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BOOK BOX
Escape into virtual reality
In E.M. Forster's 1909 short story The Machine Stops, most of humanity lives in isolation underground, wholly dependent on an omnipotent machine - a parable that has found uncanny resonance in today's pandemic lockdowns. In this edition of Book Box, we look at two new novels in which the machine stops - or goes rogue.
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American science-fiction writer Ernest Cline hopes the dystopian future he depicts in his novels will make readers think about issues like the implications of climate change and technology.
PHOTO: DAN WINTERS
Most people jazz up their Zoom calls these days with impressive virtual backdrops to disguise the reality of their home offices.
American science-fiction writer Ernest Cline does not need to.
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