I was very intrigued by the premise of this book. Very Truman Show-sequel but in a futuristic world. However, I felt like it just jumpstarted into the lives of a few characters without making me interested in them right away. Also, I didn’t like the main man character’s crush on the woman whose life he had grown up watching. That weirded me out.

The plot of Vicarious is one that I find very interesting, reminiscent or Ready Player One & Two, basically living in a simulated computer world. I did find this one a slower read at times, it took me some time to really get into the story. The virtual reality side I liked a lot, where I had more difficulty was the reality TV part. Which follows along with my likes and dislikes anyway. So while not my favorite this was also a story that I didn’t completely dislike either.

When you pick up a book by Rhett C Bruno, no matter what the genre, you are guaranteed one thing: an absolutely incredible story, and Vicarious is no exception. Putting an unbelievably fresh twist on the future of humanity, Vicarious is a total mind trip. Mr. Bruno Invites us into a dystopian world unlike any other where there are so many twists/layers to what it is going on, you'll question what's real and what isn't. Thanks to the publisher and NetGallery for allowing me to read through an advanced copy of the ebook.

Rhett C. Bruno is an author who is without doubt at the top of his game, continually putting out work that simply stuns and thrills in so many ways and is as varied as you can imagine. "Vicarious"** is no exception as we are treated to an amazing tale where we are constantly on the razor's edge between utopian and dystopian realities in a future Earth existing "only" at the highest points where mankind has managed to avoid catastrophic, global sea level rise. And yet throughout, we must question exactly what constitutes reality through so many layers of misdirection, deception and even outright cruel and even deadly lies.

"Vicarious" is a decidedly deliberate read where I found myself making slower - no, that's not right - more CAREFUL progress than any other book of any genre in quite some time. It certainly wasn't for lack of thrills or interest in the eclectic cast or shocking reveals. Instead I realized it was because I was constantly scanning for clues as to what was truly there. We're never quite sure what we're seeing is what's really, well, real. And every single part of this book can be taken as a clue as to what is truly happening or going to happen next.

But whereas this book may not have the visceral anger and accelerated sense of violence - or even the all-too-present smell of raw sewage and blood pouring from it as it frantically did in "The Roach", it is no less of an emotional journey. And I'll tell you this upfront as well: it is not an uplifting book per se - and truth be told I found myself in tears at the ending - but the feelings we have for these players are no less powerful and no less sympathetic. What would any of us do when faced with these decisions or actions? Would we even want to open our eyes or be satisfied to continue to live a seemingly sterilized existence merely in the name of existing? Can any of us deny that part of our daily lives can be construed as already being on this path of instant gratification without true fulfillment or even any concern whatsoever for anything vaguely resembling truth?

I'll conclude here because I would not want to reveal any parts of the book to future readers. I will add this - somewhere I read that the book could be compared to "Ready Player One" (not even close and I'll only acknowledge the mildly entertaining book in this regard) or even "The Truman Show" (meh, not really, but if it helps to imagine that multiplied by a million then sure, go for it). Obviously I don't agree with this synopsis but if that helps you move ahead, then fine. Personally I think it was as unique as the very naming of Mission and all the others that we meet including Helix, Asher and so many more.

Oh to be witness to whatever the future holds for our "star" and all the others. I'd watch that any day.

**[I received an ARC of this book in exchange for honest reviews incl. goodreads and Amazon France once the book is released there (they only accept reviews for foreign language books once these are released and proven to have been purchased)]

I was really interested in this book at first, but as I kept reading I found myself reluctant to pick it up again. I just felt like I wasn't getting anywhere and the story seemed to bog down in repetitious descriptions of VR processes. I would have preferred to read the whole story from Mission's perspective and discover, along with her, the true nature of her existence. DNF

DNF 50%
I'm so sorry but it turned out this book wasn't for me. I think the concept is great and I was enjoying the POV of the ship, but all the other elements and the lead protagonist struggled to keep me engaged.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book, I am certain there are others who will enjoy it.

With the obsessive focus on virtual reality and "reality" television, this story is a perfect tale for our times. The multiple POV usage was not distracting and a nice way to tell story and the ending begs for a sequel. Please don't leave us hanging, Mr. Bruno. Please...