The Accord

In this expansion of a 2007 short story of the same name, British writer Brooke explores the nature of love, self and reality in the Accord, a virtual reality populated by digital recordings of real people’s souls. Its creator, Noah Barakh, is having an affair with several copies of politician Priscilla Burham. When Priscilla’s powerful husband, Jack, finds out, he murders Priscilla’s physical self. Noah promptly commits suicide so his last upload can continue the fling safely, far away from Jack, setting off a cascade of heated confrontations, bodies being hijacked by recorded selves and real and virtual deaths. Multiple copies of various characters move between realities as Jack and Noah search for a version of Priscilla who can love them even as they seek to destroy each other. The emotion-driven love triangle neatly complements the tech- and philosophy-heavy nature of the Accord, making this rumination on posthumous, posthuman love a rare treat. (Mar.)