I am not a big fan of hypertext fiction, but Evening managed to capture my attention and make me forget about the screen.
Even though it is a very old piece, it manages to transcend linear fiction by its careful use of perspective, and eyewitness style. The narrative is carefully crafted, with the simple but powerful structure – the reader is able to jump perspective – to see an event from the point of view of the cat for instance. Each time the user jumps perspective, the overall narrative progresses, until we arrive at a conclusion. We could describe this sort of story as polylinear, rather than a branching narrative.
© Timo Arnall 11th
February 2002
www.elasticspace.com
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