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Available
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Series
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Collection
Publication
Eos (2007), Hardcover, 256 pages
Description
Fantasy. Science Fiction. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: When Newbery Medal winner Neil Gaiman and Emmy Award winner Michael Reaves teamed up, they created the bestselling YA novel InterWorld. InterWorld tells the story of Joey Harker, a very average kid who discovers that his world is only one of a trillion alternate earths. Some of these earths are ruled by magic. Some are ruled by science. All are at war. Joey teams up with alternate versions of himself from an array of these worlds. Together, the army of Joeys must battle evil magicians Lord Dogknife and Lady Indigo to keep the balance of power between all the earths stable. Teens�??and tweens and adults�??who obsessively read the His Dark Materials and Harry Potter series will be riveted by InterWorld and its sequel, The Silver Dream… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member PghDragonMan
Interworld is a collaborative effort from Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves that is aimed squarely at the YA Sci-Fi reader. To be honest, no mater how you juggle the numbers that make up my birthday, there’s no way I’m going to fit a teen reader profile. Not even close. Despite this gap, I really
It is far from perfect, though. One interesting features was in the inconsistent use of semi strong language. One of the characters refers to another as a “son of a bitch”. Not necessarily the strongest language I’ve read, and given the character being talked about this was a perfectly good description, but curiously, later on the main character utters a “darn” when “damn” would have been within bounds of usage.
Cheap clichés also abound. There was one about the truth “coming at you like a freight train” and being bound to the tracks as it is coming at you. Other tired metaphors were there too. Yet it all worked and it worked very well. One neat twist had Joey, the male lead, looking at a female character and “staring at the two things that made us different” only to find he was gazing at her wings!
I am not sure how much credit goes to each author, but I am presuming the main storyline comes from Neil Gaiman. He is a masterful storyteller and he blends his usual fantasy with science and science fiction quite nicely in this story. Some of the devices were not completely original, yet there is enough of a twist I don’t think you could say the storyline was copied from another work.
If you like light Sci-Fi, I think you’ll like this one. If you’re a Gaiman fan, it is worthy to be added to your collection. I’ve yet to read anything by Michael Reaves, but if this in indicative of his talent, I may have to look up his works. If you are just exploring YA, try this for something a little out of the ordinary. Worth a full four stars.
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enjoyed this book.It is far from perfect, though. One interesting features was in the inconsistent use of semi strong language. One of the characters refers to another as a “son of a bitch”. Not necessarily the strongest language I’ve read, and given the character being talked about this was a perfectly good description, but curiously, later on the main character utters a “darn” when “damn” would have been within bounds of usage.
Cheap clichés also abound. There was one about the truth “coming at you like a freight train” and being bound to the tracks as it is coming at you. Other tired metaphors were there too. Yet it all worked and it worked very well. One neat twist had Joey, the male lead, looking at a female character and “staring at the two things that made us different” only to find he was gazing at her wings!
I am not sure how much credit goes to each author, but I am presuming the main storyline comes from Neil Gaiman. He is a masterful storyteller and he blends his usual fantasy with science and science fiction quite nicely in this story. Some of the devices were not completely original, yet there is enough of a twist I don’t think you could say the storyline was copied from another work.
If you like light Sci-Fi, I think you’ll like this one. If you’re a Gaiman fan, it is worthy to be added to your collection. I’ve yet to read anything by Michael Reaves, but if this in indicative of his talent, I may have to look up his works. If you are just exploring YA, try this for something a little out of the ordinary. Worth a full four stars.
