SOLVED. Mid-90s fantasy/sci-fi, about strangers connected through an online game they're all playing. Spoiler Alert ahead... [s]

[Christine]

I had thought this was a book I'd read by either Peter Straub, Stephen King, or Dean Koontz, but I can't locate it. It may have more than one author. I thought it was by a mainstream author, or authors, but maybe not. I think I read it in the early to mid 90s.

What I remember most is that there is a (small?) group of people frequently playing an online role-playing game, a fantasy game. At first readers don't realize the modern characters are "in" the game: it feels like reading a high fantasy story. Soon we realize they're playing a game, and begin to hear more about their real lives. I think that within the game they may have met because they were on the same "team." They only know each other as their characters' names.

I think the story is told through several characters' perspectives. The one I remember most (SPOILER ALERT!) is a boy (young to mid teens? or tween?) who is terminally ill, and confined to a hospital bed, but at home. He has some kind of 'neural implant,' or some kind of technology that lets him "live" in the game, and spends most of his time existing as his character. His physical body is weak, on a feeding tube and other life support, but his game character is strong, a hero. His parents are wealthy, able to get him the best medical care, but not home with him often. He's very lonely, and this game is his only pleasure, and only way of connecting to others.

I don't remember the bulk of the plot... the characters somehow find out about each others' real lives, and there is a problem they have to solve within the game (I think?) related to their actual lives. Another SPOILER ALERT: I think the ending had something to do with planning to find a way for the boy's consciousness to remain "alive" within the game, after his physical body dies. If I'm remembering it correctly...

[Ayshe]

City of Golden Shadow maybe?

[Shanna_redwind]

Ayshe wrote: "City of Golden Shadow maybe?"

That's what I thought right away too.

[Christine]

Yes!!! That's it! Thank you so much, especially for such wuick responses! I could not tell from the goodreads book description, but after reading some reader reviews, I can tell it's definitely that one. Can't wait to re-read it now! : )

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Pasting Christine's comment from another duplicate thread, which is now deleted:

"I hope I'm posting this correctly. I broke down and bought this book that was suggested as the one I was looking for, and it turns out that it IS the book I'd been trying to find. (My library was trying to locate it in a storage facility for me, but no luck for months.)

My original search post was maybe 6months-to-a-year-ago. Asking about a book with teenagers who play a sort of early RPG game or virtual reality game, one gets stuck "inside" the game, and they (the teens/people around the world who only connect online) have to go "in" as a team to save him. The stuck kid had a terminal illness too.

Anyway, I'm not sure how to delete my original "searching for one book..." Post, or even where to find that post- if anyone can help with that?

The book I purchased is book 1, Otherland: Land of Golden Shadows, which I'll reread soon. Also excited to see there are other books in the series, which I haven't read before!

Thanks to everyone who read my post & helped!!"

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

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