Just when you thought technology couldn’t get any more complicated, you’re now drawn into the mind-blowing mindscape of Elusion, by Claudia Gable and Cheryl Clam. It’s set in a futuristic time when the environment is completely toxic and societal demands have become a 24/7 proposition. There’s no choice but to escape.
Why Escape?
“Elusion” is the act of eluding, or avoiding, something. So the simple premise is that the alternate reality allows the worn and weary masses to duck out. Imagine the possibilities. You could escape. Time seems to stand still, and you can undertake any of those adventures you’d dreamed weren’t even possible.
Even if there were whispers about possible side-effects, or consequences, would you believe it?
- Search for Answers & Meaning: Life (and the pursuit of happiness) seems impossible some days, and that hopelessness has a way of hanging on. You may call it “looking for meaning” or the “search for the answer.” You may think you’ve found the solution to all your problems in a person, a thing or a feeling…For the characters in the novel (as well as the nameless masses), Elusion offers answers, perhaps a sense of meaning. At the very least, it offers a sense of hope, if only for a short time.
- Coming of Age: Regan is something of the princess of geek. Her father is, after all, the main designer-developer of Elusion. That should make her the biggest advocate for Elusion, and she is a fan. But, she is also disenchanted, even disillusioned. Yes, she knows that she could escape into Elusion, but it doesn’t offer salvation. It only means more pain.
- Escape from Reality: Elusion is tantalizing in its call, as it offers ever more elusive possibilities. It might as well be the Pied Piper calling the children to come away to the hidden land, where no friend or loved one would see them again. Elusion appears to be the safe, even logical, solution for a world worn out and used up. But, that’s all as long as the safety guidelines are followed. None of the true Elusion addicts would be stymied for long. They pushed the limits.
Reality is fragile and elusive. Ultimately, you’ve got to accept the past as it really is, not as you’d imagined, if there’s any hope of moving forward.
It’s a journey of discovery that you won’t want to miss…