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LibraryThing member skyekat
I'm always interested in how a collaboration between authors works out. You take two different styles and attempt to play off the strengths of both people. It must be a hard thing to accomplish. In this case, it worked out quite well. I have been a fan of Neil Gaiman's for a while, but I was not
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aquatinted with Michael Reaves' work until now. I wasn't sure exactly what kind of spin he'd bring to the mix. Interestingly, they created a piece centered around achieving balance between the forces of science/technology and magic/fantasy. It's a perfect project for a first-class fantasy writer, like Gaiman, and a sci-fi writer like Reeves to play off each other's strengths. What was originally pitched as a pilot for a TV series, now makes a fun and fast read as a novel. There's a fair bit of talk about parallel universes, and time spent in places where Klein bottles and Mobius strips are the norm, but that's balanced by some suspenseful rescue attempts and a fair bit of character development for such a slim volume. It may be shelved in the young adult section, but it's a great ride for adults and kids alike. I know Gaiman fans will not be disappointed, and hopefully the same can be said of Reaves' fans as well. Show Less
LibraryThing member SatansParakeet
This is the same young adult book you've read a thousand times before where a young adult finds out they're surprisingly special and destined to save the world. As a big Gaiman fan I've got to say that this isn't his best work. There are some nice scenes and a few original ideas, but I'd certainly
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wait for a soft cover copy before picking it up. The two main differences between Interworld and other "cjhosen one" books is that the chosen one is really the chosen many and the goal is not to save the world so much as maintain the balance. Partly because of this, the ending feels like a set up for a series of novels rather than a satisfactory conclusion. I like that the book makes us think about the ideas of uniqueness and the possibility of ultimate conquest, but it does leave you feeling like the book wasn't finished at the end. Show Less
LibraryThing member sirfurboy
This was my first Neil Gaiman book, and despite the praise he is receiving, it may end up being my last. This book was very poor. The characterisation was rough, the scenes were largely derivative and poorly thought through. It was writing on a level I expect I could have produced myself when 11
One scene sticks out in this regard. When the protagonist leaves his family and is confronted by his mother but must leave anyway - that scene just does not work. Not at all! It was more a case of forcing the character through a sequence of events so as to get them in the right place for a final showdown.
And then there is the whole other world thing that begged a rich and imaginative outworking, but left you feeling like all the action was happening in an empty space. The world was under-described, and there was no sense of wonder at the immensity of the creation being passed through.
It seems this book was written as a very quick fun project, rightly shelved but at some point dusted down and polished up. But it would have been better to rewrite it from the start than just to knock it into shape where the name of the author would get it published. This is one that should have hit the reject pile instead.
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years old at school (and I don't consider myself a great writer!)One scene sticks out in this regard. When the protagonist leaves his family and is confronted by his mother but must leave anyway - that scene just does not work. Not at all! It was more a case of forcing the character through a sequence of events so as to get them in the right place for a final showdown.
And then there is the whole other world thing that begged a rich and imaginative outworking, but left you feeling like all the action was happening in an empty space. The world was under-described, and there was no sense of wonder at the immensity of the creation being passed through.
It seems this book was written as a very quick fun project, rightly shelved but at some point dusted down and polished up. But it would have been better to rewrite it from the start than just to knock it into shape where the name of the author would get it published. This is one that should have hit the reject pile instead.
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LibraryThing member tapestry100
A fun jaunt through multiple dimensions, InterWorld tells the story of young Joe Harker, who has the ability to Walk between dimensions, and the adventures that ensue when he discovers this ability after getting himself lost downtown. It's not so much a story about good vs. evil as it is about
Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves had originally conceived the concept as a television show, but when studios didn't seem interested, they changed the telling into a novel.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Straight forward storytelling and some imaginative plots made for an enjoyable experience. It's a quick read, but worth it if you are looking for something fun. I find myself hoping that they continue the story.
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science vs. magic, and trying to keep the balance between the two.Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves had originally conceived the concept as a television show, but when studios didn't seem interested, they changed the telling into a novel.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Straight forward storytelling and some imaginative plots made for an enjoyable experience. It's a quick read, but worth it if you are looking for something fun. I find myself hoping that they continue the story.
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LibraryThing member thioviolight
This young adult sci fi adventure is a fun though too quick a ride. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, especially for its wittiniess. The idea of an Altiverse with countless versions of selves is fascinating. The ending leaves enough room for future adventures, and I'm hoping to read more about Joey
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Harker and his alter egos! Show Less
LibraryThing member Wova4
Many of Gaiman's books and other projects explore parallel existences--London Below of Neverwhere, the Beldam's lair in Coraline, and the artistic world of Mirrormask. InterWorld is no different, as the protagonist discovers his ability to Walk between different versions of the universe.
In the
I wonder if it should have seen the light of day. To its credit, it is a frothy, fun execution of the concept which is better-done than much of its competition. It's nice to see another step in the progression of Gaiman's writing. On the other hand, it struggles in comparison to Gaiman's other books. InterWorld is good for completists, but neophytes should start with better juvenile titles like Graveyard Book or Coraline or with American Gods or Neverwhere on the adult side.
In the
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afterward, we find out that InterWorld is a trunk novel--a work created roughly after Neverwhere that Gaiman and Reaves shopped around as both a television project and a novel without raising any interest. It wasn't "dusted off" and published until 2008. I wonder if it should have seen the light of day. To its credit, it is a frothy, fun execution of the concept which is better-done than much of its competition. It's nice to see another step in the progression of Gaiman's writing. On the other hand, it struggles in comparison to Gaiman's other books. InterWorld is good for completists, but neophytes should start with better juvenile titles like Graveyard Book or Coraline or with American Gods or Neverwhere on the adult side.
