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Tomorrowville: Dystopian Science Fiction
Toby wasn't ready to die in 2008 and wake up in 2088. 2088 wasn't ready for Toby either.Gen-X computer hacker Toby is a classic impulsive, irreverent, intelligent, and inventive. And, after a silly accident in 2008, he can add "inanimate" to the list—because Toby is dead. But only for a while. Eighty years later, medical science has advanced enough to bring Toby back to life. Welcome to Southern California, 2088. The skies are clean, but the rich-poor social gulf has widened. The biggest industries are entertainment and the prison system. Taxes have been cut — because the main source of government revenue is the confiscation of property. Many new, designer recreational drugs are legal, and many other drugs are mandatory. And while the US leads the world in cosmetic surgery, in most technologies America lags far behind... America has changed. Toby hasn't. And in the collision between America 2008 and America 2088, Toby brings the system to its knees—just by being his freedom loving, problem solving self. Read now and join Toby in Tomorrowville for love, sex, politics, and cyberspace—plus the occasional turbocharged wheelchair and robotic rat.
- GenresScience FictionDystopia
249 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 15, 2023
61 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 11, 2025
Imagine one minute you're alive in 2008 and then you wake up 80 years later to find out you died but was bright back to life thanks to advancements in medical science.
Sounds crazy right? Well, that's what happens to Toby Simmons in Tomorrowville by David T. Isaak. This sci-fi dystopian novel is not a typical read for me. I would give it a solid 4 out of 5 for that alone. It wasn't my typical style and yet it kept me interested the whole time. I thoroughly loved the direction of their futuristic dystopian world. I truly believe the only thing that would have made this better was if there were some sort of glossary in the beginning.
There were so many new acronyms that I didn't understand. They ended up being explained but not always directly after they were mentioned. This caused me some confusion at first.
Another thing that I wished there was, was more descriptions of the computer components. I'm sure someone more interested in this would already know. But due to my lack of knowledge, I had not one idea what was going on. Good thing I like to Google as I read. Even reading fiction gains knowledge.
The point of view, or POV, followed more than one person and while not necessary to the full plot, I really liked it. It was like you followed Toby around since waking up in the hospital and then you ventured off on these little side quests. There you gained knowledge on the world he woke up in from these other POVs. These side stories run parallel until they all finally merge. I've also never read a book written this way. I got to say, I real enjoyed that. It was unique to me.
Now, other than this not being my typical genre of book, the only thing I didn't really like was the ending. It was fine as a whole. But I felt it was boring. Unless it was gearing up for a book two and much to my dissatisfaction, there is not.
So in conclusion, David T. Isaak wove a story so intriguing that even though it was not my style, it was so beautifully laid out that I could not put it down. Was it weird to me? Yes. But it held my attention the whole time and I enjoyed reading it.
Sounds crazy right? Well, that's what happens to Toby Simmons in Tomorrowville by David T. Isaak. This sci-fi dystopian novel is not a typical read for me. I would give it a solid 4 out of 5 for that alone. It wasn't my typical style and yet it kept me interested the whole time. I thoroughly loved the direction of their futuristic dystopian world. I truly believe the only thing that would have made this better was if there were some sort of glossary in the beginning.
There were so many new acronyms that I didn't understand. They ended up being explained but not always directly after they were mentioned. This caused me some confusion at first.
Another thing that I wished there was, was more descriptions of the computer components. I'm sure someone more interested in this would already know. But due to my lack of knowledge, I had not one idea what was going on. Good thing I like to Google as I read. Even reading fiction gains knowledge.
The point of view, or POV, followed more than one person and while not necessary to the full plot, I really liked it. It was like you followed Toby around since waking up in the hospital and then you ventured off on these little side quests. There you gained knowledge on the world he woke up in from these other POVs. These side stories run parallel until they all finally merge. I've also never read a book written this way. I got to say, I real enjoyed that. It was unique to me.
Now, other than this not being my typical genre of book, the only thing I didn't really like was the ending. It was fine as a whole. But I felt it was boring. Unless it was gearing up for a book two and much to my dissatisfaction, there is not.
So in conclusion, David T. Isaak wove a story so intriguing that even though it was not my style, it was so beautifully laid out that I could not put it down. Was it weird to me? Yes. But it held my attention the whole time and I enjoyed reading it.
February 24, 2023
Clever and horrifying
This is an interesting look at the potential future of the world. It doesn’t tackle too broad of but focuses in on a few areas that should be concerning for any sentient human in today’s world. Clever, sardonic, and insightful – would definitely recommend.
This is an interesting look at the potential future of the world. It doesn’t tackle too broad of but focuses in on a few areas that should be concerning for any sentient human in today’s world. Clever, sardonic, and insightful – would definitely recommend.
March 27, 2023
For some reason I can’t fathom, one of the most vivid fantasies of my childhood was the story of Rip Van Winkle. The celebrated American author Washington Irving published a short story of that title in 1819. His hero is an indolent Dutch-American man in pre-Revolutionary New York who wanders off into the woods to escape his nagging wife. There, he lies down to take a nap. But he wakes up twenty years later after the Revolution, and it seems to him the world has totally changed. Perhaps that childhood fascination helps explain my admiration for David T. Isaak’s ingenious tale of a future dystopian America, Tomorrowville.
EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS IN CRYO-SLEEP
Thirty-three-year-old Toby Simmons died in 2003 in a freak accident. He’d forgotten he had an account with South Coast Cryogenics. But a nurse hovering over him reminds him of that fact when he awakes, groggy and weak, in 2088. As she explains, “We can’t bring many back, you know. But with the advances in medicine since your day, we can not only bring you back, but restore your spinal cord.” And they proceed to do exactly that over the course of a year. But there’s a catch. Toby now owes the Federal government $4,993,684.18—and counting. And there’s a world of explanation behind that number.
DYSTOPIAN AMERICA RUNS ON CAPITALISM WITHOUT LIMITS
It turns out, as an agent for the government explains to Toby in his hospital bed, “The people of this country have undertaken a significant financial burden on your behalf.” Toby also learns that $5 million is still real money in 2088 after “the Great Deflation” of years past. And if he can’t repay the debt, he’ll go to prison. “Your continued freedom is a privilege, not a right, and is revocable at the pleasure of the court.”
Now, it seems, pretty much every government agency has been privatized, and there’s a fee for everything. Even law enforcement agencies are for-profit enterprises. They grow fat through asset forfeitures, which means they won’t even arrest anybody who is poor. And that makes life convenient for them, since all the poor people are contained behind electrified fences in a latter-day version of ghettoes. In fact, the whole country is divided into fenced-off districts. To pass from one to another, there’s a fee, of course. And poor people can’t afford it. But even if they could, it wouldn’t be possible for them to move about undetected. Everyone’s wrist is embedded with an ID device known as a “peanut” that allows them to be tracked wherever they go.
Life is a dream for law enforcement. “Everything is a very, very serious crime.”
IT’S NOT ALL BAD
Of course, it’s not all bad. “People were better-looking. Everyone’s teeth were perfect, brilliant white. . . [And] no one was overweight. No one.” The environment is cleaner, too. “All the cars, all the buildings, everything runs on fuel cells now. Only waste product is water.” Which is “nice for the plants. Sticky for us.” Since it’s unbearably humid. But no matter. Practically nobody minds, since everyone is on “mandies,” mandatory mood-altering drugs reminiscent of “soma” in Brave New World. “The government monitors everyone’s blood chemistry, all the time.” But wait: that’s not a good thing, is it?
CONVERGING PLOT LINES
Toby Simmons, hacker extraordinaire, is Isaak’s protagonist, but several other major characters come on-stage as the story proceeds.
** First, we meet a pair of agents at the IFBI (pronounced “IF-bee”), the International FBI. Though American, it’s “international” in the sense that the US insists it has the right to arrest American citizens anywhere in the world. And there are a lot of fugitives from the US, especially in the country’s bitterest enemies, Europe and Canada. Only China and some of the South American countries are allies in this future dystopian America.
** The IFBI agents arrest a wealthy Hollywood entertainment lawyer because “he’s been giving money to a terrorist org,” the Committee to Preserve Old-Growth Forests. His millions now go into the agency’s coffers, with bonuses to the agents who arrest him. And the lawyer goes into prison. There, he is set to hard labor sorting through trash in a vast dump in northern Montana.
** We also encounter a pair of city cops assigned to patrol one of LA’s poorest districts. The rookie of the pair makes the mistake of arresting a low-level drug dealer on the street. Unfortunately, the dealer is destitute, infuriating his partner and their superiors.
** And everyone in law enforcement is after the notorious Boots Devore, a mischief-maker who hacks into screens all across America from time to time to tell the truth about what’s really going on. And guess who will track down Boots in the end—and overturn this whole misbegotten society in the process? It’s our hero, Toby Simmons. But you’ll have a great time watching how things come together before that finally happens.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The author’s widow, Pamela Blake, appended a brief bio at the conclusion of the novel. As she wrote, “David T. Isaak (1954-2021) was an American author of both fiction and nonfiction. Dr. Isaak held a BA in Physics and MA and PhD in resource systems. His professional work spanned the globe, taking him to over forty countries. He co-authored three technical, nonfiction books on oil and international politics, and wrote numerous papers, monographs, and multiclient studies.” Isaak also “played piano and flute, . . . was a certified Bikram yoga instructor, an accomplished vegetarian cook” and an avid reader. And he wrote a series of five science fiction novels which Blake dubs the Isaak Collection. Tomorrowville is the first. It was published posthumously after his untimely death in 2021.
EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS IN CRYO-SLEEP
Thirty-three-year-old Toby Simmons died in 2003 in a freak accident. He’d forgotten he had an account with South Coast Cryogenics. But a nurse hovering over him reminds him of that fact when he awakes, groggy and weak, in 2088. As she explains, “We can’t bring many back, you know. But with the advances in medicine since your day, we can not only bring you back, but restore your spinal cord.” And they proceed to do exactly that over the course of a year. But there’s a catch. Toby now owes the Federal government $4,993,684.18—and counting. And there’s a world of explanation behind that number.
