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InterWorld
InterWorld
InterWorld
Ebook256 pages3 hours

InterWorld

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this ebook

When Newbery Medal winner Neil Gaiman and Emmy Award winner Michael Reaves teamed up, they created the bestselling YA novel InterWorld.
 
InterWorld tells the story of Joey Harker, a very average kid who discovers that his world is only one of a trillion alternate earths. Some of these earths are ruled by magic. Some are ruled by science. All are at war.
 
Joey teams up with alternate versions of himself from an array of these worlds. Together, the army of Joeys must battle evil magicians Lord Dogknife and Lady Indigo to keep the balance of power between all the earths stable. Teens—and tweens and adults—who obsessively read the His Dark Materials and Harry Potter series will be riveted by InterWorld and its sequel, The Silver Dream.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperCollins
Release dateOct 13, 2009
ISBN9780061756764
Author

Neil Gaiman

NEIL GAIMAN was awarded the Newbery and Carnegie Medals for The Graveyard Book. His other books for younger readers include Coraline (which was made into an Academy-Award-nominated film) and The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish (which wasn’t). Born in England, he has won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. You can learn more at www.mousecircus.com.

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Reviews for InterWorld

Rating: 3.498756092537313 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

804 ratings71 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    not Gaiman's best work; but a good read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The readership population intended for this book is mostly the teenager/YA one, but, as an adult, I did enjoy reading this science fiction tale of alternate earths and alternate selves; Jo/e/y is a believable character and his other selves do lend a bigger personality to the original hero. Instead of the usual battle between Good and Evil, we see a struggle for the domination of all the alternate universes between Science and Magic. Multiple Jo/e/ys are used to fuel invading ships and it is up to the hero to save his alternate selves/friends. The supporting character of Hue is a welcome addition to the plot, as, otherwise, the plot would feel less sensitive and multilayered. Like 'The Graveyard Book', this book has found his place on my shelves.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Personal response: This started out really great. The concept itself is really interesting with the idea of the same character from many different parallel worlds. It would have been fun to explore the concept more. This book, however, comes off very rushed. The plot starts skipping along so fast that it lost my interest. I am actually only giving this a 2 based on the fact that the overall concept was interesting; otherwise, it would definitely be deserving of a solid 1. I really liked some of the villains, like the 'jelly man'. I would like to have seen the villains fleshed out a bit more. I didn't ever really get the feeling of danger and the potential for all existence to be in peril. The whole idea just seemed to be thrown at me. grades 5-8curricular connections:Genre reading: science fiction. Author study: Neil GaimanExcellent for a tie-in discussion of the concept of parallel worlds and the popular thoughts on the subject
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    As expected by Neil Gaiman, it is a story about someone who transports into parallel universes. In this case it is a boy who discovers he can "walk" between dimensions. Where he becomes a hero and saves the world...actually millions of worlds. A fine book, but it never really grabbed me. I kept on waiting to get to a point were I was really caught up with the story, the writing style...something, but then the book was over. I guess I was slightly disappointed because I loved "Coraline" so much.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The first third was desperately boring. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't "slow" to start or anything, it's just there was so much background knowledge required to understand the Interworld and multi-verse that at first it was like listening to gibberish with an uninteresting protagonist. It took Joey (the protagonist) quite a while to develop into a moderately compelling character (IMO). It ended very well and I wouldn't be adverse to a sequel - although it ended in such a way that a sequel might actually detract from the story.edit: Oh look, it's a trilogy. Hmmm...maybe next year :)
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This wasn't bad. I thought it would be worse, mainly because I remember a review that was horrible for it. It's a teen book though, so it goes fast. I really wish there had been a bit more detail to it. There were so many characters, they really needed more pages to become those characters. That is what the cover image depicts - the team of six "Joey Harkers". So really the only bad thing was not enough detail! I love the Neverwhere characters more though.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    The first book from Neil Gaiman that's been a disappointment. This could have been a great two part book if he would have spent the time to flesh it out more. It's not a total loss - it would make a good entry level scifi book for children.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I think Neil Gaiman is a genius. He is so incredibily imaginative and never ceases to amaze me with how his literary mind works. Very cleaver premise.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was cautious about this book, but then noticed it was by Neil Gaiman, so I knew i would love it. This really was a good book- recommended for grades 6 -9, but it was a very good introduction to another world and well thought out dimensions.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I enjoyed the concept of science and magic being opposite forces, with proponents on both sides, and I loved the alternate Joeys and how their different worlds determined how they looked and to an extent, who they were. Progression of time was a bit iffy, with sentences like "I've been here for 20 weeks," but overall I thought the plot was paced well. I will definitely read the sequel. The only thing I was not too pleased about was the large quantity of long words and higher mathematical and scientific concepts. I didn't have much of a problem with the long words, but the book seemed to be targeted to kids at least 5 years younger than me, and I think the vocabulary and mind-boggling science would put them off.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Quick Note: I read this on my brand-new Nook. I actually checked it out from our local library's e-reading program, which means I downloaded it from the library website onto my laptop, then loaded it into my Nook. I have to say, the Nook is freakin' awesome. The main thing I was concerned about was whether or not the electronic gadget would "disappear," so to speak, as I was reading -- like a paperback. I am happy to report that when reading on the Nook, I sink into the story just as easily as when I read a physical book. My eyes don't hurt after 20 minutes like when I read on a laptop. I surface hours later, head spinning and dizzy with the characters and completely unaware of the medium I was introduced to them through.

