The Terminal Code

by J.W. Galliger

A B.R.A.G MEDALLION HONOREE Step into a captivating future where the boundaries of reality blur and crime takes on a whole new dimension. In the year 2050, New York City has embraced the immersive wonders of the virtual reality platform, SCAPE. However, with its widespread adoption, a new breed of crime emerges. Meet Dashiell Kincaid, a brilliant and audacious security consultant well-versed in the intricate systems of SCAPE. When a murder is reported that transcends the boundaries of virtual reality and spills into the real world, Kincaid finds himself thrust into a perplexing investigation like no other. As he digs deeper, he unravels a web of conspiracy far more intricate than he ever imagined, challenging the very fabric of his society, his perception of reality, and his own identity. "The Terminal Code" is a gripping, futuristic sci-fi crime thriller that delves into the profound relationship between humanity and technology. In this debut novel by J.W. Galliger, prepare to have your mind twisted and turned as a traditional "locked-room mystery" is reimagined. With vividly portrayed characters, imaginative settings, and an unrelenting pace, Galliger will keep you on the edge of your seat, yearning for more. Perfect for enthusiasts of Neal Stephenson, Ernest Cline, A.G. Riddle, Martha Wells, Blake Crouch, T.M. Haviland, and those who crave thought-provoking narratives with an exhilarating twist, "The Terminal Code" promises an immersive experience that will linger in your thoughts long after you've turned the final page.
Reviews

"Wildly creative and utterly compelling, The Terminal Code grips you from start to finish. The Matrix meets The Maltese Falcon . Bravo!" — Jeffery Deaver, author of The Final Twist

"What could go wrong in a virtual reality world? Buckle up. You're about to find out in The Terminal Code ." — Richard Phillips, best-selling author of The Rho Agenda

"CSI meets Ready Player One in The Terminal Code and it's a thriller!" — A.R. Shaw, Author Graham's Resolution

Selection of Amazon Customer

" The Terminal Code was a very entertaining and fast read. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who has any interest in the VR/Alternate reality genre."

" The Terminal Code is a fast-paced, dramatic, twisted, and powerful look at a future controlled by man's own inventions."

"Such a great story with so many twists and turns. I could picture the future movie in my head as I was reading it!”

Genres: Science Fiction

264 pages, Paperback

Published August 27, 2021

About the author

J.W. Galliger is a digital marketer and author. He was born and raised in the Washington D.C. area and earned his bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech, double majoring in communication and political science. He went on to achieve his Masters in Business Administration from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. The Terminal Code is his first novel.

Galliger lives with his wife and daughter in Northern Virginia.

Reviews

[Sandy S · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE TERMINAL CODE by JW Galliger is a sci-fi, futuristic story line set in the year 2050 focusing on security consultant Dashiell Kincaid.

Told from third person perspective THE TERMINAL CODE follows security consultant Dashiell Kincade as he is tasked with investigating the death of game developer, CEO of Apex Entertainment Alex Kyrano, one of many deaths related to on-line gaming but the deeper Kincade digs, the more the virtual world begins to suck him in, and pull him under. A twist of fate finds Kincade facing Luis Garza, the head of Government Relations at HIVE, the latest VR (virtual reality) poitical party crossover, and with it , the possibility of a conspiracy that goes much deeper than anyone could have ever imagined.

THE TERMINAL CODE is a story line akin to SB Divya’s Machinehood, William Gibson’s Neuromancer (the book upon which The Matrix is rooted) and to some extent Philip K. Dick’s Total Recall. The reader is pulled into a world where society has turned over control to virtual reality; where people are plugged in and tuned out to the real world; where humanity is hidden behind the facade of robots and artificial intelligence. THE TERMINAL CODE is a fast paced, dramatic, twisted and powerful look at a future controlled by man’s own inventions.

My only complaint, is the abrupt ending, leaving the possiblity for another adventure.

www.thereadingcafe.com

[Kathy Settlemire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rated 'The Terminal Code', a '4' because I'm in my 60s and I'm really not familiar with VR much, so it took me a while to understand what some of the information meant. The author did explain as much as he could without making it boring, which helped. I had to go back and reread a few spots, but once I caught on I couldn't put it down! Well written, a few twists, alot of excitement. Good job!

[Mrs LIR Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt that the concept of the book was excellent, and there was very good imagery especially for the Autumnal Brawl and the climactic battle between Garza and Kincaid and Alex in Chapter 18. There were numerous retro and mythical references which added interest (Tron, Tetris, Playstation,  Mortal Kombat, Kraken, Minotaur). The crucial role played by Schrodinger's Box was very inventive. The clever use of avatars and clones meant that I had to read the book twice to understand which version of each main character was present at any given time!

Several homonyms appear incorrectly which may imply that the text was dictated to a keyboardist (or voice recognition program):

In Chapter 3 Juan addresses Garza as "Senior". Should be "Senor".

Also in Chapter 3 "faded relics from a bygone error". Should be "era".

In Chapter 8 "silver broach in the shape of a question mark". Should be "brooch".

In Chapter 14 "take control off all SCAPE's data centers". Should be "of".

These do not detract from the brilliance of the tale but if the author sees this they may be rectified.

Many thanks Linda

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[PAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Terminal Code is an incredible book written by J. W. Galliger! This book drew me in from the very first page and I admit I had a very difficult time putting it down. The plot was very well developed and had a very nice twists hidden within that the author unraveled throughout the story. The story takes place in 2050 when our world has been pulled into the world of virtual reality. Our protagonist is investigating a murder – but how do you investigate a killing that does not take place in our world, but another virtual one? This is an enticing story line, how does one put the novel down when you fear in each and every page there will be another murder, or one of your favorite characters may be sucked into this new and different virtual world. This murder mystery is an exciting new dynamic. I received this novel from BookSirens and I highly recommend it. This review is one of my own opinion and is true and honest.

[Delphia Von Heeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Terminal Code is A Thrilling Science Fiction Murder by J. W. Galliger. I found this thriller to be a complex book. The author takes us seamlessly between the real world and the virtual world. Dashiell Kincaid is a security consultant with outstanding knowledge of virtual reality systems. He is assisting the police with a murder. The dead man has the same wounds in real life as he does in the virtual world. The how and why leads the reader to jump into a fast paced thriller. The Terminal Code is exciting and J. W. Galliger showcases his vast knowledge of virtual reality. I can't wait to read his next book. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Caitlin O'Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was certainly a unique and action packed read and is extremely well written. I love the tech and the different worlds we get to experience in SCAPE, particularly Clue Town. Kincaid was a decent character but i felt that snoops and Dawn really were a lot more fun and added another dimension. I was surprised at how sad the second half became and each twist was highly unexpected, and there are quite a few. There were a few moments where i was slightly confused by what happened but i could clear it up in my head as the plot continued. Overall if you enjoy techy sci fi reads similar to ready player one i think you'll really like this one.

[John Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertainment

An unexpectedly gripping and thoroughly enjoyable read. I loved the whole concept of the cleverly written storyline and well developed characters.
A scary view into a potential human/AI future which I found difficult to put down.
A wonderful piece of imagination from the author which I highly recommend to any fan of the genre, you won't be disappointed.
Will definitely be reading more of this author's work.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Terminal Code was filled with fast-paced action and adventure, set in a futuristic, high-tech world of artificial intelligence and digital realms. The story is like an onion, and as the layers peel back there are twists and surprises. A terrific debut novel for this author, Jason Galliger! I look forward to what will come next!

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are proud to announce that TERMINAL CODE by J.W. Galliger has been honored with the B.R.A.G.Medallion (Book Readers Appreciation Group). It now joins the very select award-winning, reader-recommended books at indieBRAG.

[Ron Judenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good first Novel.
It's a little short on technical description, and it ends a bit abruptly, but It does a very good job of laying out a cyber-world with all its rules. It's a fresh new take on Virtual reality, coupled with some good twists and turns.

[Trinity Waddell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review through Voracious Readers Only

This was a very exciting book to read. High action, futuristic, and high speed. At times, some of the technical jargon was a little above my head. But the author did explain things quite well. Kincaid was an interesting character and I enjoyed his story.

[Annie Hodgkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read and thrilling concept! Looking forward to more from JW Gallagher.

[Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started OK, but 25% through it went very silly and by the end, completely Tron.

[John Turiano · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written futuristic, scifi, murder mystery. Much of the story takes place in a virtual world filled with imaginative characters and settings.

[Charlotte Badger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, although I'm not sure I really understood what was happening for most of it. It's an interesting topic, and reading about the way technology could go was really fun.

[Rita Boots · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the concept of the book, I just had a hard time getting into it. Took me awhile to finish it because it just didn’t hold my attention very well.