered but that’s okay.
I swear this GIF is literally a progression of Simon's attitude towards OtherWorld from book 1 to book 2.
But I know if I went through an experience like that I wouldn’t be all sunshine and rainbows on the other end! I appreciate authors that manage to convey how a real person might be affected.
I kinda wanted more Kat time though. She’s a fabulous chick but hopefully next book!
I received a copy from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.
Hmm.. I’m a bit torn. I mean I enjoyed it but it just didn’t have the same magic as OtherWorld.
It was super easy to dive in at the start of OtherEarth and remember what happened previously (which is fabulous - I love being able to do that). It was still an easy read with a semi unexpected ending.
A seed started growing for me around the halfway mark - which was then confirmed for me at the end. Which hell yeah!! Those last few chapters were gold. All the action was happening.
Everything was coming together until.. it wasn't?
Because that ending had me like "is the rest of the book irrelevant now?"
I’m sure it’ll all make sense in the next book as it often does. But for now I'm just like
Let's hang in there team and see where they take us!
I felt like there was a whole lot of plot set up for the next book, so the pace did stutter about for me at times and I did have to stifle a yawn here and there. I missed the pace of OtherWorld.
I must say, I did kinda enjoy getting to see a different side of Simon.
The mental effects of OtherWorld were beginning to show and at other times his brain was trying to tell him that something wasn’t quite right. He wasn’t the Simon I remembered but that’s okay.
I swear this GIF is literally a progression of Simon's attitude towards OtherWorld from book 1 to book 2.
But I know if I went through an experience like that I wouldn’t be all sunshine and rainbows on the other end! I appreciate authors that manage to convey how a real person might be affected.
I kinda wanted more Kat time though. She’s a fabulous chick but hopefully next book!
January 27, 2019
There is not a lot I can say about this sequel without spoiling the book, but just let me tell you that if they decide to stick with that ending and the third book does too I am going to be very angry ........unless they make a superb job of salvaging the complete “mess” I believe they made with that ending on the third book...
September 27, 2018
Well that was something.
I loved the first book, Otherworld. I devoured it and failed to wait patiently for the sequel, OtherEarth. Well, this book was certainly something. It was easy to get back into the story and remember what was going on, but it felt like it was trying too hard to surpass the first book. It also had strong feelings of RPO and Warcross/Wildcard. I shouldn't have been comparing these two books to this particular story but I couldn't help it. Parts of this felt like fan-fiction. Too much was crammed into too few pages. Let's not talk about the ending that tries (and fails?) to hook for a third book.
I'll type a proper review up soon but this was a typical Middle Book, if that helps.
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Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...
I finished this a couple of days ago and still have mixed feelings about it. On one hand it is a very quick read and easy to get back into the story, on the other it felt unoriginal, as if it was a fanfic that combined Ready Player One and Warcross/Wildcard.
Short recap: Simon and his girlfriend, Kat, know the dark secret of OtherWorld – the creator has died and the Company is covering it all up. They also know that the patches or “disks” used to enter OtherWorld are not safe. If you die in OtherWorld, you die in real life. It is up to Simon, Kat, and two new friends to unravel the mysteries still hidden within OtherWorld before the new and improved Otherearth is released to the public.
While I loved the first book, this one suffered from Middle Book Syndrome big time. It did a good job of recapping what happened but most of the book was spent with the characters within the game of OtherWorld itself. Many chapters were spent describing new simulated characters, new Children, new worlds within the game. I felt there was just too much time spent describing things that did not matter to the overall story. Hence the reason I said this was a true Second Book.
On top of that, nothing really stood out to me. The characters did not have arcs like they should have, and if they did they were so slight that I missed it. Simon was still leading the misfit bunch of characters hellbent on discovering this secrets needed to bring The Company down. He would always walk around bold as brass in the game and sometimes in real life, but when it came to his girlfriend, he was still meek and shy. Either man up or don’t – quit going back and forth. Kat did not feel developed in this story. I knew she was there but she didn’t really stand out to me. As mentioned already, there are two new friends/characters added to the Simon/Kat team but I won’t spoil them here. Just know that they are very vague and felt like they were added for nothing more than convenience. They help the story line along but I never truly cared about them.
It is hard for me to say really what the plot of this story was about because again – vague. Most of this book is vague as if they authors were trying like hell to hook me (the reader) into sticking around for the final book. After what I read in this one, I’m not sure I will go on to the last book. This was overly cryptic for no reason I can figure out. Several ideas and concepts repeated many times over for some reason and that annoyed me. Plus, the ending made me wonder what the hell was happening because it made zero sense. NO SENSE. I’m quick to pick up on foreshadowing and repetition – this book was peppered with that. I’m not the biggest fan of books that constantly repeat themselves because it feels like filler, if that makes sense.
