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Tayler #2
Virtual Insanity
When Tayler is sent to Beta City to help its citizens disconnect from the all-knowing Social Media Central, he becomes the target of a deadly game.
Augmented reality players wearing head to toe gaming suits believe he is the Enemy Alien, and they shoot to kill. So Tayler is forced to hide in a secret bunker, trapped, with no way to escape this urban nightmare.
And as his friends hatch a plan to get him back home, they find the person toying with Tayler’s life is more AI than human.
Augmented reality players wearing head to toe gaming suits believe he is the Enemy Alien, and they shoot to kill. So Tayler is forced to hide in a secret bunker, trapped, with no way to escape this urban nightmare.
And as his friends hatch a plan to get him back home, they find the person toying with Tayler’s life is more AI than human.
Kindle Edition
Published August 30, 2022
8 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Klehr
21 books150 followersKevin lives with his husband, Warren, in their humble apartment (affectionately named Sabrina), in Australia’s own ‘Emerald City,’ Sydney.
His tall tales explore unrequited love in the theatre district of the Afterlife, romance between a dreamer and a realist, and a dystopian city addicted to social media.
His first novel, Drama Queens with Love Scenes, spawned a secondary character named Guy. Many readers argue that Guy, the insecure gay angel, is the star of the Actors and Angels book series. His popularity surprised the author. The third in this series, Drama Queens and Devilish Schemes, scored a Rainbow Award (judged by fans of queer fiction) for Best Gay Alternative Universe/Reality novel.
His novel, The Midnight Man, scored first place in the LGBT category of the Paranormal Romance Guild's Reviewer's Choice Awards, as well as winning the Fantasy category of the 2021 Gay Scribe Awards.
So, with his fictional guardian angel guiding him, Kevin hopes to bring more whimsical tales of love, life and friendship to his readers.
His tall tales explore unrequited love in the theatre district of the Afterlife, romance between a dreamer and a realist, and a dystopian city addicted to social media.
His first novel, Drama Queens with Love Scenes, spawned a secondary character named Guy. Many readers argue that Guy, the insecure gay angel, is the star of the Actors and Angels book series. His popularity surprised the author. The third in this series, Drama Queens and Devilish Schemes, scored a Rainbow Award (judged by fans of queer fiction) for Best Gay Alternative Universe/Reality novel.
His novel, The Midnight Man, scored first place in the LGBT category of the Paranormal Romance Guild's Reviewer's Choice Awards, as well as winning the Fantasy category of the 2021 Gay Scribe Awards.
So, with his fictional guardian angel guiding him, Kevin hopes to bring more whimsical tales of love, life and friendship to his readers.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 1, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up to a 4.
There are definitely times I wish that I could visit this author's mind to gain some insight into his thought processes (Vulcan mind meld, maybe?) as they seem to lead to some really trippy and entertaining stories, of which "Virtual Insanity" is the latest.
"Virtual" is a continuation of "Social Media Central" but in this story Tayler is dealing with a virtual reality game as a means of control as opposed to social media. It's definitely an interesting take on the dystopian novel genre as Tayler and his friends must deal with an enemy bent on controlling society through disseminating various means of disinformation. With many issues today relating to "alternative facts" and the use of information and cyberspace warfare it's a timely look at how people can become disconnected from one another by technology and how it can be used negatively. There are a number of disparate influences here ranging from Orwell to "The Matrix" that can be seen.
It's intriguing to see the people in this society interact with one another, or how they fail to interact. Even the main characters have trouble relating to one another and don't necessarily trust one another at times, because people haven't had practice interacting with one another in real social settings. They realize some of the steps they must take to lead a revolution in people's lives but have problems relating one on one, themselves. It's a subtle move on Klehr's part but very effective. But this led to my main problem with the novel, as the last third of the book lost its subtlety and became a bit too didactic and preachy for my taste.
However, Klehr has a vision here that's quite compelling at times, with some intriguing observations on human nature. Writing it through the structure of a video game come to life gives his examinations a different look, even if the book loses a bit of steam once the game is left behind.
There are definitely times I wish that I could visit this author's mind to gain some insight into his thought processes (Vulcan mind meld, maybe?) as they seem to lead to some really trippy and entertaining stories, of which "Virtual Insanity" is the latest.
"Virtual" is a continuation of "Social Media Central" but in this story Tayler is dealing with a virtual reality game as a means of control as opposed to social media. It's definitely an interesting take on the dystopian novel genre as Tayler and his friends must deal with an enemy bent on controlling society through disseminating various means of disinformation. With many issues today relating to "alternative facts" and the use of information and cyberspace warfare it's a timely look at how people can become disconnected from one another by technology and how it can be used negatively. There are a number of disparate influences here ranging from Orwell to "The Matrix" that can be seen.
