Twenty Twenty

By Nigel Watts

First published in 1995, Twenty Twenty eerily foretells the events of the year 2020, complete with deadly viruses and environmental devastation.

An ageing writer infected with a deadly virus and despairing of mankind’s continuing damage to the planet retreats to a derelict factory in the icy wastes of northern Canada.

Meanwhile, at a remote research institute in the Californian desert, William Morrison, a virtual reality test pilot, and Julia O’Brien, a British anthropologist, are working on a VR simulation of the Amazonian Kogi tribe.

William and Julia appear to have little in common, until they discover an uncanny connection that finds them drawn towards a derelict factory in northern Canada.

As the story escalates to its dramatic conclusion, Watts powerfully manipulates our perceptions of reality, while blurring the boundary between creator and created.

Twenty Twenty is an exciting blend of literary thriller and science fiction that is thought provoking, intelligent, and offers fascinating insights into current concerns.

Praise for Twenty Twenty:

‘Twenty Twenty is about the end of the world, viral apocalypse, virtual reality, Buddhist enlightenment and the Kogi tribe of Colombia . . . [it] asks the big questions at a time of global destruction and spiritual uncertainty . . . a novel which finds more than enough room to swing Schrödinger’s Cat, an intriguing synthesis between ancient mysticism and the brave new world of virtuality. It is a book to make the pulse race, the mind dance and the heart sink’ – The Times (1995)