The Softwire
Book 1 in the series
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The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1
The Softwire: Betrayal on Orbis 2 The Softwire: Wormhole Pirates on Orbis 3 The Softwire: Awakening on Orbis 4 |
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| Author | PJ Haarsma |
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| Language | English |
| Genre |
Young adult, Science fiction |
| Publisher | Candlewick Press |
| Published | 22 August 2006 – 2 April 2010 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
The Softwire is a series of four young adult science fiction novels by PJ Haarsma. It is set in space, in an original fictional universe of Haarsma's creation. A group of around two hundred children are orphaned in outer space on their journey to the Rings of Orbis: giant, planet-like rings which surround a wormhole. The children's parents are killed during an incident in the "seed-ship" in which they are traveling and the computer controlling the ship has raised the children—the eldest of whom are thirteen-years-old as the ship reaches Orbis.
By Orbisian law, the children are required to enter into four years (or "rotations", as the aliens called it) of indentured servitude to pay for their trip. Each novel takes place during one year of indentured servitude. One of the children, thirteen-year-old Johnny Turnbull (JT), becomes the first ever human softwire—someone who can "speak to" and "enter into" computers with his mind. The Softwire focuses on JT, his sister Ketheria, and their friends, Max and Theodore.
The books are accompanied by a free online role-playing game called Rings of Orbis which requires players to answer questions about the novels in order to solve puzzles and advance within the game.
Also, the first three chapters of "The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1", read by Haarsma's close friend Nathan Fillion, are freely available on the web as a taster.
The Softwire details the fictional account of human orphans condemned to slavery in an alien world. Although completely comprehensible as a functioning civilization, this alien world has no similarity to anything on Earth.
The Softwire exists on two planes: simple, adventurous tales of a young boy discovering his purpose in life; and complex, compelling renditions of corruption and oppression, and their effect upon the human spirit. The overriding premise behind the series is the maturation of Johnny T as he struggles to overcome an abusive domination which pushes him to fulfill his destiny as a leader, and as a guardian. Positive themes which are explored include: compassion, perseverance, fear, family, kindness, cruelty, self-reliance and the power of positivism. A constant question posed is whether a person can retain his sense of ethics when consistently exposed to situations of desperate adversity.
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Wikipedia