Paralytic State is a metaphysical science
fiction written by Steven Orlowski.
Jaron Brundt is a world
famous virtuoso guitar player. After replacing the legendary Tod Vas as the
lead guitar player for the Darren ‘Loud’ Ray band, Jaron is about to become a
big time rock star.
He is in the middle
of recording his major label debut with the band when he feels that he is
losing his dexterity. Before the end of the recording session, he is diagnosed
with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative
disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. He is given 3 – 5 years to live. After twenty
five years, however, Jaron is still alive, albeit in paralytic state.
A former fan turned
Virtual Warden at Aeternalis Federal Penitentiary finds Jaron to be the perfect
candidate for a new but secret virtual reality program funded by the Federal
government, where a person’s consciousness is transferred to a computer and
live in a virtual reality world where he can walk, talk, and play guitar. But
once he enters Aeternalis, there is no turning back.
Basically, I love
the concept of this book. It brings up the most important issue of all, a
person’s mortality. By portraying the main character as an extraordinarily
talented young man with a promising career ahead of him, the author
successfully presents the glaring truth that life is but temporary. Everything
we have at the moment, the things we enjoy in life, the skills we learn, and
the special abilities we possess may disappear at any moment and there is
nothing we can do about it. No amount of money or fame can buy us health and
vigor.
Furthermore, the
choice presented to Jaron between living in a virtual world free of sickness
and disease and living in the physical world with his family but confined in a
wheel chair unable to take care of himself, is a wake-up call. It answers the
basic questions ‘what and who are we living for?’
Except for the
several errors that make reading a less pleasurable experience, I love the book
including the lengthy explanation about ALS and the possibility of a virtual
reality program.
Congratulations to
Steven Orlowski (@SteveO_Writer)
on such an informative and insightful book. For more books by the author, click
HERE.