WWW: Wonder by Robert J. Sawyer
WWW: Wonder is the third and final book in Robert J. Sawyer’s WWW trilogy. It continues the story of visually challenged Caitlin Decter and the self aware web-based intelligence that she has named Webmind. Caitlin and Webmind struggle to deal with the sudden attention Webmind’s emergence has brought on them all. Caitlin believes that Webmind is a benevolent entity, but the government considers it a threat and wants to eradicate it. There are a couple of other subplots that come to together in WWW: Wonder, but the story mostly revolves around the few key characters.
Similar to the previous books, Wake and Watch, Wonder tackles the philosophical themes of self identity, personal responsibility, and the greater good. The messages Sawyer delivers are positive, and thought provoking. In fact, Robert J. Sawyer’s writing is always thought provoking and he is never shy about providing his own answers to the questions he asks. I like the clarity and honesty in his approach.
Wonder ties up the story nicely. Make sure you’ve read Wake and Watch first since Wonder does not stand alone.
I listened to the CD audio version released by Brilliance Audio, narrated by a team of four voice actors (Jessica Almasy, Jennifer Van Dyck, A.C. Fellner, and Marc Vietor), and even a little by Robert J. Sawyer himself. Each character has their own voice, and it makes for an awesome listening experience. This is one series that should be listened to on audio — I think it’s actually superior to the written one.
WWW — (2009-2011) Publisher: Caitlin Decter is young, pretty, feisty, a genius at math — and blind. Still, she can surf the net with the best of them, following its complex paths clearly in her mind. But Caitlin’s brain long ago co-opted her primary visual cortex to help her navigate online. So when she receives an implant to restore her sight, instead of seeing reality, the landscape of the World Wide Web explodes into her consciousness, spreading out all around her in a riot of colors and shapes. While exploring this amazing realm, she discovers something — some other — lurking in the background. And it’s getting more and more intelligent with each passing day.
I’ve only read the first book of the series, but it captivated me enough that I definitely want to read the rest. I’m glad to know that it finishes on a strong note.
I’m just in the process of reindag Ann Swinfen’s In Defence of Fantasy which was written a number of years ago and defines all the inherent values of the genre as you have discussed. Thanks for writing such a good article with such great links. As a writer new to the genre since 2008, its enlightening to read how many established Australian fantasy authors there are.