Review: The Digital Sea by Thomas K. Carpenter

ASIN #: B004GUSB5G

Page Count: 210

Copyright: 2010

Book Summary:

(Taken from Amazon)

It’s 2052. A new reality is just a download away.

Decay is ubiquitous as the world's population shrinks under Sagan's Law. But no one cares as their lives are consumed by the Digital Sea: an immersive augmented reality that’s always on, seen through eye-screens and controlled by the mind.

Zel Aurora, a skilled reality-hacker, can change the Digital Sea with a thought, but all that power can't save her daughter from a deadly disease. So Zel makes a deal with the Djed, a powerful crime lord that she's betrayed once before, to stop the new realities threatening his global empire. When the Djed sends along his murderous bodyguard that’s immune to her powers to make sure she completes the job, she’s forced to make a choice that may cost her daughter’s life.

Mandy's Review:

Cover/Title

The cover has a simplistic design.  It's not really eye-catching or contemplative.  The title, though, automatically makes you think of electronic technology and the vastness of it.

Plot

When you first begin to read the book, each chapter takes the time to introduce you to each of the main characters that you need to know about.  Eventually, you start to see them intermingle until, by the end, they are full immersed in each other's stories and everything ends up making sense.  The action in this story was supported by the futuristic technological advancement of our society.  It was easy to believe that, one day, our country (no matter where you are) would be like those depicted in the book.

The ending didn't answer all of the questions I had so I'm expecting a sequel to pop up sometime soon to continue this engaging story.

Characters

Zel Aurora - A woman willing to do anything to find and give her daughter peace.

Sasha - Zel's companion throughout much of the book, until he meets an untimely demise.

Jartelle - A man who travels all over the world and is not who he appears to be.

Overall

From the beginning to the end, The Digital Sea dragged you into its depths and drowned you with a futuristic reality that threatened to overload your senses.  With its action-packed storyline, it will keep the reader turning page after page until the end.  I would recommend this story to anyone who appreciates future-based story lines mixed with surrealism.