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LibraryThing member Krumbs
A note from the authors at the end of the book talks about how a lack of interest in publishing it resulted in a ten year gap between writing and having it available on the market. I have to say, without the author name attached to this (I usually entirely enjoy Neil Gaiman's work) I wouldn't have
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picked this up and I wouldn't have hung on through the entire story. It felt incomplete; here's this universe in which there are warring factions trying to control all worlds and universes and timelines, and the people fighting against the domination are variations of the same person from different worlds and universes and timelines. No explanation is ever given as to why they're all the same person or why most of the events in the book happen. The best part was at the end when the little group of heroes are told they're not the greatest thing in the world and that most of what they've done was a result of luck. I think I'm pushing it a little with 3 stars, but I couldn't make myself give it 2. Oh well. Show Less
LibraryThing member trinityofone
A young adult novel based on an idea for a TV show Gaiman and Reaves could never get off the ground, this reads like the pilot for said TV show. It introduces a really fascinating world, one in which the main conflict is between the forces of magic and science, both of which have representatives
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who are trying to achieve dominance over the multiverse. Then from an Earth quite like ours comes Joey Harker, who discovers he is a Walker, with the power to move between universes and fight to keep those essential forces in check. The story is a lot of fun, and the potential Horrible Fate that could befall Joey and his friends is really, legitimately terrifying, but the first person narrative is much weaker than Gaiman's usual authorial voice, and ultimately, more questions are raised than answered. I want to know why Joey and all his infinite variations are special! Instead it's kind of frustrating that things leave off where they do. This would have made an even better show than a book, dammit. Show Less
LibraryThing member A_Reader_of_Fictions
Neil Gaiman's name, along with the superhero-looking cover, brought me to InterWorld. I didn't know much about it, and I don't think I'd even heard of it the first time I checked it out of the library, though I didn't actually get around to reading it that time, since I'm pretty notorious for
In an ideal world, all books would be heavily into both world building and character, but accomplishing even one is a feat. The world building in InterWorld is well done, and will appeal to those who enjoy So You Want to Be a Wizard and A Wrinkle in Time. Gaiman and Reaves put their own twist on the multiverse, adding the fascinating concept that some earths are magic-based and some science-based, and then running the gamut between those two. Also awesome are the scenes in the InBetween, which is sort of like Flatland but more fiction, less math.
Joey Harker, the novel's protagonist, does not start out as a particularly impressive specimen. He gets lost easily, so much so that he's gotten lost in his own house. His grades are unexceptional. In no way does he seem like a hero. One day, though, he walks through some mist and into a whole new world, one where his mother doesn't recognize him and he meets the female version of himself. Soon, he finds himself instrumental in a war between the different factions in the multiverse.
Readers who really love world building and science fiction will eat this up like I eat chips, but, for more character-focused readers InterWorld is a bit challenging. For one thing, in some ways, there is almost just one character. In a sort of twist I saw coming from the beginning, most of the characters in the book are alternate universe versions of Joey, which is cool, but a bit limiting at the same time.
Joey does grow a bit as a character, receiving better education, developing a skill (Walking between universes), and becoming braver generally. Still, there's not much of an arc to his development. Reave and Gaiman skip some time, like most of Joey's training. He goes from untrained to more trained without any transition, so it's hard to feel convinced or proud of his development. In fact, I never really had a sense of who Joey was, or of any of his alternate universe incarnations. The character I bonded with most, Hue, never said a word, mostly because he/she/it is a bubble of color. Hue had much more vibrancy and personality than I ever felt from the other characters.
Science fiction fans a bit more hardcore than I am will want to check this out. If you like the concept but want more characterization, try E.C. Myers' Fair Coin.
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checking out an impossible pile of books. As has been the case with my prior experiences with Gaiman, InterWorld proved an imperfect read for me, being primarily focused on world building rather than character.In an ideal world, all books would be heavily into both world building and character, but accomplishing even one is a feat. The world building in InterWorld is well done, and will appeal to those who enjoy So You Want to Be a Wizard and A Wrinkle in Time. Gaiman and Reaves put their own twist on the multiverse, adding the fascinating concept that some earths are magic-based and some science-based, and then running the gamut between those two. Also awesome are the scenes in the InBetween, which is sort of like Flatland but more fiction, less math.
