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  • Today, "The artificial links" by Nathan Devers published on August 17, 2022 by Éditions Albin Michel.

Christian Dorsan, author, blogger and contributor to the 20 Minutes Books reading group, recommends

The artificial links

of Nathan Devers, published on August 17, 2022 by Éditions Albin Michel.

His favorite quote:

In the beginning, there was a man and a computer.

Here they have alienated each other, here they breathe together and form a common entity, here they mix and give birth to a hominator.

Why this book?

  • Because this book opens a door to neophytes on virtual worlds.

    “We had to tell it, this spiral.

    The spiral of those who turn in circles between the virtual and the reality.

    Who lose their footing as the boundaries between screens and things, mirages and reality, the world and networks become blurred.

    The vicious circle of a generation that connects to everything, except life”, explains the author in his note of intent.

    This fiction at least allows us to understand what virtual worlds are based on and to revisit the myth of Narcissus.

  • Because the novel recounts the “messianic” rise and fall of a failure

    in a world where everyone can become someone, transform failures into successes.

    But this world in fine, reproduces ours in more unbridled, with a small nuance which is undoubtedly interesting: the respect of anonymity.

    How to exist then, if the exterior does not know who you are, and what becomes of the ego?

  • Because by putting the Gospels and the Antimonde in parallel,

    the author wishes to give a demiurge scope to the creator of the game, without the book seeming too esoteric.

The essentials in 2 minutes

The plot.

A failed piano teacher, rejected in love, finds refuge in the 3D universe of an application called the Antimonde.

Gradually he loses control of his real life and becomes a virtual hero.

Where will this new life take him?

Characters.

Julien Libérat failed pianist and Vangel his avatar, Adrien Sterner the game designer, fan of the Gospels and cocaine addict, May Julien's ex, Thibaut Paterne the good friend and Serge Gainsbourg.

Places.

Bordeaux, headquarters of Heaven, the game production company, Rungis where Julien lives in reality, the Antimonde where Vangel, Julien's avatar, evolves.

The time.

Current era.

The author.

Nathan Devers is an associate professor of philosophy, he is involved in the program

L'Heure des Pros

and edits the review

La rule du jeu. Les liens artificial

is his third novel.

This book was read

without surprises: the narrative thread is indeed quite predictable.

This novel is on the other hand a good introduction to virtual worlds, to 3D, to Metavers...

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