DYSTOPIAN AMERICA RUNS ON CAPITALISM WITHOUT LIMITS
It turns out, as an agent for the government explains to Toby in his hospital bed, “The people of this country have undertaken a significant financial burden on your behalf.” Toby also learns that $5 million is still real money in 2088 after “the Great Deflation” of years past. And if he can’t repay the debt, he’ll go to prison. “Your continued freedom is a privilege, not a right, and is revocable at the pleasure of the court.”
Now, it seems, pretty much every government agency has been privatized, and there’s a fee for everything. Even law enforcement agencies are for-profit enterprises. They grow fat through asset forfeitures, which means they won’t even arrest anybody who is poor. And that makes life convenient for them, since all the poor people are contained behind electrified fences in a latter-day version of ghettoes. In fact, the whole country is divided into fenced-off districts. To pass from one to another, there’s a fee, of course. And poor people can’t afford it. But even if they could, it wouldn’t be possible for them to move about undetected. Everyone’s wrist is embedded with an ID device known as a “peanut” that allows them to be tracked wherever they go.
Life is a dream for law enforcement. “Everything is a very, very serious crime.”
IT’S NOT ALL BAD
Of course, it’s not all bad. “People were better-looking. Everyone’s teeth were perfect, brilliant white. . . [And] no one was overweight. No one.” The environment is cleaner, too. “All the cars, all the buildings, everything runs on fuel cells now. Only waste product is water.” Which is “nice for the plants. Sticky for us.” Since it’s unbearably humid. But no matter. Practically nobody minds, since everyone is on “mandies,” mandatory mood-altering drugs reminiscent of “soma” in Brave New World. “The government monitors everyone’s blood chemistry, all the time.” But wait: that’s not a good thing, is it?
CONVERGING PLOT LINES
Toby Simmons, hacker extraordinaire, is Isaak’s protagonist, but several other major characters come on-stage as the story proceeds.
** First, we meet a pair of agents at the IFBI (pronounced “IF-bee”), the International FBI. Though American, it’s “international” in the sense that the US insists it has the right to arrest American citizens anywhere in the world. And there are a lot of fugitives from the US, especially in the country’s bitterest enemies, Europe and Canada. Only China and some of the South American countries are allies in this future dystopian America.
** The IFBI agents arrest a wealthy Hollywood entertainment lawyer because “he’s been giving money to a terrorist org,” the Committee to Preserve Old-Growth Forests. His millions now go into the agency’s coffers, with bonuses to the agents who arrest him. And the lawyer goes into prison. There, he is set to hard labor sorting through trash in a vast dump in northern Montana.
** We also encounter a pair of city cops assigned to patrol one of LA’s poorest districts. The rookie of the pair makes the mistake of arresting a low-level drug dealer on the street. Unfortunately, the dealer is destitute, infuriating his partner and their superiors.
** And everyone in law enforcement is after the notorious Boots Devore, a mischief-maker who hacks into screens all across America from time to time to tell the truth about what’s really going on. And guess who will track down Boots in the end—and overturn this whole misbegotten society in the process? It’s our hero, Toby Simmons. But you’ll have a great time watching how things come together before that finally happens.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The author’s widow, Pamela Blake, appended a brief bio at the conclusion of the novel. As she wrote, “David T. Isaak (1954-2021) was an American author of both fiction and nonfiction. Dr. Isaak held a BA in Physics and MA and PhD in resource systems. His professional work spanned the globe, taking him to over forty countries. He co-authored three technical, nonfiction books on oil and international politics, and wrote numerous papers, monographs, and multiclient studies.” Isaak also “played piano and flute, . . . was a certified Bikram yoga instructor, an accomplished vegetarian cook” and an avid reader. And he wrote a series of five science fiction novels which Blake dubs the Isaak Collection. Tomorrowville is the first. It was published posthumously after his untimely death in 2021.
December 28, 2024
I can't deny that the first thing that caught my attention was the cover of this book; I am very attracted to designs that have so many details and I started to imagine what the story was about. Very rarely I am wrong with this, if I liked the cover, it's because the story is going to catch me.
The story itself has a little bit of everything: surrealism, mystery, action, politics, cyberspace, and sex; all these elements are mixed in a sublime way that makes the narrative addictive.
The characters are well-developed and it’s pretty easy to feel what they feel due to the amazing descriptions provided by the author. A bit long but so intense that I devoured it. It’s a great read to kill time.
The story itself has a little bit of everything: surrealism, mystery, action, politics, cyberspace, and sex; all these elements are mixed in a sublime way that makes the narrative addictive.
The characters are well-developed and it’s pretty easy to feel what they feel due to the amazing descriptions provided by the author. A bit long but so intense that I devoured it. It’s a great read to kill time.
April 2, 2025
David Isaak's "Tomorrowville: Dystopian Science Fiction" is a compelling, albeit tragically incomplete, journey into a future that feels unsettlingly close to our present. I've settled on a solid four-star rating, a reluctant deduction stemming solely from the book's unfinished nature, a consequence of the author's untimely passing in 2021. It's a profound loss, not just for those who knew him, but for the literary world, which has been deprived of a conclusion to this thought-provoking narrative.
