Title: Deal’s Worth
Author: Jeffrey Robert Palin, Jr
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: May 26, 2026
Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Length: About 73 pages.
Source: I received a free copy from the author.
Rating: 2.5 Stars
Blurb:
Eric is given the opportunity to create and modify a simulation-world. Eric’s world includes unique features, intertwined systems mechanics, and it connects to other user-created worlds. After falling into a unique medical condition, the VRC, a virtual reality corporation, offers Eric a deal to enter and be a creator regarding the Simulation-multiverse. The Simulation-multiverse is a man-made nexus in which Eric, AGIs, and others are able to interact. Later, in Eric’s Universe, a character named Jeff searches for Eric. Eric’s completed world creation process had set the foundation for later adventures to occur, enabling Jeff and others to engage with Eric’s world and it’s elements and features. The Simulation serves as a recreational pastime activity and is “”also designed to prevent individuals from experiencing extended periods of isolation and missed life opportunities whereby it prevents such by addressing the concern of hospital patients who may awaken after prolonged hospitalized states, such as a patient regaining consciousness after 30 years unconscious, only to discover they have limited time remaining (perhaps 15 years) to accomplish their life goals”. Without such a simulation, these individuals might feel profoundly deprived of three decades’ worth of potential experiences, relationships, and achievements they could have enjoyed had they remained conscious during their hospitalization”.
Review:
There is no cure, but there is a treatment.
This bent so many of the rules related to how to tell a story that I was intrigued to see how the author managed to include character development in the exposition. It is something that readers have to dig for in order to uncover, but I interpreted this to be a side effect of Eric’s transformation into someone whose life was so heavily entwined with virtual reality. Kudos to Mr. Palin for pushing the envelope of the science fiction and fantasy genres.
A large portion of this book was written in the style of a synopsis of the plot. It was never entirely clear to me if this was done on purpose in order to show how emotionally and intellectually disconnected Eric was from his user-created world or if some other explanation was more plausible. As interested as I was in the blurb, this writing style made it difficult for me to emotionally connect with the protagonist or his journey. If only the author’s intentions had been communicated more clearly. I was so hoping to give this tale a much higher rating.
With that being said, I did appreciate the thorough set of rules that Eric created for the governance of his world. He genuinely thought of just about every possibility and how his simulation ought to deal with both pleasant and unpleasant surprises. Even topics as esoteric as the existance of souls were included. It was also interesting to see how the list of rules appeared to evolve over time through the usual human and machine process of trial and error.
Deal’s Worth had a creative premise.
When I was a kid, we believed that you had to wait an hour after eating before swimming. If you broke this rule, you might get stomach cramps so severe that you could drown due to not being able to swim to the edge of the pool or other body of water.
Title: A Curious Presence – an Exploration of Ghosts and People Who Haunt Them
Age 4 or 5. It’s spring and my family is walking through 
1. “If a black cat crosses your path, it signifies that the animal is going somewhere.”
Title: Fallow
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