I’m not sorry I read this story but I am disappointed. This felt like someone read Ready Player One along with Warcross/Wildcard and decided to create their own fanfiction. The ideas within the story just did not feel original or originally done. I would read a scene and say, “Yep, that was done in RPO” or “Well, that is a scene straight from Warcross“. Talk about hurting my soul. Do I recommend this? EEEEEEHHHHHHHHHH… not really. Will I pick up the third book? That remains to be seen. As of this review, I don’t care what happens next but my mind may change by this time next year.
I loved the first book, Otherworld. I devoured it and failed to wait patiently for the sequel, OtherEarth. Well, this book was certainly something. It was easy to get back into the story and remember what was going on, but it felt like it was trying too hard to surpass the first book. It also had strong feelings of RPO and Warcross/Wildcard. I shouldn't have been comparing these two books to this particular story but I couldn't help it. Parts of this felt like fan-fiction. Too much was crammed into too few pages. Let's not talk about the ending that tries (and fails?) to hook for a third book.
I'll type a proper review up soon but this was a typical Middle Book, if that helps.
---------------
Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...
I finished this a couple of days ago and still have mixed feelings about it. On one hand it is a very quick read and easy to get back into the story, on the other it felt unoriginal, as if it was a fanfic that combined Ready Player One and Warcross/Wildcard.
Short recap: Simon and his girlfriend, Kat, know the dark secret of OtherWorld – the creator has died and the Company is covering it all up. They also know that the patches or “disks” used to enter OtherWorld are not safe. If you die in OtherWorld, you die in real life. It is up to Simon, Kat, and two new friends to unravel the mysteries still hidden within OtherWorld before the new and improved Otherearth is released to the public.
While I loved the first book, this one suffered from Middle Book Syndrome big time. It did a good job of recapping what happened but most of the book was spent with the characters within the game of OtherWorld itself. Many chapters were spent describing new simulated characters, new Children, new worlds within the game. I felt there was just too much time spent describing things that did not matter to the overall story. Hence the reason I said this was a true Second Book.
On top of that, nothing really stood out to me. The characters did not have arcs like they should have, and if they did they were so slight that I missed it. Simon was still leading the misfit bunch of characters hellbent on discovering this secrets needed to bring The Company down. He would always walk around bold as brass in the game and sometimes in real life, but when it came to his girlfriend, he was still meek and shy. Either man up or don’t – quit going back and forth. Kat did not feel developed in this story. I knew she was there but she didn’t really stand out to me. As mentioned already, there are two new friends/characters added to the Simon/Kat team but I won’t spoil them here. Just know that they are very vague and felt like they were added for nothing more than convenience. They help the story line along but I never truly cared about them.
It is hard for me to say really what the plot of this story was about because again – vague. Most of this book is vague as if they authors were trying like hell to hook me (the reader) into sticking around for the final book. After what I read in this one, I’m not sure I will go on to the last book. This was overly cryptic for no reason I can figure out. Several ideas and concepts repeated many times over for some reason and that annoyed me. Plus, the ending made me wonder what the hell was happening because it made zero sense. NO SENSE. I’m quick to pick up on foreshadowing and repetition – this book was peppered with that. I’m not the biggest fan of books that constantly repeat themselves because it feels like filler, if that makes sense.
I’m not sorry I read this story but I am disappointed. This felt like someone read Ready Player One along with Warcross/Wildcard and decided to create their own fanfiction. The ideas within the story just did not feel original or originally done. I would read a scene and say, “Yep, that was done in RPO” or “Well, that is a scene straight from Warcross“. Talk about hurting my soul. Do I recommend this? EEEEEEHHHHHHHHHH… not really. Will I pick up the third book? That remains to be seen. As of this review, I don’t care what happens next but my mind may change by this time next year.
November 22, 2018
I was definitely not disappointed at all in this sequel to the book OtherWorld. In fact, I enjoyed it a bit more, giving it a 5 star rating instead of the 4 stars I gave to the first one. There was so much action in this book. All the bad guys we knew from the last one were still out there, searching for our heroes, and while some people had been rescued from the first book, others will still out there, waiting to be found. We had some new allies in this one, both inside Otherworld, and outside in the real world. Some of these allies were there only out of convenience for themselves, such as the Russian Alexei. And then there were the Children inside the game, fighting for their lives against the guests in the games that had come in just to kill them. They were not going to trust Simon or his friends easily. They'd been betrayed before by others like them. The world inside the game was slowly changing, almost decaying, as time seemed to speed up inside and more and more of the Children and the other NPCs in the game died or were killed.
I loved Elvis in this one. He was a hoot. But I never quite could trust Busara, and with how things ended, I'm not quite sure if I was right or wrong, mostly sure that I was right not to trust her. There were so many twists and turns, and with Simon starting to see thing from the game outside in the real world, it was hard to know just what was real. The twist at the end made me doubt so many things I'd read and taken for granted as I read, just as Simon assumed as he raced along in his mission to save his friend and allies, and shut down the Company once and for all, before anyone else could be harmed, including the Children.
