Rod Rees

Ella Thomas is a normal eighteen-year-old, trying to earn money to put herself through college and keep her younger brother out of trouble. When she is offered a job to enter the Demi-Monde and rescue the President’s daughter, she also receives five million reasons to accept the dangerous task. Unfortunately, the virtual world is something for which no amount of training can prepare someone, and Ella soon finds herself whisked along in the chaos that is the Demi-Monde, forming unlikely show more partnerships, crossing paths with some of the most famous and infamous historical and cultural leaders to grace the Earth, and uncovering a dangerous plot with the potential to change the world, real and virtual, forever. Such is the world envisioned by Rod Rees in his novel, The Demi-Monde: Winter.

The Demi-Monde: Winter involves a fully-realized virtual reality in which Mr. Rees has already considered and planned the slightest details to make it as realistic as possible. It is complex and layered and not easily explained or understood in a few short pages, let alone chapters. However, this intricacy is necessary for it adds a layer of authenticity to the story and prevents it from becoming farcical. Between the glossaries for common terminology, the explanations that begin each chapter, and the detailed maps of each section of the Demi-Monde itself that precedes each section, a reader can take as much time as necessary to adapt to the lingo, learn the geography, and understand the political, religious, social, and economic differences of each sector before proceeding to the next chapter/page/paragraph. The time taken to understand the Demi-Monde will help immerse the reader into this familiar but different world.

One of the unique features of the Demi-Monde, and therefore of the story, is the fact that the key leaders in the virtual world are historical characters. If one is so inclined, a reader can take the time to learn more about each of the leaders and key players in the drama. Not only does it help a reader understand why they made the chosen list of cyber-duplicates, it adds a sense of tension to know exactly what each character is capable of achieving when allowed to run amok in a virtual world predicated on chaos. There is something profoundly chilling in knowing what Rudolph Heydrich did in real life and seeing how he might have acted without an opposing force to stop him.

The Demi-Monde: Winter is not by any means a character-driven novel. In fact, character development is superficial at best, while character descriptions beyond the physical are also lacking. However, a reader never feels this loss, as the characters’ actions make sense given what little back story is told about them. In addition, much of the character development occurs in the heat of the moment, forgoing the necessity for detailed exposition regarding each character’s past. One does not need to know about Trixie Dashwood’s childhood to understand her transformation by the end of the novel, and Ella’s character is one the evolves as her time in the Demi-Monde lengthens. The only character to suffer from this distinct lack of explanation is the President’s daughter, but it becomes apparent that this is a deliberate choice on Mr. Rees’ part for a reader’s uncertainty about her will play a large role in future novels. Even without a detailed back story, each character has a strong personality that bursts from the page and enlivens the action. One never knows how a character is going to act, and it is this uncertainty which helps generate suspense but also gives readers a feel for the maelstrom that is the very definition of the Demi-Monde.

As with all science fiction novels, there is a level of disbelief that one should suspend for overall enjoyment of the story, and the same is true of The Demi-Monde: Winter. Mr. Rees dispels some of the disbelief himself with the descriptions of the computers used to power the Demi-Monde; they are too powerful for current technology. Then there is the idea of prescient virtual beings who completely understand their environment and its limitations and the idea that a computer simulation could manifest itself in the real world; Mr. Rees uses the long-standing fears of technology becoming cognizant and acting of their own accord to create an element of fear and urgency throughout the story. That being said, one never knows just how advanced computers have become in the private sector, and the mere possibility that the government could create a virtual training world using advanced computers and processing adds to the intrigue. As far-fetched as the premise might be, the fact that there is always a chance of its occurrence is more than enough to make the idea exciting.

