The Bookwyrm's Review of Dreamsphere: The Day We Stopped Dreaming by Samson Tonauac

Author: Samson Tonauac

Length:  143 Pages

Release Date: September 23, 2019

Rating:4/5 Stars

I usually have a format I use for my reviews, but after reading Dreamsphere, I realized that wouldn't work, since this book has such an unusual format. This being the case, I'll try and just give a summary and some thoughts about the book. 

The story basically bounces between various characters starting in 2017 and continuing in various scenes through 2399, going from a current world that looks like ours through to a dystopian cyberpunk future of immortal modified humans who have to reset their brains every 120 years with memories stored on the future cloud to keep their immortality going, along with nanite body enhancements. 

The story skips around with various characters progressing through the years, as they change with the massive changes in society, as mortality is "cured" , but the cost of that cure is people's freedom, as the source of the immortality requires submission to him if people want to live forever.  It definitely leads to a dystopian view of the future, which for most will go on for as long as they want it to. 

This book is definitely out of my normal wheelhouse, but was still an interesting read. It has some definitely humorous aspects, while also waxing philosophical and nihilistic by turns.  It raises some interesting questions about what really has value to someone if they know they can live forever, and what will they be willing to sacrifice to gain that longevity. All told, its a well written exploration of a future with darkness and potential all at once.