There was a major cliffhanger with this one, and I don't know how I'm going to wait until next fall to read on. While I'm not so sure I'd want to go into this world as the game changed anymore, there were still things that would be very interesting to at least try.
Another great science fiction story for anyone who enjoys video games, virtual reality, and the like. I could see this as a great movie series, or TV series even. Who can get the word out to the SyFy Channel that they should check it out?
This review originally posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
I loved Elvis in this one. He was a hoot. But I never quite could trust Busara, and with how things ended, I'm not quite sure if I was right or wrong, mostly sure that I was right not to trust her. There were so many twists and turns, and with Simon starting to see thing from the game outside in the real world, it was hard to know just what was real. The twist at the end made me doubt so many things I'd read and taken for granted as I read, just as Simon assumed as he raced along in his mission to save his friend and allies, and shut down the Company once and for all, before anyone else could be harmed, including the Children.
There was a major cliffhanger with this one, and I don't know how I'm going to wait until next fall to read on. While I'm not so sure I'd want to go into this world as the game changed anymore, there were still things that would be very interesting to at least try.
Another great science fiction story for anyone who enjoys video games, virtual reality, and the like. I could see this as a great movie series, or TV series even. Who can get the word out to the SyFy Channel that they should check it out?
This review originally posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
Shelved as 'dnf'
June 6, 2018Otherworld Series Ratings:
Otherworld: ★★★★
Otherearth: Lost Interest in Series
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The first book was really enjoyable but I don't feel the need to read the next one.
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Otherworld: ★★★★
Otherearth: Lost Interest in Series
—
The first book was really enjoyable but I don't feel the need to read the next one.
___
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December 23, 2018
I’m gonna be honest I skimmed the last half of this book because I just didn’t care or like it that much. The first book was okay so I really wanted this sequel to be better but I just didn’t like it. The characters personalities weren’t consistent. The story was confusing. I don’t even know what they are trying to accomplish in this book and I have absolutely no idea what happens in the end. I didn’t have the motivation to read this because I just didn’t like it.
June 1, 2019
Um where is book three at???
January 5, 2022
At the first part of the book I thought this was going to be at least 4 stars but efter awhile my enjoyment of this died down. Not quite as intrigued by this series as I had hoped. Don't know if I'm going to continue or not
September 24, 2023
There was a lot of good in this book, and I thought the way that the ending set up the next book was incredible. I also loved how there was a focus on Simon’s mental health and PTSD given his experiences in OtherWorld and with the technology in the real world.
I got some major inception vibes from certain parts of this book, and especially the ending. But also, I feel like the last quarter or so basically made most of the events of this book irrelevant, which unfortunately brings the rating down to 3.5 stars. But I’m really excited to see where the series goes in the next one.
I got some major inception vibes from certain parts of this book, and especially the ending. But also, I feel like the last quarter or so basically made most of the events of this book irrelevant, which unfortunately brings the rating down to 3.5 stars. But I’m really excited to see where the series goes in the next one.
November 6, 2019
3.75/5 stars.
In this story we follow Simon where the first book left off. Since this is a second book in a series I wont go into much detail but Simon is in love with his Childhood friend Kat. There is a VR style game that is sweeping the nation. The game is a throw back to an earlier game that the inventor loved as a kid. The people running the game are not good guys, and are testing a more advanced version on people. The game is not what it seems but is anything really what it seems?
So going into this book I thought this was the final book in the series so the ending was a bit of a shock to me since I thought it would actually have an ending. Over all though this was a nice second book in a series. It had action, love, a couple new characters and a cliffhanger ending (again that I was not totally expecting.) Though I did find this book dragged a bit more than the first one did, and though we did find out some new things about the world, game and characters it did not feel like it moved all that much from the first book till about the very end.
I feel like if you like books about games, VR and with a slight bit of a mystery you will over all like this series. It is over all an enjoyable book that I think is well written and has some pule sides to it even if it is not the best book over all.
In this story we follow Simon where the first book left off. Since this is a second book in a series I wont go into much detail but Simon is in love with his Childhood friend Kat. There is a VR style game that is sweeping the nation. The game is a throw back to an earlier game that the inventor loved as a kid. The people running the game are not good guys, and are testing a more advanced version on people. The game is not what it seems but is anything really what it seems?
So going into this book I thought this was the final book in the series so the ending was a bit of a shock to me since I thought it would actually have an ending. Over all though this was a nice second book in a series. It had action, love, a couple new characters and a cliffhanger ending (again that I was not totally expecting.) Though I did find this book dragged a bit more than the first one did, and though we did find out some new things about the world, game and characters it did not feel like it moved all that much from the first book till about the very end.
