Edda is a ‘virtual’ world ruled by the electronic intelligence of Lord Scanthax. Penelope is a teenager ensnared in Edda. Can she uncover the truth about her human past and gain her freedom? And are there other humans still ‘out there’?
Series:
The Avatar Chronicles
Edda is a 'virtual' world ruled by the electronic intelligence of Lord Scanthax. Penelope is a teenager ensnared in Edda. Can she uncover the truth about her human past and gain her freedom? And are there other humans still 'out there'? A fast-moving fantasy from the author of internationally acclaimed Epic and Saga. Edda has all the exciting elements of avatars, mythical beings, magic, and cataclysmic battles, but also challenges the older reader to think deeply about humanity and power. 'A captivating page-turner.' School Library Journal, starred review of Epic, Conor Kostick's first novel.
Conor Kostick is a writer and historian living in Dublin. As a novelist he was awarded the Farmleigh writer's residency for the summer of 2010 and a place on the nominees list for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2012 and 2013. At their 2009 awards, the Reading Association of Ireland gave him the Special Merit Award ‘in recognition of his significant contribution to writing for children in Ireland’.
Epic is Conor’s most successful book, selling over 100,000 copies worldwide. It was awarded a place on the International Board on Books for Young People "White Ravens" list for 2006 and on the Booklist Best Fantasy Books for Youth list for 2007.
As an historian, Conor Kostick's holds a PhD and a gold medal from Trinity College Dublin. He won first prize in the 2001 Dublinia Medieval Essay Competition, and has held fellowships from the Irish Research Council and the University of Nottingham. In 2013, he was awarded a Marie Curie research grant from the EU.
Conor was twice chairperson of the Irish Writers' Union.
His facebook readers page is here.
I think this is a great continuation to the series and as usual Conor Kostick does a wonderful job of blending fantasy and high tech ideas. The plot is full of engrossing adventures and unexpected turns; and plenty of awesome battles of course.
the eagerly awaited third in the trilogy ... develops the themes begun with Erik’s self-recreation and Ghost’s pugnacious longing for a personal history ... at the centre is the question of what makes you who you are ... Nowhere is this more subtly and yet forcefully drawn than in the closing sequence.
futuristic
A unique book
will appeal to fantasy and sci-fi fans alike, and of course, gamers will enjoy the references to gaming spread throughout.
never heard of (this series) before this week. It sounds brilliant though, and I love the covers, especially Edda!
a striking demonstration of the continuation and playfulness of story itself ... The games people play, literally and metaphorically, are complex, and Kostick’s novel offers a challenging initiation into the rules and conventions ... At a time when so much young adult fiction seems determined to shock its readers with its sensationalism or bore them with its banalities, it is refreshing to read a novel that steers well clear of both tendencies ... its themes, structures and allusions will make many demands of them ... a narrative typified by dramatic encounters and populated by a richly varied cast of colourful characters ... an extremely poignant quest for selfhood
Just as Saga exploded beyond opener Epic, this third volume ratchets up this science-fiction gaming series to a whole new level ... Combatants clash; worlds clash (techno/punk, traditional fantasy, military); philosophies clash (pacifism, preservation, revenge); loyalties hold steady ... Humans, electronic beings and servers are separated by light years and metaphysics, but Kostick’s action-filled series conclusion is immediate and relevant.
it’s got all the winning ingredients of the first two, including some theories that are liable to wreck your head if you gave them too much thought.
This is a BIG story, an intricate, complex narrative which interweaves sci-fi and fantasy ... Kostick's genius lies in allowing his readers to empathise with the book's characters as they negotiate the fantastic worlds he has created for them.
The novel is action-packed, exciting, and full of moral quandaries. For gamers, lovers of fantasy, and readers of the previous books, it’s not to be missed.
highly imaginative piece of fiction ... While, like its two predecessors, the novel is set in the futuristic fantasy domains of an electronic video-games-playing world, the origins of its narrative technique lie in the myths, legends and folk tales which constitute our oldest stories ... extremely exciting and energetic writing
Conor Kostick goes from historical fact to futuristic fiction in one giant leap of imagination ... battles and electronic power games in a universe where everyone but Penelope is made up of pixels and where love and friendship are alien concepts.
writing is always challenging, always thought-provoking and imaginative. But apart from all that brainy nonsense, when you get right down to it, 'Edda' is a rollicking good read, full of fights, chases and all the stuff that make up a good thriller.
a hi-octane cyberpunk adventure
a story full of vivid imagery and strong characterisations and writing ... older readers (I'm talking adults here) will be intrigued by Kostick's storytelling because it is a complex, layered plot, that grabbed my attention and refused to let go ... strong independent characters ... had I found this as a younger reader, instead of reading Asimov and Herbert, I would have become a very big science fiction fan indeed ... that man Conor Kostick better hurry up pretty sharpish with something new for me to read.
this most remarkable feat of imagination has the reader exploring the meaning of humanity, life and emotions as well as being taken on a fantastic and exciting ride through several amazing virtual realities.
Continuity is created with the earlier novels in the series, in the form of characters who we know and like, while at the same time there is inventiveness, especially in the figure of Penelope who is physically on a life-support system but whose avatar is free to roam worlds. Kostick challenges the young reader intellectually, but the heart is always in the right place too. This book would work equally well for younger and older teenagers.
