The Cybernetic Walrus: The Wonderland Gambit: Book One [Paperback]

 

 

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If you are naturally curious, like interesting plot twists and rich environments, then you are going to love this book.

I tend to agree with other reviewers that this work is the inspiration for the movie "The Matrix" and in many ways is a superior work. The ideas in Chalker's work are much more developed than in The Matrix and does a much better job of keeping it's integrity throughout.

Jack L. Chalker's theory of existence was spelled out in Book I, P. 223: "... Sometime, somebody, in a world we otherwise know nothing about but which has to be far more advanced than the one we now knew, built a vast computer for some reason and put tremendous knowledge and capability into it. Something went wrong, or so it seemed. A group, a small group, of people from that original place, that true universe, had come into the system and gotten lost, then trapped, in an ever-increasing series of exquisitely detailed virtual universes.. [Brand] was the only hope of getting everybody together again and back to reality. ..."
Chalker wrote, "All reality is programming. We cannot know the real: we are trapped in an endless series of simulations, all of us, and some, like myself, in simulations within simulations. ...." He uses an IT, a thing, a faceless one or a gray ancient to speak these lines, rather than a flesh and blood character. This device implied a para-programmer, one outside the mind of man. This invented God is in control not only of the author outside the story's pages but in control of all the characters within the pages of the book.
Reality now has a counterpart, virtual reality. The characters, en mass, stare into the mirror of their own minds and realize that they had no measuring rod with which to gauge their own realities. The mind is self reflective. The mind has no outer objective way to measure either its input or output. The characters reveal the dead end of human thought. The fact that the tactile nerves register solidity reveals little regarding production or projection of such solidity. There is no way to distinguish whether the neurons fire due to sensory input rather than from say drugs or computer generated inputs. Reality, thus loses its previous foundation.
Chalker posits an Existence Computer with limitless memory able to fill in a separate reality for each and every mind. Everyone gets their own set of individual mental constructs. With this god-like computer unlimited universes to surround each person's set of ideas could be created. (P. 211 BK II). Taking this idea one step further, each person is a circuit on the mother board of the universe. Every solid item that surrounds a person is created within another little circuit. The whole universe is the giant circuitry, the mother board of existence. We are all but chips, powered from this hidden source of energy that we call existence. Chalker names his god character Matthew Brand. Brand understands the circuitry and power of the Existence Computer enough to become part of it. Brand was able to join with the energy reactor in order to control the energy flow into the mother board of the Existence Computer.

I know! Thirteenth Floor wasn't based on this novel (or the series, either), but that movie kept coming to mind as I read the first part of Cybernetic Walrus. Chalker is original and creative in this book, though, and it's much more satisfying than the "What Is Real?" movies out there. A thoroughly enjoyable book, stands as an adventure in its own right, but also beckons the reader on to the rest of the trilogy.

The protagonist, Cory Maddox undergoes plenty of transformation in this story, running through several life "phases" while trying to sort out who to trust. One of the enjoyable features of this series is that the reader is never quite certain who he should trust, either. Often, I found myself wanting to urge Cory & Riki to trust the wrong (in hindsight) characters.

Plenty here for either the SF or fantasy fan. Thoroughly enjoyable--Chalker knows how to entertain while stretching the mind and imagination. Perhaps the worst feature of this book is that the 3rd book of the trilogy is so difficult to obtain.

A solid four-star rating: great fun, but not absolute genius.

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1.0 out of 5 stars Not much like "The Matrix" at all
I tracked down a copy of this book after reading the comments suggesting that "The Matrix" appropriated some of Chalker's ideas. Read more

Published on May 12 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best cyberspace series yet!
Jack Chalker continues his tradition of unique ideas and perspectives in the Wonderland series. What starts out as a classic cyberspace story quickly turns in unexpected... Read more

Published on Dec 19 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars the nature of reality, and the mystery of its control clash.
Mr Chalker takes an ongoing presence in the works of the great Phillip K. Dick, and spins the begginigs of a series that will not let any fans down. Read more

Published on Jun 24 1998 by Edna Eudave-Jones

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Premise: "Everything You Think You Know is Wrong"
Chalker takes a great premise (and acknowledges Philip Dick for the inspiration) and makes a terrific story from it. Read more

Published on Jan 31 1998 by John T. Horner

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent - A great read!
Chalker always amazes me with his imagination. Much of fantasy/science fiction literature follows familiar established themes with some originality thrown in from time to time... Read more

Published on April 15 1997

5.0 out of 5 stars Disconcerting. Question Reality.
If you enjoy books that make you think, this one will set your gears a-spinnin' at high speed! The premise is wonderful, the characters well-drawn and constantly changing their... Read more

Published on Mar 6 1997

4.0 out of 5 stars Jack Chalker's a Phenomenon
An engrossing book laced with lunacy that starts off low-key and then slips -- Oops -- through the literary and metaphysical and scientifc (actually, I found the hard-science... Read more

Published on Jan 4 1997

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Idea but better if less science more characterisation.
Follows the usual theme in J Chalker's books that everyting including identity is fluid.
In this novel he appears to have decided to adopt a more hard science fiction... Read more

Published on Jan 4 1997

4.0 out of 5 stars Strong opening to series, with a several confusing parts.
I am optimistic about the story line itself.
The concept of alternate universes and a "true" existence
are fascinating ideas. Read more

Published on Dec 9 1996

4.0 out of 5 stars Slightly above average Chalker.
After reading the latest Chalker well world book I was wary.
The last well world book was not up to par in my estimate. Read more

Published on Aug 30 1996

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