Squawk!: How to Stop Making Noise and Start Getting Results

TheDemi-Monde:1.Asubclassofsocietywhosemembersembraceadecadentlifestyleandevinceloosemorals.2.Ashadowworldwherethenormsofcivilizedbehaviorhavebeenabandoned.3.Amassivemultiple-playersimulationtechnologythatre-createsinawhollyrealisticcyber-milieuthethreat-ambianceandno-warningaspectsofahi-intensity,deep-density,urbanAsymmetricWarfareEnvironment.4.Hell.WelcometotheDemi-Monde,theultimateinvirtualreality—amilitarytraininggroundandvivid,simulatedworldofcrueltyandchaosrunbypsychopaths,madmenandfanatics.Ifyoudiehere,youdieintheRealWorld...Intheyear2018,theDemi-Mondeisthemostsophisticated,complexandunpredictablecomputersimulationevercreated,devisedspecificallytotrainsoldiersforthenightmarishrealityofurbanwarfare.Avirtualworldofeternalcivilconflict,itsthirtymillioninhabitants—“Dupes”—areruledbycyber-duplicatesofsomeofhistory’scruelesttyrants:thefanaticalNazibutcherReinhardHeydrich;Stalin’sarchexecutionerLavrentiiBeria;thetorture-lovingGrandInquisitorTomásdeTorquemada;theReignofTerror’sbloodthirstymastermindMaximilienRobespierre.ButsomethinghasgonehorriblywronginsidetheDemi-Monde,andtheU.S.president’sdaughter,Norma,hasbeenluredintothisterrifyingshadowworld,onlytobetrappedthere.HerlasthopeofrescueisEllaThomas,aneighteen-year-oldjazzsingerandveryreluctantheroine.ButwhenEllainfiltratestheDemi-MondeandbeginsherhuntforNorma,shesoondiscoversthewallscontainingtheevilsofthissimulatedenvironmentaredissolving—andtheRealWorldisinfarmoredangerthananyoneknows.Withthehelpofresistorsdeterminedtounderstandtheirworld,EllamustracetosaveNormaandstopanapocalypse...buttheclockisticking.Blendingfactandfantasy,historyandreligion,militaryandexistentialthemes,epicadventureanddarkwit,dystopiaandsteampunkinawhollyoriginalanddrivingnarrativestream,TheDemi-Monde:Winterisinventivefictionatitsfinest.