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December: Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson.
The next poll will pick two books. I'd like to do it that way to keep a strong second place contender from being overlooked, and so I don't have to update the poll so often.
Discuss The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin in the comments below.
Snow Crash was written by Neal Stephenson in 1992. The novel features a bit of a Calexit scenario, and is known for popularizing the term "avatar" (paving the way for James Cameron's true magnum opus). These days, Neal moonlights as Magic Leap's "Chief Futurist". Seems appropriate.
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SoylentNews Book Club: Discuss The Three-Body Problem, Start Reading Snow Crash
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Can anyone remember when the times were not hard, and money not scarce?
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Hyperturtle on Thursday December 06 2018, @03:19PM
I had thought Ultima IV popularized the term "avatar" among sci-fi/fantasy fans. Maybe that's just not new enough for most of today's audience to remember? For its era, it was a best seller. It certainly introduced the concept of what an avatar was for me. I had no idea, I thought it was a made up word for the protagonist (the player character) in the game. Ultima 3 didn't seem to have any avatars, but then Ultima 4 considers you to be *the* Avatar. I suppose there's a difference.
AD&D later expanded on that concept of where one can encounter an avatar and what it was or could be (usually some old man turns out to be a holy being to drive the plot along), and it was much later that I learned of how various religions also used the term for when their deities came down to visit the locals--which was similar to one's role in Ultima IV anyway and the AD&D's interpretation in the rules and campaigns.
The whole concept of being a projection of a being that may (or may not) be a representation of the actual being being projected is another matter -- such as a character in World of Warcraft or Neo in the Matrix or Hyperturle on this forum.
By playing loose with the terms, we are all avatars online and anywhere we project ourselves that we don't physically happen to be. I wouldn't consider Snowcrash to have introduced or popularized the idea, but it continues to sell and remain relevant, where Ultima IV is mostly a memory or curiosity for those interested in computer retro-gaming or video gaming history.