Novel Excerpts
Novel Excerpts
Reviews
Promotion Novi Sad
In the World of Pseudonyms: What Do ZKMDY and Česta Bibertal Write About?
Our enthusiasm for technology is constantly renewed, and just as constantly, it falters. We often miss the moment when the mechanism that turns a technological novelty into a dangerous and toxic routine kicks in. Virtual reality is no longer just an escape from the materially confirmed "state of affairs"; it is a reservoir of stories—stories that don't passively wait for their audience but aggressively impose themselves on both the world of fiction and the world of material reality.
The cyber fiction Surprise Mode combines all the elements of an interactive, hyper-realistic novel: tension, suspense, fear, and anxiety. This novel does not lack love and adventure, the building blocks of storytelling from the Stone Age to the virtual cave. Its most important theme is the saturation of the hysterical acceleration of experience visualization.
Multimedia artist, under the pseudonym ZKMDY, dives into the dimension of virtual reality and artificial intelligence by presenting a protagonist whose desires generate stories. This antagonist also serves as the plot generator, creating a whirlpool of stories, contexts, and situations in which "She" finds herself. She is an energetic woman whose restless longings inspire an AI bot to generate one-time VR applications and realistic avatars, resulting in an ocean of threatening stories. “Everything I opened in the metaverse was stupid, boring, and a waste of time,” says hacker LoL, whose "pure curiosity and experience comparison" leads her to help "Her." "Surprise Mode" is both a threatening virus and a poetic promise—a fast-paced and precise story.
The novel SURPRISE MODE it’s a unique blend of introspective cyber-reality, emotional depth, and a profound exploration of identity, relationships, and morality. What stands out most is the way author integrated psychological and philosophical themes into the narrative. The characters grapple with complex emotions and ethical dilemmas, all while navigating a world where technology and human nature collide in fascinating ways. The protagonist’s inner world, her relationships, and the looming presence of advanced technology (like the metaverse or AI) all come together to create an immersive and thought-provoking experience. The philosophical undertones of the novel—particularly around identity, creation, and the moral complexities of technology—add a layer of sophistication that will likely resonate with readers who enjoy cerebral fiction. Author’s ability to weave together the emotional and intellectual aspects of the narrative creates a balance that is both engaging and reflective. There’s a palpable sense of personal growth and transformation throughout the novel, which gives it an elegant, almost meditative quality despite the intense situations that characters find themselves in. It’s a novel that invites contemplation, rewards close reading, and has the potential to resonate deeply with readers interested in cyber-reality, human connections, and the ethical frontiers of science. It’s well worth the effort author put into shaping it.
C. G.
She, while using the Metaverse virtual reality application, suddenly encounters an unusual situation with her VR equipment, triggering a series of events that become increasingly aggressive over time. The hacker LoL comes to her aid, knowing the fatal outcome that could occur. Parallel timelines are set in motion, where She makes different decisions that impact her future life. Meanwhile, She meets the Young Man, enters an emotional relationship with him, and discovers that he is the result of a bizarre genetic experiment. The parallel storylines have different endings, all based on the threat of artificial intelligence created to satisfy atypical Metaverse users like She and LoL. And this threat is life-threatening.One of the functions of artistic expression is to pose questions or suggest a possible outcome. When a visual artist and university professor/engineer bravely ventures into the field of literature, we get Surprise Mode. But jokes aside—this novel is an interesting technological-visual symbiosis, conveyed in a light language, with a dynamic structure and an exciting, almost crime-cyberpunk atmosphere. Today, as humanity frets and calculates the impact of artificial intelligence technology, the novel could be misinterpreted as the author's negative stance. But no, he simply presents us with one of the many possibilities of modern technology and its influence on our lives in a screen-based, immersive, and life-encompassing picture.
prof. Maja Budžarov, MA, reviewer
Quantum mechanics teaches us that microscopic systems, the size of atoms and smaller, composed of a few elementary particles, exist in a so-called superposition of states. They inherently contain all possible versions of their temporal evolution, and which reality will actually manifest for this tiny fragment of our world depends on probability, but also on the observer. Sometimes, the decisive influence on the transition from a multitude of possibilities to what will become inevitable reality lies in how we bring this fragile system to the level of our perception.Between the covers of this book, the author skillfully places a microscopic fragment of our reality, centered around a girl who tries to defend her consciousness—and later her life—from an unwanted attack by a virtual reality virus. Accompanying her is a young man whose life story is connected to high technology in a very different way. The author presents their story in a superposition of states, i.e., in several parallel timelines in which the microscopic world of this couple could exist. There is a broad spectrum of possible outcomes, from tragedy to fairy tale, and it is up to the reader to choose one of the offered realities for this highly endearing couple.
prof. Miodrag Krmar, PhD, nuklear phisicis, reviwer
Eine aufregende Achterbahnfahrt durch Dimensieonen der Wirklichkeit und der Fiktionen. Extravagant und originell.
Ljubomir Rojnik, Fan, Berlin, Germany
This is a book that will appeal to readers who find linear, conventional narratives dull and insufficiently stimulating. The book can be read in different ways and along different paths. As I followed the intriguing destinies of the characters and their wondrous intertwining, this book taught me—gently and spontaneously—many different things from a broad and diverse range of topics, some of which may even seem incompatible.
The author draws the reader into the lives of the characters, while at the same time, throughout that journey, provoking them to explore, to question, and to search for answers. This hyperactive role assigned to the reader enables them to better understand the characters’ fates and the events through which the author guides them, while simultaneously expanding their own inner microcosm.
prof. Valentina Mladenocic, PhD
I have read the first two books of the trilogy and encountered a topic that I really didn't know much about. Besides laying out an interesting story with mysterious characters and puzzling events, the author also made an effort to explain various equipment and technologies related to VR, which was very helpful for a better understanding of the plot.
Zarko Zubic, Hamilton, Canada
A very original and modern story that feels different from typical sci-fi. The mix of technology, reality, and psychological tension makes it engaging from start to finish. The ideas are creative and stay with you after you finish the book. Five stars.
Zoran Stojadinovic, Leicester, UK
The author of these books (the trilogy Multilayered reality) skillfully and impressively introduces us to the world of his research based on emotions and their possible manipulation. The skill with which he intertwines reality with artificial intelligence or possible fantasy is a true skill of different experiences, but also grounded in scientific, historical, reading, and artistic experiences. Thus, a projection of a new world is created, which is reflected in the literary, visual, and professional legacy of Predrag Šidjanin Peđa, a unique phenomenon on the scene of European culture.
Jovan Gvero, editor in chief at BUNKER publisher