The Demi-Monde: Winter is a truly fascinating look at the possibilities of virtual reality and the dangers of becoming to immersed into them. It is also an intriguing sociological experiment in forcing so many megalomaniacs into one small area and watching to see who emerges as a victor. The results are surprising and yet not quite as shocking as one might initially predict. The world inhabited by the Demi-Mondians is suitably horrifying, especially as a counterpoint to modern cultures, but the largest revelation of all is how little it takes to adjust to the differences. The hatred and vitriol spewed by the top leaders in the Demi-Monde never cease to be upsetting but become less outrageous as a reader progresses through the novel. The depravity of the Rookeries and the abject poverty of most of the Demi-Mondians becomes Dickensian rather than appalling, part of the setting rather than any sort of social commentary. Yet the element of danger that a reader first experiences in the prologue never ceases as the story develops. A reader can adjust to the hatred, to the poverty, to the depravity, and to the putrefaction of the Demi-Monde itself, but a reader never adjusts to the danger that is part of the daily life of living in the Demi-Monde. It makes for a gripping story with captivating characters and a fast-paced plot which allows a reader to fly through its 500+ pages. The breathtaking ending will leave a reader eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series. Thankfully, American audiences do not have that much longer to wait. show less

When readers last entered the Demi-Monde, the situation for our hapless victims/heroes looked bleak. Ella was too late to prevent Reinhard Heydrich from executing his master plan. Norma was still trapped, and for all their efforts, the ForthRight was still poised to take over yet another sector of the Demi-Monde. The Shadow Wars picks up at the exact spot where the first book ends, building on the suspense already established. Yet, readers expecting a rehashing of the previous story, with show more the use of the same format and plot structure will be pleasantly surprised as this second novel in Rod Rees’ Demi-Monde series does not rest on its laurels. What was once familiar is turned on its head as Norma and Ella’s roles within the Demi-Monde evolve, and the story twists down unforeseen paths. Every secret unveiled within the Demi-Monde adds a new twist and depth to the overall story which helps make this one of the more exciting science fiction/alternative reality series in recent years.

One of the best things about Mr. Rees’ Demi-Monde is the fact that it is so well-planned and executed. It is very apparent that he has given his virtual world much thought, and the proof is in the details. The descriptions are exacting, while his use of the familiar helps a reader understand this unfamiliar world. Interestingly, it is the twists added to the familiar landmarks, words, and phrases which help further flesh out the Demi-Monde and solidify the differences between Mr. Rees’ virtual world and our real one. For example, the “Awful Tower”, which plays such a pivotal role in this sequel, becomes much more ominous and therefore befitting the darkness of the Demi-Monde, than the Eiffel Tower, and yet the play-on-words allows readers to understand exactly what tower it is without much in the way of description. It is a creative and successful world-building tool that never loses its effectiveness.

In The Shadow Wars, the overarching story of the Demi-Monde takes some unusual twists that are questionable at the time. It is only upon reflection and with the use of hindsight where these unusual turn of events are not as surprising as they actually were and actually begin to make sense. For, the Demi-Monde storyline is not just a story about a futuristic alternative reality, it is a commentary on the blurred lines between good and evil. More importantly, it is a fantastic study on free will and the randomness, or the lack thereof, of chaos. It takes everything that is familiar in our current world and hypothesizes on potential changes under certain stressors and within certain environments. Nowhere is this better seen than in the Department of Future History and the study of Pre-science, both explained in detail in throughout the sequel. The plot twists, which are startling and suspicious at first glance, fit into this sociological experiment that is the Demi-Monde.

However, even while the series may make sociologists drool, the Demi-Monde series, and The Shadow Wars in particular, is first and foremost science fiction. There are plenty of fantastic elements to appease the most discerning of science fiction lovers, crossing over into many different sub-genres for wider audience appeal. The steampunk elements within the Demi-Monde are fascinating, while the futuristic scientific gadgets used outside of the virtual world are impressive and yet oh-so-scary thanks to their insidious intent. The addition of the prophecy with its Messiah figure, and the heavy use of auras throughout the novel, appeals towards those interested in more speculative, paranormal fiction. While in some novels the combined effect of these very different sub-genres could be disastrous, Mr. Rees uses them all to his advantage, using the tension created by such opposing ideas to fuel the suspense and drama of the main storyline.