Joey Harker, the novel's protagonist, does not start out as a particularly impressive specimen. He gets lost easily, so much so that he's gotten lost in his own house. His grades are unexceptional. In no way does he seem like a hero. One day, though, he walks through some mist and into a whole new world, one where his mother doesn't recognize him and he meets the female version of himself. Soon, he finds himself instrumental in a war between the different factions in the multiverse.
Readers who really love world building and science fiction will eat this up like I eat chips, but, for more character-focused readers InterWorld is a bit challenging. For one thing, in some ways, there is almost just one character. In a sort of twist I saw coming from the beginning, most of the characters in the book are alternate universe versions of Joey, which is cool, but a bit limiting at the same time.
Joey does grow a bit as a character, receiving better education, developing a skill (Walking between universes), and becoming braver generally. Still, there's not much of an arc to his development. Reave and Gaiman skip some time, like most of Joey's training. He goes from untrained to more trained without any transition, so it's hard to feel convinced or proud of his development. In fact, I never really had a sense of who Joey was, or of any of his alternate universe incarnations. The character I bonded with most, Hue, never said a word, mostly because he/she/it is a bubble of color. Hue had much more vibrancy and personality than I ever felt from the other characters.
Science fiction fans a bit more hardcore than I am will want to check this out. If you like the concept but want more characterization, try E.C. Myers' Fair Coin.
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LibraryThing member ALelliott
You wouldn’t think that a guy who gets lost in his own house could be a hero. But on the day that Joey Harker sets out on the craziest field trip of his life, he sets out on the path to being a hero. Joey Harker is your average, well, Joe. He does ok in school, he has a crush on a pretty girl,
At first, things just seem a little weird-when did McDonald’s start a Scottish promotion? Then they get weirder...his house is completely different. There’s a girl there who looks a lot like him. His mother has no idea who he is. It’s at the point that he meets his not-really-Mother that he also meets the not really nice people, as well as Jay. Jay rescues him from the not really nice people and recruits him to become a part of the task-force that keeps law and order in the multiverse. Joey accepts the offer, but screws up his mission so badly that he not only loses his mentor, but endangers his entire team of Walkers. Joey only has one choice-to lead an army of inter-dimensional selves against a power of unimaginable evil. His time to become a hero has arrived.
Ok, so it all sounds very confusing and rather stupid when you put it like that, and if I’m telling the truth, this book has untapped potential. It’s a slim volume of fewer than 250 pages, which doesn’t give you much time to develop infinite worlds, not to mention a battle between the multiverse’s best and worst. Turns out that this was an outline for a television show that Gaiman and Reaves had an idea for. Funnily enough, TV execs weren’t interested in a show based on quantum physics, and the whole thing got shoved in a drawer for a while, until some publisher probably asked Gaiman to pay for their kids’ college education, and Gaiman pulled this out of a drawer and said, “Here.” But this was actually a really engaging little book. Joey is a likable underdog and he has the cutest sidekick without facial features I’ve ever read about. The plot moves at a quick clip, and the villain, the vile Lord Dogknife, was actually pretty scary. The multiverse theories and quantum pseudoscience went right over my head a lot of the time, but I enjoyed imagining the infinite possible worlds created every time someone somewhere makes a significant decision.
I wish that Gaiman, who is a master at world building, had taken the time to flesh this book out and begin a series. After all, the possibilities are...infinite.
A little bit of spicy language, but nothing middle schoolers haven’t heard before. While the equations and stuff might be confusing for kids, they’ll enjoy the action scenes and rooting for Joey. And for the more nerdly-inclined, such as myself, it’s a neat little introduction to pseudo-quantum theory and the multiverse.
Grades 7 and up.
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his parents are nice but strict. But Joey has a secret talent, one so secret he doesn’t even know he has it. See, Joey is a Walker. He might get lost crossing the street, but he has a talent for crossing inter-dimensional planes. And it turns out that that talent is really valuable to some really not nice people. So on the day Joey sets out on his field trip and his path to heroism, he becomes the target of these really not nice people, and that’s where his adventure begins.At first, things just seem a little weird-when did McDonald’s start a Scottish promotion? Then they get weirder...his house is completely different. There’s a girl there who looks a lot like him. His mother has no idea who he is. It’s at the point that he meets his not-really-Mother that he also meets the not really nice people, as well as Jay. Jay rescues him from the not really nice people and recruits him to become a part of the task-force that keeps law and order in the multiverse. Joey accepts the offer, but screws up his mission so badly that he not only loses his mentor, but endangers his entire team of Walkers. Joey only has one choice-to lead an army of inter-dimensional selves against a power of unimaginable evil. His time to become a hero has arrived.