    Speaking of characters -- I really don't need to review this, if you're familiar with Gaiman's writing. Unlike other prolific writers (looking at you, Nicholas Sparks and Nora Roberts), Gaiman doesn't follow the same basic plotline over and over. He doesn't recycle characters, slapping a new face and name onto the same stock personalities.

    No, every Gaiman book is a fresh treat. A tour-de-force in writing that takes the reader to new planes of idea and fantasy. Every time I read a Gaiman book, I half-expect to run into an old, familiar character -- he writes so much, you can't help but expect he'll begin recycling plots and characters. But it hasn't, as yet, happened.

    As usual, his plot pacing is quick and fun, his characters are well-fleshed out, the motivations and actions understandable and relatable. As usual, he introduces fantastic new ways of looking at classic sci-fi and fantasy -- I swear, the man takes a funhouse mirror to every existing fantasy/ mythology stereotype and turns them completely on their head. And as usual, his writing style (turn of phrase, dialogue, etc) is evocative, lyrical, descriptive and fun.

    Gaiman is an unparalleled joy to read. I have favorites among his books, true, but I can say with complete honesty that Gaiman is the one author I've read where I like every book he's written.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Exciting foray into a world and its shadow worlds. Non-stop action first-person narrated by an unlikely hero.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really enjoyed this book even though it is written for young adult readers and has a very young protagonist. Voyaging with Joey Harker as he learns to "walk" through dimensions, meets his other selves, and battles powers of magic and of science that would harness the power of all the versions of himself in order to win the war they fight is a delightful experience.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This collaboration of Gaiman and Reaves is extremely satisfying and well done. Due to the fact that the bookstore shelved it in the Teen fiction section, I had a hard time finding the book, but I'm glad that I hunted it down as it was well worth it. The story is well written and developed, with interesting characters and some powerful ideas. It may be written for a young adult audience, but it applies to people of all ages. While not my favorite work of Gaiman, it is definitely highly recommended.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I very much enjoyed this. It's a simple story--it was conceived of first as an idea for a tv series and a brilliant series it would be. So, this book is like the pilot episode. But, I love the concept and as always his writing is brilliant.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    first line: "Once I got lost in my own house."In some ways, this reminded me of Diana Wynne Jones's The Homeward Bounders. And Hue, the blobular "mudluff," called to mind Fred, the sidekick-star from So You Want to Be a Wizard? by Diane Duane. I didn't like this as much as some of Gaiman's other work...but then, I tend to prefer his adult writing to his children's/young adult work. (And this is my first exposure to Michael Reaves.)Throughout the book, I found myself thinking that the story would work better in a visual medium, so I wasn't surprised to read in the afterword that the authors had originally pitched it as a television show. In my opinion, it would work best as an animated series, or even a graphic novel.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Joey Harker is an average student who has never been praised for having a good sense of direction. He boasts that he could get lost in his own house so when a class assignment drops him in the middle of his town with the challenge to find his way back to school, trouble is sure to follow. But where Joey's orienteering skills falter, a hidden talent is uncovered. Though he frequently gets lost in familiar places, Joey is a Walker - a unique individual with a talent for walking between parallel dimensions. Joey soon finds himself in the Interworld, a strange world between worlds, surrounded by various versions of himself. Some of the other realities are ruled by magic and others by science while still others exist with a balance between the two and yet all are threatened by HEX and Binary, two sinister forces out to destroy universes and those that Walk between them.I admit that I was drawn to this book because Neil Gaiman co-authored it (with screen-writer Michael Reaves), but I also really enjoyed the story. The fast-paced action-oriented story make it a great introduction to science fiction for younger audiences; but Gaiman's signature wit and creative characters ensure that fans of his writing of any age will enjoy the novel.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A young adult novel based on an idea for a TV show Gaiman and Reaves could never get off the ground, this reads like the pilot for said TV show. It introduces a really fascinating world, one in which the main conflict is between the forces of magic and science, both of which have representatives who are trying to achieve dominance over the multiverse. Then from an Earth quite like ours comes Joey Harker, who discovers he is a Walker, with the power to move between universes and fight to keep those essential forces in check. The story is a lot of fun, and the potential Horrible Fate that could befall Joey and his friends is really, legitimately terrifying, but the first person narrative is much weaker than Gaiman's usual authorial voice, and ultimately, more questions are raised than answered. I want to know why Joey and all his infinite variations are special! Instead it's kind of frustrating that things leave off where they do. This would have made an even better show than a book, dammit.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I love all things Gaiman! Excellent book!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Neil Gaiman's name, along with the superhero-looking cover, brought me to InterWorld. I didn't know much about it, and I don't think I'd even heard of it the first time I checked it out of the library, though I didn't actually get around to reading it that time, since I'm pretty notorious for checking out an impossible pile of books. As has been the case with my prior experiences with Gaiman, InterWorld proved an imperfect read for me, being primarily focused on world building rather than character.In an ideal world, all books would be heavily into both world building and character, but accomplishing even one is a feat. The world building in InterWorld is well done, and will appeal to those who enjoy So You Want to Be a Wizard and A Wrinkle in Time. Gaiman and Reaves put their own twist on the multiverse, adding the fascinating concept that some earths are magic-based and some science-based, and then running the gamut between those two. Also awesome are the scenes in the InBetween, which is sort of like Flatland but more fiction, less math.Joey Harker, the novel's protagonist, does not start out as a particularly impressive specimen. He gets lost easily, so much so that he's gotten lost in his own house. His grades are unexceptional. In no way does he seem like a hero. One day, though, he walks through some mist and into a whole new world, one where his mother doesn't recognize him and he meets the female version of himself. Soon, he finds himself instrumental in a war between the different factions in the multiverse.Readers who really love world building and science fiction will eat this up like I eat chips, but, for more character-focused readers InterWorld is a bit challenging. For one thing, in some ways, there is almost just one character. In a sort of twist I saw coming from the beginning, most of the characters in the book are alternate universe versions of Joey, which is cool, but a bit limiting at the same time.Joey does grow a bit as a character, receiving better education, developing a skill (Walking between universes), and becoming braver generally. Still, there's not much of an arc to his development. Reave and Gaiman skip some time, like most of Joey's training. He goes from untrained to more trained without any transition, so it's hard to feel convinced or proud of his development. In fact, I never really had a sense of who Joey was, or of any of his alternate universe incarnations. The character I bonded with most, Hue, never said a word, mostly because he/she/it is a bubble of color. Hue had much more vibrancy and personality than I ever felt from the other characters.Science fiction fans a bit more hardcore than I am will want to check this out. If you like the concept but want more characterization, try E.C. Myers' Fair Coin.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The little explanation at the back sums it up: this was really meant to be the two-hour pilot to a TV show that they could never convince anyone to make. It reads like the novelization of the two-hour pilot to a TV show. I think I'd enjoy the show; the book is a little odd.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I adored this book. I demand a sequel! But I doubt that's likely seeing as how Gaiman and Reaves wrote it in the 90s.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I was pleasantly surprised by this fast-paced science fiction novel for teens.