Sliders: The Novel

by Brad Linaweaver

Quinn Mallory and his companions journey through parallel dimensions of Earth to a strange, very different San Francisco that reflects an alternate history of the planet

Genres: Science Fiction, Tv, Fiction

234 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1996

Reviews

[Alejandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great beginning to a sci-fi iconic series


This is the novelization of the pilot episode of the "Sliders" TV series.


SLIDERS VRS THE WORLD

I'm sure that in other countries wasn't the case, but here, in Costa Rica, when this brave sci-fi TV series premiered (1995-1999), we didn't have anything else on air, yes, I know Star Trek franchise had Deep Space Nine and Voyager on, at that time too, but once again, as I said, in my country, those Star Trek spin-off got quite late here (I was aware of those thanks to prose novelizations), and I'm sure that should being some other options in your TV networks, but here, even having already cable (that was kinda something new here too), only in the USA Channel, we had Sliders and...

...it was the only option for sci-fans (like me!) here in my country, so it was like Sliders versus the world around here, this brave sci-fi tv series against the other type of tv series on cable...

...and I loved it!

Of course, while the original main cast was still on the show: Jerry O'Connell, Sabrina Lloyd, John Rhys-Davies and Cleavant Derricks (the only actor who remained during the whole series). Since when the characters of Wade (Lloyd) and Prof. Arturo (Rhys-Davies) left the series, it was obvious that never was the same anymore.

But during the first three seasons...

...Sliders was my sci-fi "blason" that I embraced with fondness.


ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

So, if you aren't aware about this brave sci-fi TV series, let me debrief you about it.

Quinn Mallory (O'Connell) is a young university student, who is a real genius and he's able to construct a portable emitter able to open "holes" to take him to other parallel dimensions, the same place (San Francisco, USA) but different Earths, where anything goes...

...Green light is to stop your cars and Red light to go; Elvis is still alive; a new Ice Age is all over; Russia was able to invade USA; math geniuses getting paid salaries in scales like sport players in our reality; England won the Independence War and USA is still a British Colony; etc... !!!

Even a doppelgänger of Quinn from another parallel dimension, with more experience on "sliding" dimensions helped him to finish his own trans-dimensional formula and giving him some secutiry tips (but of course, the most important one, the other Quinn had to slide back to his own dimension and "our" Quinn wasn't able to hear well the last tip (those sneaky scriptwriters!)).

Quinn's university professor, Maximillian Arturo, is also a genius on his own, and he had theorized the possibility of the existence of other parallel dimensions, so Quinn invited him along with Wade Wells (Quinn's best friend (and she had a "secret" crush on him, of course!)) to demonstrate them how his "portable timer" was able to open "holes" to other dimensions, but Quinn has never tried to slide with other people so when he did a quick modulation of power to make larger the trans-dimensional hole, it got unstable and the hole moved on his own until got inside it a car that was travelling in a near street with Rembradt "Crying Man" Brown (a R&B singer trying to get a second air on his musical career)...

...and the Sliders team reached a parallel dimensions alright, but one where an Ice Age is on!

So, trying to escape from that parallel dimension before getting frozen (and not in the Disney's musical nice way!), Quinn did something that he shouldn't do with the portable timer and...

...now our Sliders heroes are travelling from parallel dimension to another until they figured out a way to get back to their own dimension.

It's Slider time!

[George L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I think the novel succeeds in its ability to tell the story of how the Sliders got off on their journey, and it is a good story, but I do think it is of its time. In fact, I think it's ripe for a reboot. I'd love to see where the characters are today.

Anyway, whether you’re a longtime fan of Sliders or someone looking for your next sci-fi adventure, this novel is sure to captivate. Now I’m curious—what parallel universe would you want to visit if you had the choice? Share your thoughts in the comments, because I’d love to hear them!

[Rei Smoak · Rating 1 out of 5]

Less an original novel, more a kinda-sorta novelization of the series pilot. Devolves, oddly, into a critique of communism for some reason.

[Seton Catholic Central High]

In this book Quinn Mallory is just a regular kid who goes to school everyday, goes to work, and then rushes home to go experiment in his basement laboratory. Quinn has been working on an anti-gravity machine for weeks now and he plans on experimenting it soon. When he does something strange happens and he is zapped into a new dimension. He doesn't notice it at first but when he sees how all the cars go through red lights and Elvis Presley is still alive. He gets zapped back home through a vortex and goes to tell his professor about it. Next his professor Quinn and a couple of his friends go to the new new dimension. Once they get there they cannot find a way back home. Until the kids come up with an idea that returns all of them home safely.

I really enjoyed reading this book! I thought that the other dimensions that the sliders crossed into were very interesting with all the similarities and differences to ours. I enjoyed how Quinn was just an average kid who while trying to create an anti-gravity device creates a vortex that zaps him into a different dimension. I also liked how at first he thought nothing happened even though he was not in the same place. Also how Quinn brought all of his friends along with him to see this fascinating new place which really helped with the story line. I would definitely recommend this book to kids my age and I am gonna consider watching the TV show.

This book has an example of the human experience by its show how an average kid Quinn could find himself on a crazy adventure on accident. Quinn's life drastically changed after this experiment happened and went through to the next dimensions. It is crazy how this happened on accident while he was attempting to create an anti-gravity device. The mistake which lead to a completely new life for Quinn and his friends. Also the human experience in this book is basically even though what you were attempting to do does not always work out there is always a second option. And also trial and error could be another human experience because Quinn kept attempting to create his anti-gravity device which he never accomplished.

[Jim C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating is 3.5 stars.

This is based on a television show that aired many years ago. This book is the novelization of the first episode. Quinn discovers the pathway for alternate Earths. He embarks on a trip where his friend, his professor, and a complete stranger accompany him and they are in for a surprise.

I enjoyed this book but I was a little disappointed too. It says on the front cover based on the series and I was expecting a media tie-in book. Instead, I received the first episode. That being said it was anew to me for the most part as I remembered the characters but not the first episode arc. For the most part I thought the author correctly portrayed the characters. I did think he nailed the setting as he portrayed the alternate reality of America being overrun by the Soviets. It was a nice peek into "what if" scenario.

I am a fan of alternate reality books and this one did not disappoint. It was nice to visit this universe again. My enjoyment of this book has left me considering doing a viewing of the series again.

[EG · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good companion to the pilot to the remarkable series about 4 people, Quinn Mallory, Wade Wells, Rembrandt Brown, and Quinn's mentor Professor Maximilian Arurto, whom get lost, not in time, or in space, or on some remote island, but in reality.
Quinn, a super genius, is attempting to create an anti-gravity device, and ends up creating a wormhole, which leads to alternate realities.
When he demonstrates it to his friends, they get drawn into the wormhole, and while escaping a life threating event, Quinn over rides the device settings, and looses the lock on their home reality.
Thus their adventures begin.

[Wit · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a lot of errors in my copy. Characters being called by the wrong names or the wrong word being used.