Ok, so it all sounds very confusing and rather stupid when you put it like that, and if I’m telling the truth, this book has untapped potential. It’s a slim volume of fewer than 250 pages, which doesn’t give you much time to develop infinite worlds, not to mention a battle between the multiverse’s best and worst. Turns out that this was an outline for a television show that Gaiman and Reaves had an idea for. Funnily enough, TV execs weren’t interested in a show based on quantum physics, and the whole thing got shoved in a drawer for a while, until some publisher probably asked Gaiman to pay for their kids’ college education, and Gaiman pulled this out of a drawer and said, “Here.” But this was actually a really engaging little book. Joey is a likable underdog and he has the cutest sidekick without facial features I’ve ever read about. The plot moves at a quick clip, and the villain, the vile Lord Dogknife, was actually pretty scary. The multiverse theories and quantum pseudoscience went right over my head a lot of the time, but I enjoyed imagining the infinite possible worlds created every time someone somewhere makes a significant decision.
I wish that Gaiman, who is a master at world building, had taken the time to flesh this book out and begin a series. After all, the possibilities are...infinite.
A little bit of spicy language, but nothing middle schoolers haven’t heard before. While the equations and stuff might be confusing for kids, they’ll enjoy the action scenes and rooting for Joey. And for the more nerdly-inclined, such as myself, it’s a neat little introduction to pseudo-quantum theory and the multiverse.
Grades 7 and up.
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LibraryThing member princess-starr
Being the massively huge Neil Gaiman fangirl that I am, I’m surprised that I was very indifferent to Interworld even before I finally picked it up. There’s been a number of times where I stood in the bookstore, looked at it, thought “Yeah, I should get around to that one of these days,” and
This is like how Odd and the Frost Giants was for me; I liked the book (I have yet to find something of Neil Gaiman’s that I absolutely hate something about it; see again, the Beowulf movie), but I got to the end thinking, “That’s all?” It’s a book where the story feels so much richer and grander than the 260 pages it allows. It’s mentioned in the afterword that Interworld started as a failed television pilot, and I can definitely see its roots in the story, but I think this would have worked better in a much different medium. *coughcomicbookcough**takeallmymoney*
I do like the premise. I like the idea of alternate universes, I love the idea of a grand multiverse and the fact that you can easily jump from universe to universe by just walking into soft places in the world. I liked the detail that’s added that while yes, alternate universes are created based on people’s choices, the catalyst for their creation is based on much larger decisions than “What shirt did you wear today?” There’s even the detail that there’s thousands of Walkers spread across the multiverse, but they’re all slightly cracked mirror versions of the same person.
The main Walker, Joey Harker, is a little boring—standard teen protagonist hero. I liked that he does feel like a real teenager; he has a bit of a mouth, he has a crush, he loves his family but doesn’t necessarily gets along with his siblings. It’s just all the other details that throw him into designated hero mode: he’s the most powerful Walker in the multiverse, everyone else at the base hates him, and he manages to befriend a creature that everyone else insists is dangerous. There’s nothing really compelling about him or his journey that I haven’t seen in other films/books/shows/insert medium here. I was more interested in the other Joey Harkers of the multiverse, how they react when “Oh, it’s another version of me” shows up at base. We get a little of this from Jay’s perspective, but there’s really not much to it and Jay gets killed off fairly early.
The villains were the biggest example of why the book was so lacking for me. Part of the setup of the multiverse is that all of these universes are arranged in a sort of arc, with more scientifically-developed universes on the one end, magic-developed universes on the other, and the ones in the middle somewhere in between the two. Both factions have evil overlords who are conquering the multiverses and using the Walkers’ life energies to fuel their ships in the respectful fashion. The main villains of the book, Lady Indigo and Lord Dogknife are from one of the magic universes. We hear about the technological universes, and we see some of the inhabitants, but they’re never really front and center. And I feel like there’s so much more to this story that could have been there. I wanted to see more of the multiverse, more of the civilizations that populate them, and how Joey reacts to everything. I wanted more of the different threats—more mudluffs that are actually threatening, the science pirates who get mentioned but are never seen. It’s very evident that there’s a wealth of stories to take place in these universes, and it feels like a shame that we’ve only ever gotten one book out of it.
I don’t feel like reading Interworld was a waste of my time or that I felt cheated by the end of the book, just overall disappointed that there wasn’t more to the story. It’s a decent enough of a read, but I don’t rank it high.