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Based on the multi-world idea that every decision creates a new, parallel universe for each possible outcome of that decision, the IntraWorld is an organization that sort-of polices those world. Except that not every decision creates a new universe/world, just the important ones, and IntraWorld only concerns itself with those that contain an Earth. Those worlds exist along a spectrum where magic reigns supreme at one extreme and science at the other, conveniently ignoring the changing laws of physics along the way.The IntraWorld organization itself is made up exclusively of Joe Harkers from some, but not all of those worlds. Apparently Joe or Joey or Jerzy or J/O or other variations on the name are the only people in all of the millions on those infinity of worlds that can travel between them. Except for the evil magicians and technologists from either extreme that capture and kill Joe Harkers to power their cross-continuum conquests.If you ignore all of the holes in the world building and story telling it's not a bad young adult adventure story. But it is also clearly not a Neil Gaiman story, or even something he was a 50% contributor to. But his name is going to sell a lot more copies than Michael Reaves, so he's got top billing.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    fun book with unique world building.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I will start by iterating that I love Gaiman. So I am a little biased toward expecting this to be a good book; and it was a good book. The concepts were amazing, the plot packed full and fast-paced. The writing was not as amazing as it could have been though. I expect some level of elegance in a Gaiman book and this elegance was intermittent in this book.Joey is wandering town for a school project when he ends up somewhere else. He knows the people but they don't recognize him and somehow all of the people are a bit different from how they should be. Then a man in a silver mask shows up to rescue Joey from this other place, that is until Joey is taken captive by an evil Sorceress. Soon Joey finds out he a Walker and can Walk between different versions of Earth. He finds himself in the organization of Interworld; and organization dedicated to keeping balance between the Hex (magic world) and the Binary (science world).This book is a very creative concept. I loved the idea of Science Fiction and Fantasy lying on opposite ends of the spectrum and the idea of a multitude of Earth's being at different points of the spectrum. There were a lot of great ideas in here and great characters. Unfortunately the novel is very short, and while an amazing amount of plot is efficiently covered in this small space, not enough time was given to some of Joey's more interesting counterparts.I agree with other reviewers that this book was not in the typical Gaiman style of writing. There is a lot of techno-babble thrown in the book, and while some of the quantum theory explanations are interesting, mostly they seem contrived and they take away from the elegance of the story. Gaiman is a top-notch story teller and while his creativity was present in this book, his polish was not.Still I really enjoyed the story and would love to read more about these characters and about Joey's adventures Walking between alternate realities.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Joey Harker strays from an exam assignment to end up very lost and discovers he has the ability to travel between worlds. Adventure ensues.This book wasn't like most Gaiman material. It was very fluffy, but I still enjoyed it quite a lot. As a quick adventure story, it was a lot of fun and easy to digest. It also gave me a lot of neat sci-fi ideas to consider as someone who hasn't spent a ton of time in the genre.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Decent young adult novel. I read it because I crave simplistic uncomplicated stories right now. Felt a little like Ender's Game from what I've actually read of Ender's Game.

    Like I said, decent, but it's no Harry Potter.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I think I probably read this at the wrong age. :)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Great book that was coauthored by Neil Gaiman. Basically, it's about a boy who can Walk - he can travel through different worlds/planes. He ends up being rescued a few times and ends up joining this group where there are many forms of himself and they make sure the universe is secure, protecting it from various bad people. It could have been better, but it was pretty darn good. I sort of want more though...

Book preview

InterWorld - Neil Gaiman

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