Otherworld by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

Book of the Week: 28 January 2018

Simon’s family are wealthy enough for him to be able to afford the latest headset needed to play a brand-new virtual reality game, although Simon stole his mother’s Amex card to buy it, but they generally pay him very little attention. He is much closer to his friend Kat who has a house in the woods behind his family mansion. They have hung out together for the last ten years but now Simon is eighteen he has fallen in love with his childhood friend. The problem is, she is no longer speaking to him. When Kat falls into a coma after an accident, the the tech company who produced Otherworld, the game Simon has been playing, plug her into their virtual world. Simon feels something isn’t right, so manages to trick his way in to Otherworld to search for her. His suspicions prove accurate when he encounters hordes of dangerous creatures and the sinister aims behind the game.

Ready Player One still reigns supreme in the world of game-based fiction, but if you like to get immersed in virtual worlds, then it is worth a read. A sequel is due out later this year and yes, Jason Segel is the actor from How I Met Your Mother.

More suited to older readers due to some violent scenes and strong language.