It's intriguing to see the people in this society interact with one another, or how they fail to interact. Even the main characters have trouble relating to one another and don't necessarily trust one another at times, because people haven't had practice interacting with one another in real social settings. They realize some of the steps they must take to lead a revolution in people's lives but have problems relating one on one, themselves. It's a subtle move on Klehr's part but very effective. But this led to my main problem with the novel, as the last third of the book lost its subtlety and became a bit too didactic and preachy for my taste.
However, Klehr has a vision here that's quite compelling at times, with some intriguing observations on human nature. Writing it through the structure of a video game come to life gives his examinations a different look, even if the book loses a bit of steam once the game is left behind.
September 1, 2022
This was my first time reading this author. I realized after the fact that I hadn’t read the first one in the series, so I went back and read that first. Although I think I could have read this one as a standalone. I loved this dystopian story! Some are a hot or a miss, but this one was fantastic! The story has great world building. The world is obsessed, maybe not a strong enough word, with social media. Tayler goes to Beta City to save people. Tayler is bi and has romantic dalliances with both and are written beautifully. Overall, a fantastic read, wonderfully written with great pacing that sucked me right into the story! Highly recommend.
September 1, 2022
In beta city everyone is hooked up to a game computer and he is sent there to help disconnected them. He is to face a powerful enemy who is more AI than human. It has made him enemy number one so all the gamers wants him dead. How will he break the link? Can he escape the AI? What about the gamers? See just what he will need to do to get back to safety
September 2, 2022
Excellent SF/dystopian story about people who have been sucked way too far into their social media lives. Tayler is a great character, the world building is excellent and the relationships were interesting and nicely developed. Both books in this series are great reads.
August 28, 2022
This is the second book in the TAYLer series from Kevin Klehr. I haven't read the first but I was pleased to find that it was a pretty easy to follow story despite not having read the first story.
I like dystopia stories of many kinds. This was a satirical and pacey, often funny dystopia (unlike some of the more gloomy tones and turns dystopias often go for), focusing very much on the character relationships.
We start in a world which is obsessed with social media and virtual reality, thus the focus on how the characters interact and relate is very apt. This felt scarily and in many ways, stupidly possible. For instance, when characters related by saying anything, no matter how stupid and irrelevant, so long as it was something, we can see mirrors of this in the word mashes on online forums today.
Tayler has a mission to travel to Beta City and there is a quest to "save" people from being far too sunk in their social media and too controlled by virtual reality. I loved the vision of everyone walking around in grey suits, plugged into the virtual world. He is joined by a great crowd of characters. However the story really becomes focused on Tayler's personal development and especially his romantic life. Tayler is a bisexual and finds love. There is a lot about the romantic and sexual relationship he forges - it's a good story but if you were here only for fighting off for the revolution, that's not what you would get. This is a story very much about a personal journey against the backdrop of an interestingly developed dystopian world.
Tayler and his gang are a set of well-drawn characters so I didn't find this at all off-putting - a human aspect made the story compelling. When we come to the end I thought more about what made us (and Tayler and his friends) human after their experience, than about the virtual world itself - which is one great thing dystopian stories can reveal to us. There's tenderness, sex and a lot of laughs in the book - and a thought-provoking vision of the future.
I like dystopia stories of many kinds. This was a satirical and pacey, often funny dystopia (unlike some of the more gloomy tones and turns dystopias often go for), focusing very much on the character relationships.
We start in a world which is obsessed with social media and virtual reality, thus the focus on how the characters interact and relate is very apt. This felt scarily and in many ways, stupidly possible. For instance, when characters related by saying anything, no matter how stupid and irrelevant, so long as it was something, we can see mirrors of this in the word mashes on online forums today.
Tayler has a mission to travel to Beta City and there is a quest to "save" people from being far too sunk in their social media and too controlled by virtual reality. I loved the vision of everyone walking around in grey suits, plugged into the virtual world. He is joined by a great crowd of characters. However the story really becomes focused on Tayler's personal development and especially his romantic life. Tayler is a bisexual and finds love. There is a lot about the romantic and sexual relationship he forges - it's a good story but if you were here only for fighting off for the revolution, that's not what you would get. This is a story very much about a personal journey against the backdrop of an interestingly developed dystopian world.
Tayler and his gang are a set of well-drawn characters so I didn't find this at all off-putting - a human aspect made the story compelling. When we come to the end I thought more about what made us (and Tayler and his friends) human after their experience, than about the virtual world itself - which is one great thing dystopian stories can reveal to us. There's tenderness, sex and a lot of laughs in the book - and a thought-provoking vision of the future.