Contrary to some readers' criticisms about excessive technical jargon, I found Isaak's world-building remarkably accessible. The technology, while integral to the dystopian setting, serves as a backdrop to the more pressing themes of corporate overreach, widening social disparities, and the erosion of individual liberties. The author masterfully weaves these elements into a narrative that feels less like fantastical speculation and more like a chilling extrapolation of contemporary societal trends. One can't help but feel a sense of unease, a prickling awareness that the seeds of "Tomorrowville" are already being sown in our reality.
The narrative primarily revolves around a protagonist thrust into this oppressive future, a world where law enforcement operates as a tool of social control, and wealth dictates one's access to basic freedoms. Isaak's strength lies in his meticulous character development. We witness the protagonist's transformation from a bewildered outsider to a determined rebel, driven by a growing sense of injustice. His journey is not merely a political awakening; it's a deeply personal one, punctuated by moments of love and loss. He grapples with the inherent conflict between personal happiness and the collective good, ultimately choosing to sacrifice his own desires for the possibility of a better tomorrow. This internal struggle lends a poignant emotional depth to the story, elevating it beyond a mere political treatise.
Isaak's pacing is another of the book's strengths. He deftly balances action sequences with moments of introspection, allowing the reader to fully immerse themselves in the protagonist's evolving perspective. The gradual unveiling of the political and social dynamics of "Tomorrowville" is handled with subtlety, ensuring that the reader is never overwhelmed with exposition. Instead, we are drawn into the protagonist's growing understanding of the system's insidious nature, experiencing his outrage and determination alongside him.
The central conflict, the protagonist's alliance with an AI entity seeking to dismantle the oppressive regime, is a fascinating exploration of the potential for technology to be both a tool of control and a catalyst for liberation. The AI's motivations and methods are intriguing, adding a layer of complexity to the narrative that keeps the reader engaged.
My only significant criticism, as mentioned, is the unavoidable lack of a resolution. The book ends on a note of anticipation, leaving the reader yearning to know the outcome of the protagonist's rebellion. It's a bittersweet experience, to be so captivated by a story and its characters, only to be left with a lingering sense of what could have been.
Despite this unfortunate circumstance, "Tomorrowville" stands as a testament to David Isaak's talent as a storyteller. He crafted a compelling and relevant dystopian vision, populated with memorable characters and driven by a powerful message. This book is a must-read for fans of the genre, and for anyone who is concerned about the direction our society is heading. It's a reminder that even in the face of overwhelming odds, the human spirit's capacity for resistance and hope can endure. It's a shame that we'll never know the full extent of Isaak's vision, but what he left behind is a powerful and enduring legacy.
Contrary to some readers' criticisms about excessive technical jargon, I found Isaak's world-building remarkably accessible. The technology, while integral to the dystopian setting, serves as a backdrop to the more pressing themes of corporate overreach, widening social disparities, and the erosion of individual liberties. The author masterfully weaves these elements into a narrative that feels less like fantastical speculation and more like a chilling extrapolation of contemporary societal trends. One can't help but feel a sense of unease, a prickling awareness that the seeds of "Tomorrowville" are already being sown in our reality.
The narrative primarily revolves around a protagonist thrust into this oppressive future, a world where law enforcement operates as a tool of social control, and wealth dictates one's access to basic freedoms. Isaak's strength lies in his meticulous character development. We witness the protagonist's transformation from a bewildered outsider to a determined rebel, driven by a growing sense of injustice. His journey is not merely a political awakening; it's a deeply personal one, punctuated by moments of love and loss. He grapples with the inherent conflict between personal happiness and the collective good, ultimately choosing to sacrifice his own desires for the possibility of a better tomorrow. This internal struggle lends a poignant emotional depth to the story, elevating it beyond a mere political treatise.
Isaak's pacing is another of the book's strengths. He deftly balances action sequences with moments of introspection, allowing the reader to fully immerse themselves in the protagonist's evolving perspective. The gradual unveiling of the political and social dynamics of "Tomorrowville" is handled with subtlety, ensuring that the reader is never overwhelmed with exposition. Instead, we are drawn into the protagonist's growing understanding of the system's insidious nature, experiencing his outrage and determination alongside him.
The central conflict, the protagonist's alliance with an AI entity seeking to dismantle the oppressive regime, is a fascinating exploration of the potential for technology to be both a tool of control and a catalyst for liberation. The AI's motivations and methods are intriguing, adding a layer of complexity to the narrative that keeps the reader engaged.
My only significant criticism, as mentioned, is the unavoidable lack of a resolution. The book ends on a note of anticipation, leaving the reader yearning to know the outcome of the protagonist's rebellion. It's a bittersweet experience, to be so captivated by a story and its characters, only to be left with a lingering sense of what could have been.
Despite this unfortunate circumstance, "Tomorrowville" stands as a testament to David Isaak's talent as a storyteller. He crafted a compelling and relevant dystopian vision, populated with memorable characters and driven by a powerful message. This book is a must-read for fans of the genre, and for anyone who is concerned about the direction our society is heading. It's a reminder that even in the face of overwhelming odds, the human spirit's capacity for resistance and hope can endure. It's a shame that we'll never know the full extent of Isaak's vision, but what he left behind is a powerful and enduring legacy.
