OtherLife

Otherearth by Jason Segel and Kristen Miller



The trilogy is complete. I’ve devoured the gripping final and I’ve spent the weekend deep in thought about a series that has been close to my heart since YALC 2016 when I lost my, well everything, upon hearing the premise of Otherworld. I geeked and I geeked hard.

Otherearth hits the ground running much like any thriller from the silver screen. There’s little time for a catch up which I, for one, is very grateful for. I’m of the binge watch generation but I’ve got a good memory: get to the new.

As a reader, we know this has to wrap up in some shape by the final page, but what’s great about this universe by Segel and Miller is that they’re not going to make this all about and ending. It’s a story and a journey in its own right and everyone gets time to shine. Even people who shouldn’t really be there.

If Otherworld is Ready Player One, Otherlife is Bond, Otherlife is Mission Impossible through and through. You won’t know who to trust, who will make it out alive or when you’ll next get to catch your breath. The writing is faultless, the characters are hard to say goodbye to and you’ll be hitting reset the second you finish.

What I love most of all about the ending of this trilogy is that there’s no definitive ending; you know these characters and this world go on to other missions outside of the narrative. It gives readers, like myself, a chance to use our imaginations.

Thank you Jason and Kristen for this wonderful and amazing ride. I can’t wait to see what your partnership brings to the reading world next.

Love Han x

OtherLife is a fast-paced Sci-fi fiction that mixture of tech and fiction blur the lines of reality. It leaves you wondering what could happen next, as the options are endless.

It took me a little while to get into the story as I tried to remember what was the true reality in the book and what was the altered reality.

OtherLife is full of humour, action, mysteries. It makes you question if the evolution of technology is always for the best.

One of my favourite element of OtherLife is the visits to Otherworld and seeing the speed at the way it evolves. Also how magic and technology works together / against each other.

Another aspect that caught my attention is the way certain people thin that their actions are justified for the bigger picture. That it justified murder, slavery, manipulation and kidnap.

The gang is back together in OtherLife and I enjoy the fact that they are all different, bring different skills to the team. But the main thing that impressed me is the growth of the character. Especially Simon maturity in OtherLife.

For me, the biggest take away about The Last Reality series is that technology is good, but it must be monitored and for people to be careful that they do not become obsessed. As it is easy to lose yourself in an alternative reality.

The one thing I can say about OtherLife is that you will not be bored.

My rating for OtherLife is 4 out of 5.

This book completes the Last Reality Trilogy. So, do yourself a favour (if you haven't already) and read OtherWorld and OtherEarth first. If you haven't already then please also don't read on here as my review might contain things that would spoil...
So, Simon, Kat, Busara and Elvis are in hiding from the Company. They are seeking shelter on a remote island when they see a report on the TV that shocks them and scares them as it appears that Simon and Kat have, well, committed a crime. But how - when they never left the island. It appears that technology is being used for nefarious gains again. New technology that baffles the quartet in its execution. So, their plans have to be amended, they still need to go back, but they have to outwit the Company. Luckily, they have the smarts and the technology to do just that. Hopefully. But then the island is raided. the Company has found them. What will this mean to their cause? And what of OtherEarth and those that reside there? With time and resources running out in the real world, can they rely on assistance from the virtual one... before it's too late?
It's been a little while (and many other books) since I was in this world so I was thankful for the catch-up that was included herein. Not designed to completely fill in what has happened, more of a memory jogger which I really appreciated. Nothing too laborious to wade through either if you didn't need it.
There's a lot going on in this last episode. Obviously there's the final fight against the Company and all that entails, but there is also quite a lot of personal reflection for the characters. Relationships between our quartet are strained by many things, as are relationships between them and various other characters. There is also the obligatory game-playing parts, these I found to be much easier to get to grips with that in previous book. Probably cos I am now better versed in this genre of book, having well opened my reading to it in recent times.
The new technology contained herein is also very fascinating and rather scary as, the way things are going in technology, it's not a big leap to believing that this stuff could very well happen in time and that does worry me a bit. As we all know, technology is well outrunning law in many things and slow at playing catch-up at times.
The ending was also very well done. Enough was wrapped up to satisfy me completely with what had gone before but certain doors were left open (not cliffhangers I hasted to add) to mean that maybe the authors aren't completely done with the characters and that is a concept that excites me. I have invested in the characters and the world(s) in which they live throughout the trilogy and I for one am not ready to say goodbye to them at this point.
All in all, a great conclusion to a wonderful trilogy. I'd love to see what the authors will come up with for their next project. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and One World Publications for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This trilogy will take you on a wild ride and honestly you won’t know who or what to believe. I completely fell in love with this trilogy and the world that they created, even though it was a little scary and dark at times. The world building was incredible and each book they eexpanded and built upon the world and it was all so vivid it felt like you were right there. They discussed such important and relevant issues in the books so well too.

I really loved seeing the characters grow throughout the trilogy but I also really loved that they still behaved like teenagers at times. They were scared when their lives were in danger and they were impulsive at times, making mistakes but they were also courageous and smart and witty.

Both Busara and Kat were great female main characters, they weren’t just love interests and played important roles in helping take down the company. They were smart and total badasses, and Kat was often the voice of reason in the group. She would rein in the impulsiveness of Busara and Simon and Busara was often the reason that Simon was able to succeed.

Again this book builds on and discusses the ethical side of the gaming world and virtual reality, how far can we take it, and how corporations can be ruthless in their greed to gain wealth and power. But that we can all do something to prevent that, no matter how young or insignificant you think you are. You can make a difference. It parallels real life where it is often the youth who are the ones who stand up and fight for a better and safer world.

This book is action packed and fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. Once I started I could not put it down, I read it in two evenings. The ending was really satisfying too. There is so many secrets throughout the story and we find the answers and Simon is successful. Loose ends are tied up nicely yet it is still left open in a way that we know that they are not yet done with everything they want to achieve. We are left imagining them doing so much more in the world.

With a focus on the future of VR and advanced digital tech in human society, OtherLife takes to the battleground against tech companies who push innovation at the cost of ethics. Simon and his friends are fugitives now thanks to the Company being after them, but when they are framed for crimes they also become most wanted. This makes it difficult for them to move around to take the Company down, but they are also being aided by a mysterious benefactor who employs Busara's mother. Alongside fighting the Company in the real world, we also see them journeying the Otherworld in search of secrets and answers, and discovering a rapid change therein. Otherworld is jumping ahead in time, and the changes being wrought are not good, but the help they inadvertently provide helps that world too. The characterization is quite better this time around, which somewhat made up for the last two books. On the whole, it makes for an interesting adventure, discusses and incorporates contemporary concerns of lack of legislation on technology that could be potentially harmful. However, the ending for this finale, however, felt a bit too optimistic, and the mystery of his Simon's grandfather left me unconvinced. Overall, though, it was a good balance of adventure and cautionary tale. (less)

OtherLife is the last book in Last Reality series. It hooked me from the start and didn’t let go. Fast paced, filled with action and smarts. I liked the ending, with all the secrets answered and loose ends tied up.