September 3, 2022
I absolutely loved this Sci-fi/Futuristic, Dystopian romance setting.
This was a fun and unconventional romance.
The characters were likeable and well fleshed out.
I normally don't read a lot of syfy romances, but I definitely enjoyed this one.
Looking forward to reading more from this series.
This was a fun and unconventional romance.
The characters were likeable and well fleshed out.
I normally don't read a lot of syfy romances, but I definitely enjoyed this one.
Looking forward to reading more from this series.
September 1, 2022
This is an interesting story. I enjoyed the dystopian society aspect of it. I didn't read the first book so I may go back and read that one now also.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
August 28, 2022
I received an advance reader copy of Virtual Insanity for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Reviewing the second entry in a series without having read the first volume ( Social Media Central ) is an interesting proposition as I’m not across the characters or the story thus far, and I can’t say whether this book flows on directly from it. I can only assess what’s in front of me. In these instances, if the book doesn’t stand on its own merits, it’ll be apparent. Thankfully, for my own enjoyment—and likely anybody wanting to start with TAYLeR, Book Two—Virtual Insanity not only works on its own merits, it does so incredibly well.
From its opening chapter, Virtual Insanity introduces the world and its protagonist, Tayler. It catches the reader up on the events that led to the book’s beginning (though I can’t say if it’s catching new readers up on Social Media Central or simply setting this book’s scene). The novel’s opening is mysterious, and while I can’t say whether this is by design or because I came in late, this mysterious and strange opening grabbed my attention, and I was excited to explore this brave new world.
Virtual Insanity is set in a future where the world is obsessed with social media, and its populace is far more enamoured with the virtual world than reality, spending as much time within Social Media Central (or SMC as it’s referred to), the world’s futuristic social media network, as possible. With our current world’s social media obsession, Virtual Insanity acts as a satire, but also feels like a possible near future. Speculative fiction is at its best when it reflects the world around us, and the novel does this with aplomb.
As grossly overused a term as “Orwellian” is, this fits the bill. If George Orwell were writing today, I imagine he would choose similar subject matter. In this book’s earlier chapters, the writing also reminded me of Philip K. Dick’s noir approach to cyberpunk. As the book continues, though, the author weaves absurdist satire into the narrative, providing some truly laugh out loud moments. This creates a heightened reality that the book is all the more engaging for.
While this novel is a brief read that can be read in a couple of sittings, the author has packed a lot of story in. It sees Tayler travelling to Beta City to free its citizens from SMC, fighting a conspiracy at the hands of the shady figure known as the Government, fighting for his life in an augmented reality game, becoming the figurehead for a “counter religion,” and a whole lot more. With so much happening, it moves at a brisk pace, but never feels like it's moving too quickly.
While fast and frenetic, the book also packs in some delightful characters. While Tayler is the protagonist and point of view character, the supporting cast enriches the book’s world. Tayler is a great protagonist who serves as the voice of reason in the social media obsessed reality.
Tayler’s bisexuality is presented as a facet of his character, and nothing more, which is exactly as it should be. He has dalliances with both male and female characters, and the very occasional love scenes are written wonderfully. Conveying what is happening without explicit descriptions or reading like erotica, they act as a great showcase for the characters and fit the book’s freewheeling tone.
The prose is written in the first person, in which the author conveys an enjoyable, welcoming tone that is easy to follow. But most importantly, Tayler’s voice is hugely enjoyable. Virtual Insanity is also heavy on dialogue, full of rapid fire exchanges between its characters that constantly delight. Reading these interactions is joyous, whether the character is a hero, a villain, somewhere in between, or even an AI.
If you haven’t read Social Media Central, Virtual Insanity is an easy book to get into. If you have read it, I imagine this serves as an entertaining continuation. It presents a dystopian future flowing on from the world’s obsession with virtual worlds and social media, with some wonderful commentary about our times. But it’s also a rollicking adventure with a wonderful sense of humour.
My full review is available on my website. To read my full thoughts, and a host of other book reviews, click here.
Reviewing the second entry in a series without having read the first volume ( Social Media Central ) is an interesting proposition as I’m not across the characters or the story thus far, and I can’t say whether this book flows on directly from it. I can only assess what’s in front of me. In these instances, if the book doesn’t stand on its own merits, it’ll be apparent. Thankfully, for my own enjoyment—and likely anybody wanting to start with TAYLeR, Book Two—Virtual Insanity not only works on its own merits, it does so incredibly well.
From its opening chapter, Virtual Insanity introduces the world and its protagonist, Tayler. It catches the reader up on the events that led to the book’s beginning (though I can’t say if it’s catching new readers up on Social Media Central or simply setting this book’s scene). The novel’s opening is mysterious, and while I can’t say whether this is by design or because I came in late, this mysterious and strange opening grabbed my attention, and I was excited to explore this brave new world.