I feel like if you like books about games, VR and with a slight bit of a mystery you will over all like this series. It is over all an enjoyable book that I think is well written and has some pule sides to it even if it is not the best book over all.
September 29, 2019
That ending though, I need the next book now!
July 14, 2019
I'm very confused. This was the sequel to Otherworld, a virtual reality game that was so realistic people were getting hurt in the real world. And creatures, named the Children, were getting created inside the game. They were sentient AIs.
But this one... I was confused the entire time. I only waited about a year between books one and two but I'm pretty certain that was too long. I didn't retain a lot of information and characters from the first book which is fucking weird because I can remember a lot from books. The title "Otherearth" was a little odd... considering they really only get to play Otherearth a few times at the end.
I was overall confused and kind of aggravated while reading this. Only to find out... *spoilers*
That the whole time nothing was real?????????????
?????? I'm sorry what????????? I hope this isn't a series where I have to read the whole series a second time just to remember what the hell went on. I will be continuing, because that cliffhanger made me want to dive off it.
But this one... I was confused the entire time. I only waited about a year between books one and two but I'm pretty certain that was too long. I didn't retain a lot of information and characters from the first book which is fucking weird because I can remember a lot from books. The title "Otherearth" was a little odd... considering they really only get to play Otherearth a few times at the end.
I was overall confused and kind of aggravated while reading this. Only to find out... *spoilers*
That the whole time nothing was real?????????????
?????? I'm sorry what????????? I hope this isn't a series where I have to read the whole series a second time just to remember what the hell went on. I will be continuing, because that cliffhanger made me want to dive off it.
Read
November 26, 2019Mostly I am just frustrated with this book. The concept of blurring the lines between fantasy and reality continues to be explored in new ways, but I frequently felt it was just scratching the surface of those issues. It also relies a little too heavily on stereotypes and cliche situations. Despite those shortfalls, it was still entertaining. I was engaged all the way to the end. That end, however, is the most frustrating part because there isn't one. I am all for a cliffhanger, but to just bring in completely new information in the last 3-4 pages with very little previous setup is weak writing. I guess I will probably end up reading the third one just so I can have some sense of what the heck the end of this book was all about.
November 3, 2018
I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Most of this book deserves more than the 3.5 stars I’m giving it, and I definitely enjoyed it more than the first - I think it felt settled into the storyline a little more. But THAT ENDING OMG. Im not going to spoil it, obviously, but it is a little genius and a lot frustrating. And that’s all I’ll say.
The rest of the book however - I liked the way they used Otherworld and the real world together, as well as against each other. I liked that now Simon is finally with Kat he comes across way less as a giant creeper. I also liked finally getting to meet Elvis.
The company continue to be creepy and evil in the perfect way - I do love an evil conglomerate in a book lol. The way they are always playing the angles and trying to be a step ahead is nice. Plus their public spin on everything is impressive.
I also really enjoyed the exploration of the benefits of otherworld, for people like alexei, but also the effect it has on people (especially on Simon, as a lot of that is more about other people’s actions than his in some ways). I don’t like the approach it has to the children and the way it’s so casual that basically all users would abuse otherworld to be horrible people. Even if I suspect it’s more accurate than I’d like.
Overall, I did really enjoy it, but the cliffhanger ending was tough to swallow. Part of me liked it but the rest is too busy being frustrated.
Most of this book deserves more than the 3.5 stars I’m giving it, and I definitely enjoyed it more than the first - I think it felt settled into the storyline a little more. But THAT ENDING OMG. Im not going to spoil it, obviously, but it is a little genius and a lot frustrating. And that’s all I’ll say.
The rest of the book however - I liked the way they used Otherworld and the real world together, as well as against each other. I liked that now Simon is finally with Kat he comes across way less as a giant creeper. I also liked finally getting to meet Elvis.
The company continue to be creepy and evil in the perfect way - I do love an evil conglomerate in a book lol. The way they are always playing the angles and trying to be a step ahead is nice. Plus their public spin on everything is impressive.
I also really enjoyed the exploration of the benefits of otherworld, for people like alexei, but also the effect it has on people (especially on Simon, as a lot of that is more about other people’s actions than his in some ways). I don’t like the approach it has to the children and the way it’s so casual that basically all users would abuse otherworld to be horrible people. Even if I suspect it’s more accurate than I’d like.
Overall, I did really enjoy it, but the cliffhanger ending was tough to swallow. Part of me liked it but the rest is too busy being frustrated.
February 20, 2020
I'm sorry, you said what?...
June 28, 2020
I actually ended up liking this book more than the first one. I enjoyed the plot and the issues the characters had to work through. It was a pretty quick read.
July 27, 2024
Slightly better than part 1, still, sometimes too random and I don't like the gaps in the plot. Also, the plot is nothing special regarding AI/gaming/sci-fi novels or even TV shows (The Upload, e.g.). Making it a trilogy, well, not sure what else is there to tell in a third part...
Read
December 28, 2018I have no idea why I even attempted to read this. The first book was one of the worst VR books I have ever read. I truly wish these books lived up to their beautiful covers
June 14, 2024
None of this is real
January 8, 2021
That ending was so confusing.
June 17, 2019
An amazing sequel that truly enhances the series.
I don't think OtherEarth has the same magic that Otherworld has. It is a wonderful adventure and full of action, but it is just missing some element the first had. It could be that the first was so unique and so descriptive, but now I know what OtherWorld looks like so there is less need for description and I also know the creatures and the magic of OtherWorld so it is less surprising.
Although it is missing something, this is still a worthwhile read! The adventure and concept are brilliant. Simon, Kat, Busara, and Elvis are characters that are so well developed. They have such an exciting dynamic that adds so much to the story. The ending is epic and makes me so excited for OtherLife! I don't know how much more I can say without giving too much away.
This series is an amazing example of fun, exciting science fiction! The tech is so cool and within the realm of possibility. The way the tech gets used by humans is so possible- everything is just so well done in these books. I love it!
I don't think OtherEarth has the same magic that Otherworld has. It is a wonderful adventure and full of action, but it is just missing some element the first had. It could be that the first was so unique and so descriptive, but now I know what OtherWorld looks like so there is less need for description and I also know the creatures and the magic of OtherWorld so it is less surprising.
Although it is missing something, this is still a worthwhile read! The adventure and concept are brilliant. Simon, Kat, Busara, and Elvis are characters that are so well developed. They have such an exciting dynamic that adds so much to the story. The ending is epic and makes me so excited for OtherLife! I don't know how much more I can say without giving too much away.
This series is an amazing example of fun, exciting science fiction! The tech is so cool and within the realm of possibility. The way the tech gets used by humans is so possible- everything is just so well done in these books. I love it!
February 2, 2020
That ending though! OMG!
I seriously had this downloaded and ready to go before I finished Otherworld. I knew this was a book I'd need and I didn't waste any time queuing it up.
That being said I am so freaking in love with this world. Or earth. Or Otherworld...earth? I have no idea. I am just completely consumed, I do know that. I would say it's a world I'd want to visit, but no. No I do not want to live in this virtual reality world where you don't know what's real and what's not.
Seriously. Is it happening? Is it real? What is going on?
I didn't feel like this the entire time, mind you. I think that's important. I was going along, thinking Simon was gonna save Otherworld and come out a winner. But by the time the ending jumped out and attacked me, I wasn't sure which way was up.
I didn't know what was real.
I didn't know what was virtual.
I need book three right now.
I know I can read it, but I really want Jason Segel to read it to me. So, I'm impatiently waiting for Feb 18 when that audio hits my phone.
I seriously had this downloaded and ready to go before I finished Otherworld. I knew this was a book I'd need and I didn't waste any time queuing it up.
That being said I am so freaking in love with this world. Or earth. Or Otherworld...earth? I have no idea. I am just completely consumed, I do know that. I would say it's a world I'd want to visit, but no. No I do not want to live in this virtual reality world where you don't know what's real and what's not.
Seriously. Is it happening? Is it real? What is going on?
I didn't feel like this the entire time, mind you. I think that's important. I was going along, thinking Simon was gonna save Otherworld and come out a winner. But by the time the ending jumped out and attacked me, I wasn't sure which way was up.
I didn't know what was real.
I didn't know what was virtual.
I need book three right now.
I know I can read it, but I really want Jason Segel to read it to me. So, I'm impatiently waiting for Feb 18 when that audio hits my phone.
January 14, 2022
This book was a fast read and kept me entertained. I guess why I gave a 3.5 and not a 4 is that I have a hard time with some of the concepts being believable. The ending is a total cliffhanger that may have changed that so I’m excited to read the 3rd book. If so, perhaps I’ll come back and edit this review to reflect that.
Spoiler alert:
The parts I have a really hard time with is the fact that the people die in the game and then die outside the game. I completely believe the brain could force their physical bodies to feel pain even to an extreme extent, but I don’t know about actually dying.
Spoiler alert:
The parts I have a really hard time with is the fact that the people die in the game and then die outside the game. I completely believe the brain could force their physical bodies to feel pain even to an extreme extent, but I don’t know about actually dying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2019
I actually loved this sm the end had me fucking shook like when can I get my hands on the next one?!
October 11, 2018
Originally posted at Chain Interaction
I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book. I want to preface what I’m about to talk about by saying that I am not averse to a male protagonist. Truthfully, I do prefer to read female protagonists (or non-binary protagonists, while we’re talking about it), but I have read some amazing books with teenage boy protagonists. I’ve talked recently about Soulbinder and how I’ve grown to love the male protagonist Kellen where I didn’t like him before. But perhaps I am less willing to forgive a…less well written male protagonist than I am a female protagonist. We all have our biases.
But man alive did Simon annoy me in this book.
I don’t remember being frustrated by him in Otherworld. In fact, to quote me:
“I actually wasn’t that annoyed by Simon as a main character, though it was one of those books where the majority of the plot is motivated by a romance plot which is sometimes a dealbreaker for some people.”
But this time around, I was annoyed. Simon isn’t the worst YA teenage boy protagonist I’ve ever read, but it did feel like any time he was describing Kat it was always focussed on her boobs or her ass or something equally irritating. Before anyone makes the argument, I don’t care if it’s meant to be a reflection of an actual teenage boy – we shouldn’t be encouraging those attitudes.
I wouldn’t have minded so much had the female characters had more of a part to play in the story, but it felt a lot like they just got shelved in the story, almost all of the heavy action sequences take place in a simulated world, where for plot reasons the female characters don’t go very often in this story. So not only do you have the irritating teen boy but you also don’t have an offset of great female characters. Which is so odd, because I had remembered Otherworld as being quite a balanced book despite Simon taking the lead.
So it was character based reasoning that meant that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I might have done, but what about the plot? I thought this was a pretty standard YA sci-fi/dystopian sequel narrative, you’ve escaped from the situation of book one, now what do you do next? The characters are on the run and they need more information and a way to beat the big bad. I don’t think this book does anything particularly new but it is nonetheless an exciting plot to follow. The pacing feels right, the new characters introduced are interesting, it’s perfectly fine but would probably suit those who haven’t read a lot of similar books.
There are a few moments where the plot feels very engineered, you sort of get the feeling that the opposition that the characters encounter is designed to fix a plot hole, as opposed to being a natural plot point. It’s not terrible, but it did bother me a little.
Overall, I would probably read another book in this world, I’ve complained about the main characters but one of the great things about teenage boy characters is that they do have the potential to grow and to change as the story progresses, and if it wasn’t terrible in Otherworld then it can be not-terrible again.
And it’s still infinitely better than Ready Player One.
My rating: 3/5 stars
I received a free digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book. I want to preface what I’m about to talk about by saying that I am not averse to a male protagonist. Truthfully, I do prefer to read female protagonists (or non-binary protagonists, while we’re talking about it), but I have read some amazing books with teenage boy protagonists. I’ve talked recently about Soulbinder and how I’ve grown to love the male protagonist Kellen where I didn’t like him before. But perhaps I am less willing to forgive a…less well written male protagonist than I am a female protagonist. We all have our biases.
But man alive did Simon annoy me in this book.
I don’t remember being frustrated by him in Otherworld. In fact, to quote me:
“I actually wasn’t that annoyed by Simon as a main character, though it was one of those books where the majority of the plot is motivated by a romance plot which is sometimes a dealbreaker for some people.”
But this time around, I was annoyed. Simon isn’t the worst YA teenage boy protagonist I’ve ever read, but it did feel like any time he was describing Kat it was always focussed on her boobs or her ass or something equally irritating. Before anyone makes the argument, I don’t care if it’s meant to be a reflection of an actual teenage boy – we shouldn’t be encouraging those attitudes.
I wouldn’t have minded so much had the female characters had more of a part to play in the story, but it felt a lot like they just got shelved in the story, almost all of the heavy action sequences take place in a simulated world, where for plot reasons the female characters don’t go very often in this story. So not only do you have the irritating teen boy but you also don’t have an offset of great female characters. Which is so odd, because I had remembered Otherworld as being quite a balanced book despite Simon taking the lead.
So it was character based reasoning that meant that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I might have done, but what about the plot? I thought this was a pretty standard YA sci-fi/dystopian sequel narrative, you’ve escaped from the situation of book one, now what do you do next? The characters are on the run and they need more information and a way to beat the big bad. I don’t think this book does anything particularly new but it is nonetheless an exciting plot to follow. The pacing feels right, the new characters introduced are interesting, it’s perfectly fine but would probably suit those who haven’t read a lot of similar books.
There are a few moments where the plot feels very engineered, you sort of get the feeling that the opposition that the characters encounter is designed to fix a plot hole, as opposed to being a natural plot point. It’s not terrible, but it did bother me a little.
Overall, I would probably read another book in this world, I’ve complained about the main characters but one of the great things about teenage boy characters is that they do have the potential to grow and to change as the story progresses, and if it wasn’t terrible in Otherworld then it can be not-terrible again.
And it’s still infinitely better than Ready Player One.
My rating: 3/5 stars
I received a free digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
November 12, 2018
This book was so much better than the last one!
Now Simon and Kat are together, and they unite with a few of the friends that they have made on their journey to try to destroy the Company and remove all the guests from Otherworld. Kat has saved many Children on her journeys, so they no longer have to fear them, and the team is determined to protect the Children from the guests. If they don't shut down the game, the Company will continue to use the "locked-in" patients as unwilling participants in their game's experiment. If they do shut down the game, all the headset users will be kicked out, and all the disk users will be free.
