(Found) A weird book and a fuzzy memory

[kyfirestorm]

Hi folks. I've been searching online for hours for a book that I read a small part of several years ago. If I remember right it was a used book that I bought at a library sale and I'm not sure why I didn't read the rest of it or why I can't find it around here somewhere in my stacks of books. And the worst part is, I don't think it was in the all-time top 100 sci-fi books out there .

The parts that I remember (I think they're in the same book) is that the male character worked on a horse farm (?) and found a worm in a manure pile and was promoted or given a big bonus or something. Parasites had evidently been wiped out . . .

And then another fuzzy part involves being in his apartment (or dwelling place) and having an A.I. woman there . . . and escaping the authorities for some reason . . . I want to say there was a fight in an alley and the A.I. woman helped quite a bit? And a big lunchroom/lounge/gameroom type place where he went to combat with others? EDITED to add something I just remembered. I remember this guy being able to stay in his home and order anything he needed from any of the shops in town and the items would be delivered via some sort of "tube" system.

I know the first paragraph sounds ludicrous . . . but I swear I didn't dream this up. I'd have to be too drunk to type to think up something like that!

And, on a different note, even though I found this site specifically to ask about finding this (and maybe other) books, as a devoted sci-fi and fantasy fan I can't wait to read some more of the forums and join the neighborhood .

Many thanks in advance,

Julie

 

[Chrystelia]

Hi welcome to the Chronics.

That book you described sounds like the Apprentice Adept series by Antthony Piers. The first one is Split Infinity I think. If that's the one you are referring to, the guy is called Style and the robot woman who was programmed to love him is Sheen. Is that the one? Hope this helps...

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

If that is indeed the one, or one of the series there were seven books in all,it was about a world divided into two with a "curtain" or energy field to stop crossover, one half where science works and where Stile lived was Proton and the other side of the curtain was called Phaze where only magic worked and technology did'nt, on Proton Stile was a serf and the only way to be granted citzenship was to win the games which was run by the games computer.I did enjoy these early books, they ranged in date from Split Infinity (1980) to Phaze Doubt (1990) I believe the 1st three was published in an omnibus edition titled Double Exposure (1982) it may have been by Ace as the last four were Ace/Putnam Hardbacks the 1st three were by DelRey.

 

[kyfirestorm]

Bless you both!!! This is the book I was looking for! I knew that both had one-word names . . . but couldn't remember them. I had forgotten, however, about the unicorns.

One of the things that was stumping me (and what made me do several fruitless internet searches) was trying to figure out what would have drawn me to this book anyways. I'm not a person to jump into a new series and/or author blind . . . I usually go for themes I've read before and authors.

The Piers Anthony link is what I was missing. I should have known . . . the whole worm in the manure pile is normal PA literature! I have always enjoyed his work for the quirkiness that he incorporates in each chapter.

I look forward to surfing the forums daily and being a part of this community!

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

Glad you found what you were looking for.