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then bought something else. I’ll be honest, I read it because I’m a completist and aside from a few short stories that I’ll probably get to in the next collection, all I have left of the major Neil Gaiman canon is four graphic novels and maaaaybe the Beowulf movie. (Which I have very conflicted feelings on seeing.) This is like how Odd and the Frost Giants was for me; I liked the book (I have yet to find something of Neil Gaiman’s that I absolutely hate something about it; see again, the Beowulf movie), but I got to the end thinking, “That’s all?” It’s a book where the story feels so much richer and grander than the 260 pages it allows. It’s mentioned in the afterword that Interworld started as a failed television pilot, and I can definitely see its roots in the story, but I think this would have worked better in a much different medium. *coughcomicbookcough**takeallmymoney*
I do like the premise. I like the idea of alternate universes, I love the idea of a grand multiverse and the fact that you can easily jump from universe to universe by just walking into soft places in the world. I liked the detail that’s added that while yes, alternate universes are created based on people’s choices, the catalyst for their creation is based on much larger decisions than “What shirt did you wear today?” There’s even the detail that there’s thousands of Walkers spread across the multiverse, but they’re all slightly cracked mirror versions of the same person.
The main Walker, Joey Harker, is a little boring—standard teen protagonist hero. I liked that he does feel like a real teenager; he has a bit of a mouth, he has a crush, he loves his family but doesn’t necessarily gets along with his siblings. It’s just all the other details that throw him into designated hero mode: he’s the most powerful Walker in the multiverse, everyone else at the base hates him, and he manages to befriend a creature that everyone else insists is dangerous. There’s nothing really compelling about him or his journey that I haven’t seen in other films/books/shows/insert medium here. I was more interested in the other Joey Harkers of the multiverse, how they react when “Oh, it’s another version of me” shows up at base. We get a little of this from Jay’s perspective, but there’s really not much to it and Jay gets killed off fairly early.
The villains were the biggest example of why the book was so lacking for me. Part of the setup of the multiverse is that all of these universes are arranged in a sort of arc, with more scientifically-developed universes on the one end, magic-developed universes on the other, and the ones in the middle somewhere in between the two. Both factions have evil overlords who are conquering the multiverses and using the Walkers’ life energies to fuel their ships in the respectful fashion. The main villains of the book, Lady Indigo and Lord Dogknife are from one of the magic universes. We hear about the technological universes, and we see some of the inhabitants, but they’re never really front and center. And I feel like there’s so much more to this story that could have been there. I wanted to see more of the multiverse, more of the civilizations that populate them, and how Joey reacts to everything. I wanted more of the different threats—more mudluffs that are actually threatening, the science pirates who get mentioned but are never seen. It’s very evident that there’s a wealth of stories to take place in these universes, and it feels like a shame that we’ve only ever gotten one book out of it.
I don’t feel like reading Interworld was a waste of my time or that I felt cheated by the end of the book, just overall disappointed that there wasn’t more to the story. It’s a decent enough of a read, but I don’t rank it high.
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LibraryThing member hoxierice
As expected by Neil Gaiman, it is a story about someone who transports into parallel universes. In this case it is a boy who discovers he can "walk" between dimensions. Where he becomes a hero and saves the world...actually millions of worlds.
A fine book, but it never really grabbed me. I kept on
A fine book, but it never really grabbed me. I kept on
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waiting to get to a point were I was really caught up with the story, the writing style...something, but then the book was over. I guess I was slightly disappointed because I loved "Coraline" so much. Show Less
LibraryThing member snat
The premise of this book was very inventive, but I never really felt like I was reading a Neil Gaiman book. True, it was co-authored with Michael Reeves, so perhaps his was the overriding influence of the novel. There are some Gaiman hallmarks: wonderfully strange ideas about alternate universes
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that are created each time a monumental decision must be made (thus creating a separate universe for the possible outcome of each alternative offered by that decision) as well as fantastic creatures inhabiting these different versions of earth. In particular, I found the idea of the Hex empire (a world ruled by magic and sorcery) at battle with the Binary empire (a world ruled by science and reason) for possession of these multiple earths to be an intriguing premise, but it's been done better in other Gaiman novels (most notably the battle between the old gods and the gods of technology in American Gods). This book will probably satisfy a young adult audience and is a good introduction to Gaiman as a writer, but those seeking more substance and conflicts without glossed over resolutions should perhaps look elsewhere). If I were 15-16 again, I would have loved it. As it is, it was a quick and entertaining read that made me want to revisit previously read Gaiman works. Show Less
LibraryThing member OldDani
I have rated this book as highly as I have in the context of teen/YA fiction. Certainly not Gaiman's best but as a collaboration aimed at the teen market, I consider it a success. My measure of success in this case is simple. I believe teenage boys would read and enjoy it. Anything that gets a
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teenage boy reading is fine by me. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jenson_AKA_DL
This review is for the audiobook version of the story.