One should be warned that The Shadow Wars does have an almost Dickensian element in regards to its cast of characters. For, the cast of characters is large and growing larger as the main characters delve further into the Demi-Monde’s various sectors. While it can be difficult to remember them all, a reader instinctively knows that each character will become important at some point within the series and is therefore worthy of scrutiny. Thankfully, Mr. Rees excels at creating memorable minor characters, with larger-than-life personalities and characteristics which not only help a reader keep everyone straight but also enhance the overall plot.

As a sequel, The Shadow Wars does not disappoint as it builds upon the rich and fully-developed world first experienced in Demi Monde: Winter. While it does suffer slightly because it sets the stage for the rest of the series, the action remains fast and furious, and the characters develop in surprising ways. Norma’s growth in particular is unanticipated, as she steps into a role vacated by Ella, also an unforeseen turn of events. With the two girls’ roles firmly established, it will be the actions and development of the minor characters - Vanka, Burlesque, and the like - which will be particularly interesting and important as the story continues to unfold. Unfortunately, thanks to the differences between the UK and US publishing dates, the wait for more adventures of the Demi-Monde promises to be long and anxious. Thankfully, the details and complexity of Mr. Rees’ world leaves a reader with plenty to ponder and anticipate during the long wait. show less

Thank goodness that's over.

The Demi-Monde is a computer simulation modelled on real life and history (Matrix-style, full immersion), used for training purposes. As a starting premise, it's a minefield. When you want to condense the world into microcosm and rejig it, the question isn't whether it will be problematic, it's how and to what degree. Now, as rendered in the book, I found it appalling Euro-centric. There are five sectors, and three of them are Euro (Anglo, Russian/Slav, and show more Romantic) which leaves the other two being "Asian and stuff" and "African and Muslim and stuff", and these also being the two with skewed gender dynamics. Given that the purported objective of the simulation is to train US forces in low-intensity conflict scenarios - which usually do not occur in Europe - this seems a ridiculous set-up. (On the other hand, would setting it up in any other way provide dangerous options of "only the whites are good"? He avoids that problem neatly by having Nazis. Nazis are always as evil as it gets! No wuckers!)

But there were so many things about the way the simulation was set up that made little to no sense. The selection of historical personalities was occasionally interesting, but mostly just baffling. (What on earth was Aleister Crowley doing there? He deserves, in my mind, neither such praise nor such censure; I may have, in ranting about this, referred to him as the Paris Hilton of Victorian esoteria.) There are many detail flaws in the construction of the world - the locals don't bleed, but they bruise; trees can't grow except when we need them for military purposes; the language involves ongoing ridiculous references to things that don't and have never existed in the simulation.

Let's take a moment to fully appreciate the compound irritation offered in those ridiculous reference by the auThor's flagRant misUse of his Shift keY. YOU ARE NOT CLEVER, SONNY.

But the big problem of the book is in the lack of grace in its telling. It starts terribly slowly, "establishing" the simulation nature of things before plunging in (at which point things pick up considerably). I use the quotemarks because very little of actual substance is established about the simulation itself. We learn bugger all of the technical details, which enables the author to handwave such things as the fact that they can jack a character in, but seem unable to jack her out again (even in the Matrix, you could exit through the entry door), not to mention why programming can't solve the problem. IT'S A COMPUTER UNDER YOUR CONTROL.

Pacing and "but why?" continue to plague the story. Major changes in character direction occur over the space of twelve hours, huge action sequences are given the one-paragraph summary ("and then they took the barricade") and big character emotional points are crammed into the last few lines before the end of a chapter, occasionally feeling like they needed to fit it in so they didn't have to go over the page and interrupt the typeset. The writing itself has all the elevation of a kid lying across the coffee table pretending to be Superman, and the main character kept forgetting her reason for being there at all. Not to mention the author's abhorrent tendency to solve everything with her deus ex striptease; in fact, her skin seems to exert such a hypnotic tendency on everyone in the Demi-Monde that I assume if she was naked, she'd crash the server.

Conceptually, I feel like there's a lot of interesting going on here, but the execution is so cack-handed I couldn't recommend it to anyone. show less

A brilliant idea, really well developed and with a cliff-hanger ending. The Warsaw Ghetto plot seemed to lose focus on the main premise of the Demi-Monde; but still a great book