The Shift

by George Foy

Alex Munn works in Manhattan's "Television City" as head writer for an ordinary soap opera. But when his TV bosses decide to use brand-new virtual reality technology to produce the most involving drama series ever, Munn signs on to revolutionize the TV industry. In his spare time, though, he creates another virtual "Munn's World." It's set in gaslit 1850s New York City, where a vicious serial killer called the Fishman is disemboweling victims in the Bowery. But now, something has gone terribly wrong. It's unscripted, it's terrifying, but the Fishman has somehow escaped from Munn's World--and followed Alex into the present.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Thriller, Cyberpunk

544 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1996

Reviews

[Snakes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in the 90s and largely forgotten, I discovered this in Like New condition at a flea market. I’d never heard of the author before but immediately knew from the cover I was looking at a science fiction book. About the early days of VR in a New York of the future and a TV writer’s ties to murders happening within the game and in real life. Started great and there were only a few instances of dated material but nothing that detracted from the novel. Did have a lull in the middle and slowed down before a decent ending. Not the greatest book I’ve ever read but better than a bunch of stuff I’ve read recently. Solid and I’ll definitely seek out more of Foy’s books.

[Steve Scanlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex Munn is a writer. He likes to think of himself as an 'artist', but, like many in his field who need to make a living, has had to stoop to writing TV scripts. His claim to fame is his work on the series Copkiller, work he is not terribly proud of.

His latest project has been writing the scripts for the soon to be aired series Real Life. It is the world's first virtual reality program. Once again he is dissatisfied with the quality of the writing, but the producers wanted a standard thriller loaded with sex and violence which plays second fiddle to the VR. To help him overcome his depression with respect to Real Life, he has diverted his energies into his own creation, Munn's World, which is set in 1850's New York. He has written a story that has him as a policeman hunting a murderer known as the Fishman who has a habit of slashing his victims rather brutally.

Things begin to go terribly wrong when Alex is accused of murder. The victim has been slain in the style of the Fishman.

I don't know if I would categorise this as science fiction, more of a murder mystery/thriller with some virtual reality thrown in. The situations Munn found himself in were at times frightening. I found myself on the edge of my seat. The story dragged for a very short time toward the end, perhaps it felt like this because of the high intensity beforehand. The ending had a few nice surprises that cleared the air, resulting in a highly entertaining read.

4.5 stars

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in the tail end of the cyberpunk era, The Shift reminds me of one of the better Raymond Chandler stories. Lots of twists and turns in the plot. Trust no one. What is real?

[Mr Stuart J Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

superb cyberpunk-esque thriller from an author who has a knack for detail and engaging characters

[Paul Close · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise, slow in spots, some holes. Good chars.

[Terry Welford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful narrative

Really well put together, frantic! Puzzling certainly, but the rhythm of the narrative carries it through, a pleasure to read, too short of course.

[Michael Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex Munn is a sort-of-television producer for X-Corp., a Hong-Kong-financed major player in New York of a few years from now. Through unprecedented computer power, X-Corp. has developed an extremely lifelike virtual reality system, user access to which ranges from ordinary 2D television to immersion of the consumer and wide control of the story’s development, depending on how much the consumer wants to spend. Alex considers himself an artist and he hasn’t much use for Real Life, the sappy product he’s being paid to develop, but it’s hard to give up the money -- though he’s already lost his wife, a soap actress on one of his earlier projects. Alex has been working quietly on a much better application of the VR technology: Munn’s World, set in the New York of 1850. Where Real Life ignores plot in favor of showing off the technology, Munn’s World is gritty and involving . . . and almost too real, for a Nativist killer who stalks the old city, butchering the hated Irish, seems to have edged over into the “real” New York.

Foy is extremely knowledgeable about his city of the present and the past (or else he’s really, really good at faking it), and he has a serious gift for characterization, intricate plotting, and descriptive writing generally -- and a terrific ear for Nooyawkese. He puts you inside the protagonist, especially, and his take on Riker’s Island is terrifying and unforgettable. I don’t know how I managed to miss hearing about this when it came out, but I’m glad I found it!

[Catherine Siemann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because an early academic article on steampunk cited it as an example thereof, and I'm curious about what was steampunk before the trend set in . . .
except it's not remotely steampunk. It's full-on mid-period cyberpunk, with virtual reality and tv networks and the lot. There *are* some wonderful sequences in a VR police show set in 1850 NYC, very Gangs of New York. Alas, there should be more of them; they brought the book to absolute life.

My problem with the novel is that it suffers from something that has long bothered me about science fiction novels written from the first person male perspective, what I will call That Guy Syndrome. Mind you, Alex Munn is actually likable, unlike many of his kind. But he drinks too much to not deal with . . . something or other. He is hung up on his ex, who is of course amazingly gorgeous and who shut him down some time ago; during the course of the narrative, he meets a new woman, also very hot. Did I mention he is entirely average looking? He is pretty thoroughly clueless. And he's kind of a smartass, only not in that really clever way, more the obligatory "aren't I just like Philip Marlowe?" kind of way. Well, no, you're not. Philip Marlowe was cool; you aren't. Munn isn't bad of his sort; I've just read way too many books with this guy as narrator/protagonist in them.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

SciFi - When Alex Munn accepts the job as head writer for a new virtual-reality television show, Real Life, he is frustrated that his own virtual creation, Munn's World, has been passed over. The executives at Television City had no interest in a show about an 1850s New York City serial killer known as the Fishman because he disembowels his victims. But before Real Life can air its first episode, Alex's own world is turned upside down when his estranged wife, Larissa Love, is found brutally murdered, leading Alex to believe that the Fishman has somehow escaped from Munn's World and followed him into the present.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been ages since I've read this book, so I won't attempt an in depth review, but I remember it being good enough that I gave soe body a copy of it that I bought for a buck at a Thrift store.