This Alien Shore by C.S. Friedman
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So then, "This Alien Shore" brings forth the delights and dangers of a future where humankind has not only conquered space but has splintered into various subspecies. The story dives into the concept of mental diversity, taking 'neurodiversity' to an entirely new level. And then there's the 'Outernet,' a virtual world that has the lure of the internet but the magnitude of the universe. As SFcrowsnest has often mused, why be confined to just one world when you can hop around entire galaxies from the comfort of your futuristic laptop?