Yes, the story was a little campy and played mightily amongst the clichés of both science fiction and fantasy, but generally I thought this was delightful. Never a book that I would have had the patience to sit down and read, but having the
In this science fictionany tale we meet Joey Harker, a teen with no sense of direction, either in life or in finding his way, until a field trip gone wrong causes him to "walk" through to a new dimension. Unfortunately his new found ability also alerts the conflicting factions of Hex and Binary to his existence and they waste no time coming to get him. To his rescue is...himself. In fact, there are a lot more of himself scattered through the dimensions than he could have ever imagined and in this book we get to see Joey in a thousand different ways go on a quest to save the universe.
I thought the combining of the clichés to be quite clever. Personally I find the idea of having to interact with multiple versions of myself probably the most horrifying thing about the whole concept. I really loved Hue and thought he was a very unique and adorable creature.
I certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to boys (or girls I suppose, I'm female myself albeit one with strange tastes) probably fifth grade and up who enjoy science fiction, adventure, a bit of violence and a lot of action.
Yes, the story was a little campy and played mightily amongst the clichés of both science fiction and fantasy, but generally I thought this was delightful. Never a book that I would have had the patience to sit down and read, but having the
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audiobook version read to me was very enjoyable (despite the annoying bleeps of the home coordinates) and the reader was quite talented. I wouldn't mind listening to more stories read by Christopher Evan Welch!In this science fictionany tale we meet Joey Harker, a teen with no sense of direction, either in life or in finding his way, until a field trip gone wrong causes him to "walk" through to a new dimension. Unfortunately his new found ability also alerts the conflicting factions of Hex and Binary to his existence and they waste no time coming to get him. To his rescue is...himself. In fact, there are a lot more of himself scattered through the dimensions than he could have ever imagined and in this book we get to see Joey in a thousand different ways go on a quest to save the universe.
I thought the combining of the clichés to be quite clever. Personally I find the idea of having to interact with multiple versions of myself probably the most horrifying thing about the whole concept. I really loved Hue and thought he was a very unique and adorable creature.
I certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to boys (or girls I suppose, I'm female myself albeit one with strange tastes) probably fifth grade and up who enjoy science fiction, adventure, a bit of violence and a lot of action.
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LibraryThing member ghilbrae
An easy to read story about a teenager with the power of walking between parallel universes. The plot is quite simple and with not many surprises, anyway I liked it, I specially enjoyed the second half of the book.
It is clearly a book meant for young readers, maybe for eleven-year-old kids or so.
It is clearly a book meant for young readers, maybe for eleven-year-old kids or so.
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Not the best of Gaiman's and far from Coraline but entertaining. Show Less
LibraryThing member louisu
This was a fun little book to read that I came across at the bookstore that immediately piqued my interest since it is of course written by Neil Gaiman who is one of the my favorite writers of all time. This book proved to be a quick read more meant for the pages of a small comic rather than the
Two different sets of people seem to be on the lookout for Joey those that would use magic to aqcuire him or those that would use advanced science to capture him. Joey unkowingly moves in between worlds aluuding them only to come into contact with a third group trying to capture a man in silver armor that is amazingly familiar. It turns out that Joey is one of every Joey that exist on every alternative reality. It turns out that there are infinite possible variations on our Earth and that Joey can move along between these worlds at will. Yet an army exists that creates a balance between these worlds fighting one side that uses magic to control worlds and another that employs science. The different Joey's that exist across the different realities are killed and their abilites drained from their souls to fuel the invasion of different realities from the two factions. This entire army is comprised of the multiple Joe Harkers. Great premise for a comic book and a fun read. The enitre book is basically how these worlds interact and Joey's place in the overall scheme of things. Fun read great for kids. The climatic battle scene in the book is great,but as you read find out is just one of many battle taking place on different levels. Gaiman and Reaves create a simple idea and turn it around on its head giving the reader depths of imagination to swim around and fantasize. It reads like a comic book, fast quick and visually stimulating.