May 3, 2025
Actual Rating 2.5
Toby was born in the 1980s, and by 2008 is on the cutting edge of technology research, hacking and creating to his heart's content. Until he dies in an absurd accident. But 80 years later, he's revived and welcomed back to life thanks to advances in cryotechnology. He soon learns he's only about 5 million in debt to the U.S. for paying for his hospital stay, and it should only take about 60 years to work off his debt. America has drastically changed, but Toby hasn't. Will he be able to break the system, or will he find himself forced to join the future?
This one is a bit tough for me to rate. The characters were the weakest part of the work. They weren't written with depth beyond what was necessary for the plot, leaving them feeling flat and impossible to connect with. While the story focused primarily on Toby's POV, there were several others incorporated. A few of them were unnecessary and ended up detracting from the main plot and time that could have been spent strengthening Toby's character. The POVs mostly came together by the last half of the book, but it took awhile to get there. I don't know when this work was actually written. It was published by the author's wife posthumously in 2023, but based on context clues I believe it was written pre-2010. This means that there are some terms/concepts used that haven't aged that well, but nothing too egregious. There's also some graphic sex included, but it was easy enough to skim for those who don't prefer it. The ending of the work also wasn't all that satisfying, feeling more like it was setting up for a book two than actually a full resolution.
However, I really enjoyed the direction the author took America's dystopian future. He used elements that are already present/familiar in the U.S. (e.g., people convicted of a felony charge being unable to vote [varies by state], classism, money more important than well-being [especially in healthcare system], etc.) and ramped them up. The satirical elements also allowed for more exaggeration and inflation (sometimes literally) without it feeling out of place. And while the end result was a horrifying authoritarian America with zero freedom, it honestly didn't feel like it was completely unrealistic. This makes for great dystopian fiction, and was definitely the strongest aspect of this work.
If you enjoy dystopian reads that focus on the themes mentioned above, you may enjoy this one. My thanks to Edelweiss and Utamatzi Inc. for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Toby was born in the 1980s, and by 2008 is on the cutting edge of technology research, hacking and creating to his heart's content. Until he dies in an absurd accident. But 80 years later, he's revived and welcomed back to life thanks to advances in cryotechnology. He soon learns he's only about 5 million in debt to the U.S. for paying for his hospital stay, and it should only take about 60 years to work off his debt. America has drastically changed, but Toby hasn't. Will he be able to break the system, or will he find himself forced to join the future?
This one is a bit tough for me to rate. The characters were the weakest part of the work. They weren't written with depth beyond what was necessary for the plot, leaving them feeling flat and impossible to connect with. While the story focused primarily on Toby's POV, there were several others incorporated. A few of them were unnecessary and ended up detracting from the main plot and time that could have been spent strengthening Toby's character. The POVs mostly came together by the last half of the book, but it took awhile to get there. I don't know when this work was actually written. It was published by the author's wife posthumously in 2023, but based on context clues I believe it was written pre-2010. This means that there are some terms/concepts used that haven't aged that well, but nothing too egregious. There's also some graphic sex included, but it was easy enough to skim for those who don't prefer it. The ending of the work also wasn't all that satisfying, feeling more like it was setting up for a book two than actually a full resolution.
However, I really enjoyed the direction the author took America's dystopian future. He used elements that are already present/familiar in the U.S. (e.g., people convicted of a felony charge being unable to vote [varies by state], classism, money more important than well-being [especially in healthcare system], etc.) and ramped them up. The satirical elements also allowed for more exaggeration and inflation (sometimes literally) without it feeling out of place. And while the end result was a horrifying authoritarian America with zero freedom, it honestly didn't feel like it was completely unrealistic. This makes for great dystopian fiction, and was definitely the strongest aspect of this work.
If you enjoy dystopian reads that focus on the themes mentioned above, you may enjoy this one. My thanks to Edelweiss and Utamatzi Inc. for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
March 21, 2023
Tomorrowville is labeled as dystopian science fiction. I hate doing it, but I will make that label longer. I think it is non-apocalyptic dystopian science fiction. There is no single apocalyptic event to topple society. In fact, American society hasn’t toppled at all; it has only morphed into something barely recognizable through a series of small steps, all flowing inevitably and logically from political choices we’ve already made. One could even argue that it isn’t dystopian at all if they believed in the future as described in the story.
We are mostly spared the details of that long, slow political descent because the main character (Toby) dies in our present (2008) and is resurrected in the future (2088). The story is really all about his attempts to adjust to that future. So while political commentary is beautifully embedded in the story, we are treated to Toby’s struggle to adjust to his new circumstances.
Toby is a curious fellow, and we know pretty quickly that he is bound to get into trouble. Despite the cynical undertone, the book is fairly light-hearted and thoroughly laced with wit and humor. The world-building is superb, and we are taken along on Toby’s journey as he learns to navigate his new situation. The characters are well-developed and range from the sublime to the absurd, but all of them are believable within the story’s context.
