For Subscribers
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.
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.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on January 10, 2021, with the headline Escape into virtual reality. Subscribe