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pages of the a novel. This si explained within the confines of the introduction so it makes sense as you read this book much it unravels like a comic panel to panel. Joey Harker is a funny character that has no sense of direction and seemingly gets lost in every place he finds himself, generally he is lost within the confines of his own house. So as you find out more about him he is the average socailly akward outcast in his world. Of course like most of these stories Joey is a lot more than what he seems. Joey discovers that he in fact has the ability to move between realities. In everyone of these realites Joey exists at different levels of power able to move between the different worlds at will. Joey's introduction into this world occurs as his powers kick in and all hell breaks lose. Two different sets of people seem to be on the lookout for Joey those that would use magic to aqcuire him or those that would use advanced science to capture him. Joey unkowingly moves in between worlds aluuding them only to come into contact with a third group trying to capture a man in silver armor that is amazingly familiar. It turns out that Joey is one of every Joey that exist on every alternative reality. It turns out that there are infinite possible variations on our Earth and that Joey can move along between these worlds at will. Yet an army exists that creates a balance between these worlds fighting one side that uses magic to control worlds and another that employs science. The different Joey's that exist across the different realities are killed and their abilites drained from their souls to fuel the invasion of different realities from the two factions. This entire army is comprised of the multiple Joe Harkers. Great premise for a comic book and a fun read. The enitre book is basically how these worlds interact and Joey's place in the overall scheme of things. Fun read great for kids. The climatic battle scene in the book is great,but as you read find out is just one of many battle taking place on different levels. Gaiman and Reaves create a simple idea and turn it around on its head giving the reader depths of imagination to swim around and fantasize. It reads like a comic book, fast quick and visually stimulating.
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LibraryThing member extrajoker
first line: "Once I got lost in my own house."
In some ways, this reminded me of Diana Wynne Jones's The Homeward Bounders. And Hue, the blobular "mudluff," called to mind Fred, the sidekick-star from So You Want to Be a Wizard? by Diane Duane. I didn't like this as much as some of Gaiman's other
Throughout the book, I found myself thinking that the story would work better in a visual medium, so I wasn't surprised to read in the afterword that the authors had originally pitched it as a television show. In my opinion, it would work best as an animated series, or even a graphic novel.
In some ways, this reminded me of Diana Wynne Jones's The Homeward Bounders. And Hue, the blobular "mudluff," called to mind Fred, the sidekick-star from So You Want to Be a Wizard? by Diane Duane. I didn't like this as much as some of Gaiman's other
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work...but then, I tend to prefer his adult writing to his children's/young adult work. (And this is my first exposure to Michael Reaves.)Throughout the book, I found myself thinking that the story would work better in a visual medium, so I wasn't surprised to read in the afterword that the authors had originally pitched it as a television show. In my opinion, it would work best as an animated series, or even a graphic novel.
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LibraryThing member Phantasma
I adored this book. I demand a sequel! But I doubt that's likely seeing as how Gaiman and Reaves wrote it in the 90s.
LibraryThing member yarmando
Entertaining story of a boy who can move into alternate realities, who becomes part of a force (made up of alternate-reality versions of himself) that protects their particular segment of the multiverse from the dominating forces of HEX and Binary.
LibraryThing member kthartig
Excellent for intermediate and middle school science fiction readers.
LibraryThing member pratchettfan
Joey, who normally gets lost in his won backyard, stumbles upon a parallel universe and faces adventures he never thought possible.
A story not only for kids as it is well narrated and very suspenseful.
A story not only for kids as it is well narrated and very suspenseful.
LibraryThing member ewyatt
I listened to the audiobook and thought the production was really well done.
Joey Harker is on a field trip and finds himself walking through a mist right into another world! Much to Joey's surprise there are many worlds similar to earth and a group called Interworld which is made up Joey
Joey Harker is on a field trip and finds himself walking through a mist right into another world! Much to Joey's surprise there are many worlds similar to earth and a group called Interworld which is made up Joey
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Harker-like beings who act as a guerilla group between the forces of Hex (evil magic folks) and Binary (evil technology folks) to prevent either group from becoming too powerful. Joey is a talented Walker, able to walk between worlds through the Inbetween. After Joey's team gets kidnapped on a training mission, the group has to go against Lord Dogknife and the forces of Hex to stop disaster and survive. Show Less
LibraryThing member knielsen83
Great book that was coauthored by Neil Gaiman. Basically, it's about a boy who can Walk - he can travel through different worlds/planes. He ends up being rescued a few times and ends up joining this group where there are many forms of himself and they make sure the universe is secure, protecting it
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from various bad people. It could have been better, but it was pretty darn good. I sort of want more though... Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — 2008)
Language
Original publication date
2007
Physical description
256 p.; 8.42 inches
ISBN
0061238961 / 9780061238963
Similar in this library
DDC/MDS
| 813.54 |
Pages
256