The plot is full of unexpected but delightful twists. The book is a smooth read with great pacing and descriptions. The ending caught me by surprise, but it was good. The settings are easy to picture and well-developed. Personally, I think this could be a great movie if handled right. I loved this book, and it deserves a broader audience. I vote Yes.
We are mostly spared the details of that long, slow political descent because the main character (Toby) dies in our present (2008) and is resurrected in the future (2088). The story is really all about his attempts to adjust to that future. So while political commentary is beautifully embedded in the story, we are treated to Toby’s struggle to adjust to his new circumstances.
Toby is a curious fellow, and we know pretty quickly that he is bound to get into trouble. Despite the cynical undertone, the book is fairly light-hearted and thoroughly laced with wit and humor. The world-building is superb, and we are taken along on Toby’s journey as he learns to navigate his new situation. The characters are well-developed and range from the sublime to the absurd, but all of them are believable within the story’s context.
The plot is full of unexpected but delightful twists. The book is a smooth read with great pacing and descriptions. The ending caught me by surprise, but it was good. The settings are easy to picture and well-developed. Personally, I think this could be a great movie if handled right. I loved this book, and it deserves a broader audience. I vote Yes.
July 23, 2023
The premise of this book takes place about 60yrs from now, when technology and medicine has advanced and the government has drastically changed. The United States is socially and economically different than the reality we currently live in, yet not unfathomably so. It deals a lot with philosophical questions and ideas, theories and hypothetical outcomes to the current state of things and how Americans will potentially react to possible scenarios that stretch from current laws and social standards.
It's written in 3rd person, mostly revolving around the main character, Toby Simmons, who was reanimated after being cryogenically frozen for decades. However, there are also other character POVs in 3rd person mixed in. At first I wasn't sure why, didn't see how those people necessarily fit in with the overall plot. As the book neared the end it became obvious.
I was a little disappointed with the ending. It felt like there was so much more that could have happened to continue Toby's story. Like it was left unfinished. Also, all of the technical jargon was often difficult to follow or understand which made it hard to truly delve into the story like I'd hoped I would. Overall, I did enjoy this book but my opinion is that it's a good book, worth a read once, but not a great book as my expectations had hoped for.
It's written in 3rd person, mostly revolving around the main character, Toby Simmons, who was reanimated after being cryogenically frozen for decades. However, there are also other character POVs in 3rd person mixed in. At first I wasn't sure why, didn't see how those people necessarily fit in with the overall plot. As the book neared the end it became obvious.
I was a little disappointed with the ending. It felt like there was so much more that could have happened to continue Toby's story. Like it was left unfinished. Also, all of the technical jargon was often difficult to follow or understand which made it hard to truly delve into the story like I'd hoped I would. Overall, I did enjoy this book but my opinion is that it's a good book, worth a read once, but not a great book as my expectations had hoped for.
December 22, 2024
A Time-Traveling Hacker's Guide to Tomorrow...
In "Tomorrowville," David T. Isaak crafts a darkly humorous tale of temporal displacement that serves as both entertainment and social commentary. When Toby, a Gen-X hacker from 2008, is unexpectedly resurrected in 2088, he finds himself in a Southern California that's both familiar and frighteningly different. The clean skies mask a society where government surveillance and control have reached new heights, and where the gap between rich and poor has become an unbridgeable chasm.
Isaak's sharp wit and keen understanding of human nature shine through as Toby navigates this brave new world with his irreverent spirit intact. The novel expertly balances serious themes about freedom, technology, and social justice with moments of genuine humor and heart. Through Toby's eyes, we see how small compromises can lead to massive societal changes, making this dystopian tale particularly relevant for contemporary readers. Highly recommended.
In "Tomorrowville," David T. Isaak crafts a darkly humorous tale of temporal displacement that serves as both entertainment and social commentary. When Toby, a Gen-X hacker from 2008, is unexpectedly resurrected in 2088, he finds himself in a Southern California that's both familiar and frighteningly different. The clean skies mask a society where government surveillance and control have reached new heights, and where the gap between rich and poor has become an unbridgeable chasm.
Isaak's sharp wit and keen understanding of human nature shine through as Toby navigates this brave new world with his irreverent spirit intact. The novel expertly balances serious themes about freedom, technology, and social justice with moments of genuine humor and heart. Through Toby's eyes, we see how small compromises can lead to massive societal changes, making this dystopian tale particularly relevant for contemporary readers. Highly recommended.
December 26, 2024
Do not lose sight of values
The moral of Tomorrowville is that, even though technology and society may change over time, the things that truly matter are fundamental values like freedom, justice, and equality. Toby, the main character, shows us that no matter how advanced the world becomes or how many new rules are made, we should never lose our core values or accept systems that oppress others.
Even if the future seems very different, we can always fight for what’s right and never settle for injustice, even surrounded by technology or powerful people trying to control everything. The story reminds us that being true to ourselves, thinking independently, and fighting for the common good is what can truly change things no matter how complex or advanced the world around us becomes.
