The Threat of Silence in Mark Alpert’s Dystopian Simulation

This chapter analyzes a young adult trilogy that has yet to receive critical attention. Accordingly, the author first contextualizes the series within the larger tradition of young adult cyberpunk narratives that feature disability. Building upon this literature review, the author devotes their attention to The Six Series by Mark Alpert—The Six (2015), The Siege (2016), and The Silence (2017)—which tells the story of six terminally ill teenagers whose only choice is to die or to have their consciousnesses uploaded into machines. Although the bulk of the analysis centers around Adam, the protagonist, and how his virtual selves and physical self are remediated through his simulated experiences, the author also explores how the other characters address prescient concerns related to virtual identity. In addition to raising questions about what happens to aspects of identity like race, gender, sexuality, and, of course, disability in virtual spaces, the trilogy offers a powerful narrative about the attempted oppression of a marginalized community.