Edda, by Conor Kostick

This is another post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel, but this one is a bit different. In Edda, which is the 3rd book in its series following Epic and Saga, there are other worlds besides ours, which we created. Epic, Saga, and Edda are three of these worlds. Edda brings back characters from Epic and Saga, and like Epic and Saga, there are two plot lines which don't meet until the end. The author also does that annoying thing again where he sticks with one plot line for 50 pages before switching back. Sometimes it's good when he does that, because the good story isn't pulled out from under our feet, but it gets kind of lame when you forget all about the other part of the book.

If you're still stuck on the whole other worlds thing, let me explain. They are super elaborate computer role playing games, except at some point the worlds evolved from being computer games to being worlds. Some people in the game have become as real as we are. The humans (us, who created the worlds) can create characters and plug in and out of the worlds. They don't feel any pain-they only notice it when their health bar decreases-and they don't need to carry anything because it's all accessible from menus on their screens. Read Epic and Saga before Edda to get what I'm talking about.

Of the two separate stories happening in Edda, one is with Cindella, Ghost, and other characters from Epic and Saga trying to find the person threatening Saga, and the other is about Penelope, or as her avatar in Edda is called, Princess. She was left behind when her parents left their planet and practically lived her life as an avatar. She only goes back to her real body to exercise but spends majority of her time in Edda. She is called Princess because the game character turned real personality who took her in, Lord Scanthax is the ruler. Now though, she wants to find out more.

Wouldn't it be cool if we could play one of these games? We'd probably all get really fat, but besides for that, it would be awesome to live in another world.

Lesson: Not all real people are real people.

4.5 stars. You should try it.