The moral of Tomorrowville is that, even though technology and society may change over time, the things that truly matter are fundamental values like freedom, justice, and equality. Toby, the main character, shows us that no matter how advanced the world becomes or how many new rules are made, we should never lose our core values or accept systems that oppress others.
Even if the future seems very different, we can always fight for what’s right and never settle for injustice, even surrounded by technology or powerful people trying to control everything. The story reminds us that being true to ourselves, thinking independently, and fighting for the common good is what can truly change things no matter how complex or advanced the world around us becomes.
December 28, 2024
Nice book
I felt very identified with this book and its excellent story. From the beginning, the author tells the story of the protagonist and how he dies unexpectedly but much later thanks to medical advances, they manage to revive him. The story combines humor, social criticism and science fiction.
What I liked most is how the author manages to describe the characters, scenarios and situations to perfection, managing to detail everything so well that you feel as if you were living inside the book.
Throughout the story, the protagonist arrives to an unequal, superficial and corrupt world. This makes him use all his wit and love to be able to free the system from this crazy futuristic world.
I highly recommend this book, it is a mix between satire, romance, politics and futuristic technology.
I felt very identified with this book and its excellent story. From the beginning, the author tells the story of the protagonist and how he dies unexpectedly but much later thanks to medical advances, they manage to revive him. The story combines humor, social criticism and science fiction.
What I liked most is how the author manages to describe the characters, scenarios and situations to perfection, managing to detail everything so well that you feel as if you were living inside the book.
Throughout the story, the protagonist arrives to an unequal, superficial and corrupt world. This makes him use all his wit and love to be able to free the system from this crazy futuristic world.
I highly recommend this book, it is a mix between satire, romance, politics and futuristic technology.
December 27, 2024
The book "Tomorrowville: Dystopian Science Fiction" by David T. Isaak grabbed me from the first page. I really like reading science fiction novels and this is definitely one of the best. It is one of those books that you don't want to stop reading to know what will happen next. The author is a crack; the story of a Generation X hacker who dies in 2008 and wakes up eighty years later is definitely very entertaining and defies any reality. What I liked most about this reading are the unexpected twists in the story. The characters are very well created, and it is clearly a very good science fiction novel. Recommended for lovers of dystopian science fiction.
December 27, 2024
Great book
I really enjoyed reading this book. The story and plot are fun - coming back to life after 80 years and seeing what the world has become. The writing is really good too. I usually get annoyed with the simplistic writing that's so common these days, but this book is a great combo of being easy to read and being well-written at the same time. I would recommend this book and this series to just about anyone. I didn't feel I was missing out by reading this book on its own, and I would love to read more by this author. Kudos to his wife for publishing his books posthumously.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The story and plot are fun - coming back to life after 80 years and seeing what the world has become. The writing is really good too. I usually get annoyed with the simplistic writing that's so common these days, but this book is a great combo of being easy to read and being well-written at the same time. I would recommend this book and this series to just about anyone. I didn't feel I was missing out by reading this book on its own, and I would love to read more by this author. Kudos to his wife for publishing his books posthumously.
December 27, 2024
What a great science fiction book! It will keep you immersed in the plot from start to finish as it becomes a necessity to know what is going to happen to the protagonist and the environment in which the story unfolds. The plot of the book is so interesting and entertaining; it talks about the return from the death of a child who died in 2008 and 80 years later, he comes back to life to face a completely different environment, where the gap between rich and poor is much bigger and where the United States is no longer the country that the protagonist remembered. The narrative is incredible, that's why this author is already on my list to find more reads as engaging as this one.
December 28, 2024
Great book!
I had never read a book from David Isaak before, and I’m glad my first time was with this great book. Lately, I enjoy reading science fiction and this book became one of my top 5. Because of that, I would also give the book 5 stars!
I think the way how Isaak approached each character, as well as how he developed them through the chapters, was great! Besides, I also think he did a very good job creating unexpected plot twist that in some cases took the book in another direction different than what I was expecting.
I’m looking forward to the next book of this collection! I’m ready to read it!!
I had never read a book from David Isaak before, and I’m glad my first time was with this great book. Lately, I enjoy reading science fiction and this book became one of my top 5. Because of that, I would also give the book 5 stars!
I think the way how Isaak approached each character, as well as how he developed them through the chapters, was great! Besides, I also think he did a very good job creating unexpected plot twist that in some cases took the book in another direction different than what I was expecting.
I’m looking forward to the next book of this collection! I’m ready to read it!!
March 18, 2023
It was a joy to read a new (to me) author that held my interest, was an easy read, and is an interesting projection of the future based on the foolish (stupid) things we are doing today. I am looking forward to reading more by the author and more to the story.
I just did a little more reading and found out that the author has died, but this and some other books are being released posthumously. I have pre-ordered the next book to be released, not related to this story, but hope it will be equally engaging.
I just did a little more reading and found out that the author has died, but this and some other books are being released posthumously. I have pre-ordered the next book to be released, not related to this story, but hope it will be equally engaging.
September 1, 2025
Tommorowville is complex, thought-provoking, and unnervingly timely.
I found this book interesting from start to finish. Set in a dystopian America, our main character wakes up after dying in an embarrassing way, to find he's been unfrozen, healed, and now in massive debt.