Virtual Insanity is set in a future where the world is obsessed with social media, and its populace is far more enamoured with the virtual world than reality, spending as much time within Social Media Central (or SMC as it’s referred to), the world’s futuristic social media network, as possible. With our current world’s social media obsession, Virtual Insanity acts as a satire, but also feels like a possible near future. Speculative fiction is at its best when it reflects the world around us, and the novel does this with aplomb.
As grossly overused a term as “Orwellian” is, this fits the bill. If George Orwell were writing today, I imagine he would choose similar subject matter. In this book’s earlier chapters, the writing also reminded me of Philip K. Dick’s noir approach to cyberpunk. As the book continues, though, the author weaves absurdist satire into the narrative, providing some truly laugh out loud moments. This creates a heightened reality that the book is all the more engaging for.
While this novel is a brief read that can be read in a couple of sittings, the author has packed a lot of story in. It sees Tayler travelling to Beta City to free its citizens from SMC, fighting a conspiracy at the hands of the shady figure known as the Government, fighting for his life in an augmented reality game, becoming the figurehead for a “counter religion,” and a whole lot more. With so much happening, it moves at a brisk pace, but never feels like it's moving too quickly.
While fast and frenetic, the book also packs in some delightful characters. While Tayler is the protagonist and point of view character, the supporting cast enriches the book’s world. Tayler is a great protagonist who serves as the voice of reason in the social media obsessed reality.
Tayler’s bisexuality is presented as a facet of his character, and nothing more, which is exactly as it should be. He has dalliances with both male and female characters, and the very occasional love scenes are written wonderfully. Conveying what is happening without explicit descriptions or reading like erotica, they act as a great showcase for the characters and fit the book’s freewheeling tone.
The prose is written in the first person, in which the author conveys an enjoyable, welcoming tone that is easy to follow. But most importantly, Tayler’s voice is hugely enjoyable. Virtual Insanity is also heavy on dialogue, full of rapid fire exchanges between its characters that constantly delight. Reading these interactions is joyous, whether the character is a hero, a villain, somewhere in between, or even an AI.
If you haven’t read Social Media Central, Virtual Insanity is an easy book to get into. If you have read it, I imagine this serves as an entertaining continuation. It presents a dystopian future flowing on from the world’s obsession with virtual worlds and social media, with some wonderful commentary about our times. But it’s also a rollicking adventure with a wonderful sense of humour.
My full review is available on my website. To read my full thoughts, and a host of other book reviews, click here.
October 26, 2022
A Joyfully Jay review.
2.75 stars
Virtual Insanity, from author Kevin Klehr, is the second book in the TAYLeR series. The book can ostensibly be read as a standalone, according to information from the author, but I didn’t think it worked well by itself. I loved the almost indefatigable sense of absurd whimsy in the other Klehr books I’ve read. In those books (The Midnight Man and Midnight Masquerade), it felt like the reader and the main character are plunged into a fantastical world and enjoy the journey of discovering what is what together. Virtual Insanity has all the bizarre world building, but none of the joy. I was sorely disappointed by the feeling that the eccentric characters in outlandish situations didn’t coalesce into a bigger, coherent whole.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
2.75 stars
Virtual Insanity, from author Kevin Klehr, is the second book in the TAYLeR series. The book can ostensibly be read as a standalone, according to information from the author, but I didn’t think it worked well by itself. I loved the almost indefatigable sense of absurd whimsy in the other Klehr books I’ve read. In those books (The Midnight Man and Midnight Masquerade), it felt like the reader and the main character are plunged into a fantastical world and enjoy the journey of discovering what is what together. Virtual Insanity has all the bizarre world building, but none of the joy. I was sorely disappointed by the feeling that the eccentric characters in outlandish situations didn’t coalesce into a bigger, coherent whole.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
September 3, 2024
The dangers of social media are cranked up to an insane level of hilarious horror in this second book about Tayler and his world, right along with the villains. I couldn’t help grinning at it all, even as I shuddered right along with Tayler. Amidst the madness, certain characters grounded the reader; Tayler, Sage, Hudson, and Carter. Once grounded, the floor was yanked up under the characters’s feet, taking the reader with them, utterly uncertain where we’d land or if we’d land. Dystopia reached a new level of horrific hilarity, giving me a chance to chuckle at the danger while feeling the impact of the threat.
December 28, 2024
It had moderate gay content (if you consider one gay couple real gay content) and it was really all over the place, with androids explosing and normal people being killed by other androids for odd reasons. Not really, although it was still entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews