by Scotto Moore
Isobel is the undisputed “Queen of Sparkle Dungeon” largely due to her diva-spellcasting. . .
That is: in this disco-themed, VR game-world, spells are cast and enemies vanquished via the singing of complex vocal tones and rhythms. Isobel’s aptitude and standing at the top of the leaderboard earn her a recruitment call from the corporation that runs the game, but she soon finds herself embroiled in a real world struggle between her employer and a shadowy rebellion, both sides using “power morphemes” – those vocal acrobatics that seemed to be but fictional spells in a videogame – to bend reality and the free will of anyone who hears them.
Think – if the Church of Scientology invaded the worlds of Ready Player One and the movie Free Guy with a disco soundtrack. . .