I have to say, I really enjoyed the chemistry between Simon and Kat in this novel. I didn't get to see much of it in the previous book as they barely crossed paths, but I am glad that decided to read this one. They make a really good couple and seem to have a healthy teen relationship, even though I've only known them for the length of this one book.
Then there are the other characters. I don't want to spoil too much, but I wish that we had a book specifically about the other characters! They all seemed to have such interesting backstories, but they were just thrown into the novel in a way that didn't allow the reader to truly get close to them. I hope that the third book of this series focuses more on them and their stories. One of them is also supposed to have some sort of ADD or be "messed up" because of some crazy things he did in the past, but his personality doesn't seem to be affected in any way. He doesn't seem like the crazy person. He seems perfectly normal.
This book did have its issues, but they did not ruin my entire reading experience. The story did jump right into the main part of the plot, and it didn't get distracted for the most part. The only thing that confused me was the jumping in and out of Otherworld. I lost track somewhere in the middle and was able to pick up speed by the end again. And the book ended on a cliffhanger! I am definitely going to have to read the next book in this series to figure out what happens next.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a new YA science fiction/fantasy series.
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.
Now Simon and Kat are together, and they unite with a few of the friends that they have made on their journey to try to destroy the Company and remove all the guests from Otherworld. Kat has saved many Children on her journeys, so they no longer have to fear them, and the team is determined to protect the Children from the guests. If they don't shut down the game, the Company will continue to use the "locked-in" patients as unwilling participants in their game's experiment. If they do shut down the game, all the headset users will be kicked out, and all the disk users will be free.
I have to say, I really enjoyed the chemistry between Simon and Kat in this novel. I didn't get to see much of it in the previous book as they barely crossed paths, but I am glad that decided to read this one. They make a really good couple and seem to have a healthy teen relationship, even though I've only known them for the length of this one book.
Then there are the other characters. I don't want to spoil too much, but I wish that we had a book specifically about the other characters! They all seemed to have such interesting backstories, but they were just thrown into the novel in a way that didn't allow the reader to truly get close to them. I hope that the third book of this series focuses more on them and their stories. One of them is also supposed to have some sort of ADD or be "messed up" because of some crazy things he did in the past, but his personality doesn't seem to be affected in any way. He doesn't seem like the crazy person. He seems perfectly normal.
This book did have its issues, but they did not ruin my entire reading experience. The story did jump right into the main part of the plot, and it didn't get distracted for the most part. The only thing that confused me was the jumping in and out of Otherworld. I lost track somewhere in the middle and was able to pick up speed by the end again. And the book ended on a cliffhanger! I am definitely going to have to read the next book in this series to figure out what happens next.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a new YA science fiction/fantasy series.
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.
Read
February 23, 2019I have to admit, it took me a while to warm up to the sequel of Otherworld because the first one was so good and I didn’t see how a sequel could top it. While Otherearth continued seamlessly off from where the first one ended, it took me a while to warm back up to the plot and to the characters after such a long break in between. I would recommend reading the sequel straight after finishing the first book. Coming back into the action straight away took me a while to remember what was at stake but eventually, I got it and I started to see an obvious set up for the next book.
However, as I passed the halfway mark , the plot picked up the pace and I was hungry for answers. Personally, I enjoyed the gameplay scenes more then I did the real world scenes – but I think that’s because there was more at stake and it made me think about all the hours I spent playing World of Warcraft. If you’re a fan of gaming and books like Wildcard then this book will be right up your alley!
Overall this wasn’t a bad sequel and there was some really awesome chapters that I thought were really written well and demonstrated some great character development. Looking forward, I will read the next and final one and I’m interested to read more of Jason Segel’s writing.
If you like reading science fiction that challenges the way you think about technology and the role big tech companies play in society, and you love reading books with gameplay, I would totally recommend this book to you.
What have been some of your favourite video game to play?
I received a copy of this ARC thanks to Netgalley and Oneworld Publication in trade for a fair and honest review.
However, as I passed the halfway mark , the plot picked up the pace and I was hungry for answers. Personally, I enjoyed the gameplay scenes more then I did the real world scenes – but I think that’s because there was more at stake and it made me think about all the hours I spent playing World of Warcraft. If you’re a fan of gaming and books like Wildcard then this book will be right up your alley!
Overall this wasn’t a bad sequel and there was some really awesome chapters that I thought were really written well and demonstrated some great character development. Looking forward, I will read the next and final one and I’m interested to read more of Jason Segel’s writing.
If you like reading science fiction that challenges the way you think about technology and the role big tech companies play in society, and you love reading books with gameplay, I would totally recommend this book to you.
What have been some of your favourite video game to play?
I received a copy of this ARC thanks to Netgalley and Oneworld Publication in trade for a fair and honest review.
November 30, 2018
Otherearth is the second book in the Last Reality series. The first book was fairly enjoyable, so I decided to continue with the series. This one picks up pretty much right after the events of Otherworld. It has been a year since I read the first book, so it took me a bit to get reoriented to the world of the series. If you didn't read the first one, you will be lost in this one, so I don't suggest reading them out of order.
Otherearth wasn't as good as the first. It was OK. Again, it's told through Simon's perspective. This time he and Kat are finally a couple and they are on the run from the Company. Now that the know the truth about the dangers of Otherworld, they have to go back into the game to try to stop it once and for all. I think my overall disappointment with this one was that it felt like more of the same thing that I got in the first book. I wanted something different. I almost feel like the events in this book could have been reduced down and added to the first book with thetwist ending of this one. The cliff -hanger ending did leave me open-mouthed and will bring me back to the third book to see what it all means for Simon his friends. I just hope it's different than this one.
Otherearth wasn't as good as the first. It was OK. Again, it's told through Simon's perspective. This time he and Kat are finally a couple and they are on the run from the Company. Now that the know the truth about the dangers of Otherworld, they have to go back into the game to try to stop it once and for all. I think my overall disappointment with this one was that it felt like more of the same thing that I got in the first book. I wanted something different. I almost feel like the events in this book could have been reduced down and added to the first book with thetwist ending of this one. The cliff -hanger ending did leave me open-mouthed and will bring me back to the third book to see what it all means for Simon his friends. I just hope it's different than this one.
May 19, 2019
Student Name: Taren Zietlow Date Submitted: April 15
Book Title: Otherearth Lexile:670
Personal response (3-5 sentences)
This book, though not quite as good as the first, still had the same amount of action, new characters and of course a new book coming out in 2019. Otherwise, this book was a pretty good sequel to the first and still stuck with the details in the first as well. One of the only things I was a little disappointed about is that they stayed in Otherworld pretty much the entire book instead of going to Otherearth for most of the book. I still enjoyed this book almost as much as the first.
Plot summary (5-7 sentences)
Simon, Kat, and Busara are now on the run from the company that owns Otherworld and are on their way to find Elvis which is Simon’s old elementary friend. They already know where they are so The phantom, the Kishka’s old friend, was sent by Irene Diamond, Simon’s mother, to give them money and a safe vehicle from the company while The Phantom creates a diversion. Once at Elvis’s, they explain Otherworld and told him everything that has happened. Once Simon and Elvis are in, they find that Guests are killing off every one of the NPS and Children for sport. Eventually, them trying to stop that leads them to finding Busara’s dad who invented the disk. He has a plan to release a virus to kill off all Guests for good. Alexei attempts to stop the release of this virus because if it is released, then he would no longer be the children’s savior. Fons, one of the most well-known Children, finds this out and murders Alexei. Afterward, the virus gets released and, like promised, kills off every single guest in Otherworld.
Recommendation (3-5 sentences)
I’d recommend this book to anyone who has read the first one and is planning on reading the third one once it is released. This is also for anyone who loves any fiction or video games, specifically VR games. This also is recommended to anyone interested in starting a series or just wants to find something interesting.
Book Title: Otherearth Lexile:670
Personal response (3-5 sentences)
This book, though not quite as good as the first, still had the same amount of action, new characters and of course a new book coming out in 2019. Otherwise, this book was a pretty good sequel to the first and still stuck with the details in the first as well. One of the only things I was a little disappointed about is that they stayed in Otherworld pretty much the entire book instead of going to Otherearth for most of the book. I still enjoyed this book almost as much as the first.
Plot summary (5-7 sentences)
Simon, Kat, and Busara are now on the run from the company that owns Otherworld and are on their way to find Elvis which is Simon’s old elementary friend. They already know where they are so The phantom, the Kishka’s old friend, was sent by Irene Diamond, Simon’s mother, to give them money and a safe vehicle from the company while The Phantom creates a diversion. Once at Elvis’s, they explain Otherworld and told him everything that has happened. Once Simon and Elvis are in, they find that Guests are killing off every one of the NPS and Children for sport. Eventually, them trying to stop that leads them to finding Busara’s dad who invented the disk. He has a plan to release a virus to kill off all Guests for good. Alexei attempts to stop the release of this virus because if it is released, then he would no longer be the children’s savior. Fons, one of the most well-known Children, finds this out and murders Alexei. Afterward, the virus gets released and, like promised, kills off every single guest in Otherworld.
Recommendation (3-5 sentences)
I’d recommend this book to anyone who has read the first one and is planning on reading the third one once it is released. This is also for anyone who loves any fiction or video games, specifically VR games. This also is recommended to anyone interested in starting a series or just wants to find something interesting.
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