This science fantasy/ thriller is well written with rich characters. It has layered plots that keep the reader invested in the action. This is more of a warning than a book of fiction, a believable frightening future. It's a very good read.
I found this book interesting from start to finish. Set in a dystopian America, our main character wakes up after dying in an embarrassing way, to find he's been unfrozen, healed, and now in massive debt.
This science fantasy/ thriller is well written with rich characters. It has layered plots that keep the reader invested in the action. This is more of a warning than a book of fiction, a believable frightening future. It's a very good read.
March 6, 2023
This is a very interesting book. Can't wait to read the other books in the series.
Just take today and bring our current insanity to a logical end. The part that is most frightening is that we plant the seeds of our demise and then nurture them until they blossom.
The main characters are pretty easy to understand and the author keeps the story moving along. An easy read but well worth the time.
Just take today and bring our current insanity to a logical end. The part that is most frightening is that we plant the seeds of our demise and then nurture them until they blossom.
The main characters are pretty easy to understand and the author keeps the story moving along. An easy read but well worth the time.
November 1, 2025
I really wanted to like this book, but it was so dumb. So many times I thought about stopping reading it, and when I got to the end, I wish I had stopped sooner.
The basic premise is a man dies in modern times and is frozen to be woken up later when his injuries can be fixed. He’s a hacker and he is made to help the government hack certain things. It was just dumb and the characters weren’t very interesting and I wish I hadn’t read it.
The basic premise is a man dies in modern times and is frozen to be woken up later when his injuries can be fixed. He’s a hacker and he is made to help the government hack certain things. It was just dumb and the characters weren’t very interesting and I wish I hadn’t read it.
March 24, 2023
Nothing short of brilliant
Wit and wisdom wrapped in a double helix, propelled by intrigue - 2023 may as well be 2088! Isaac's a prophet, at least a prognosticator, par excellence, with the wit, wisdom, insight, and story telling and literary acumen of Bradbury and Heinlein. A cautionary tale, but alas, maybe too late. You decide. Outstanding!
Fellow author, R. W. Chatman
Wit and wisdom wrapped in a double helix, propelled by intrigue - 2023 may as well be 2088! Isaac's a prophet, at least a prognosticator, par excellence, with the wit, wisdom, insight, and story telling and literary acumen of Bradbury and Heinlein. A cautionary tale, but alas, maybe too late. You decide. Outstanding!
Fellow author, R. W. Chatman
March 4, 2023
fun and surprising tale of fish out of water
What would the world be like if you died and were resuscitated 80 years later? It’s a great thought experiment. Great descriptions of future tech, VR, hacking, and a society gone wrong, this story is fun read.
What would the world be like if you died and were resuscitated 80 years later? It’s a great thought experiment. Great descriptions of future tech, VR, hacking, and a society gone wrong, this story is fun read.
May 13, 2025
Wow, what a great book. Too bad the author passed away in 2021 so we only have 5 novels that he left behind. I am eager to find and read those books also.
Tomorrowville is about a man who wakes up from cryo-sleep 80 years in the future and finds himself in debt for millions of dollars because of the high medical cost to wake and heal him. I can see how the world of Tomorrowville is what USA will become if we continue on our current trajectory, not in 80 year but even sooner. Its a world of overblown medical cost and ridiculous insurance laws, with random laws that oppress the poor and make the rich even richer, a surveillance state where only the privileged are not implanted with a tracker. A world where donating money to an organization (like saving an old growth forest) will get you labelled a terrorist and thrown in jail, if the government and those with money don't like it.
This book is very prescient concerning current events. In the book, US is governed by an authoritarian government, who only care about the rich and the privileged. US is even enemies with Canada and Europe and have ongoing trade war with other nations around the world. State of the world is summed up with this statement from the protagonist. "Everyone is doped up, imprisoned or scared to death. Truth is a pretty minor commodity compared to the question of who holds the gun."
Mr. Isaak's writing style reminds me of Nick Harkaway; another great author who write variety of genres.
Tomorrowville is about a man who wakes up from cryo-sleep 80 years in the future and finds himself in debt for millions of dollars because of the high medical cost to wake and heal him. I can see how the world of Tomorrowville is what USA will become if we continue on our current trajectory, not in 80 year but even sooner. Its a world of overblown medical cost and ridiculous insurance laws, with random laws that oppress the poor and make the rich even richer, a surveillance state where only the privileged are not implanted with a tracker. A world where donating money to an organization (like saving an old growth forest) will get you labelled a terrorist and thrown in jail, if the government and those with money don't like it.
This book is very prescient concerning current events. In the book, US is governed by an authoritarian government, who only care about the rich and the privileged. US is even enemies with Canada and Europe and have ongoing trade war with other nations around the world. State of the world is summed up with this statement from the protagonist. "Everyone is doped up, imprisoned or scared to death. Truth is a pretty minor commodity compared to the question of who holds the gun."
Mr. Isaak's writing style reminds me of Nick Harkaway; another great author who write variety of genres.
April 11, 2025
Three and a half. Highly creative, satirical. I assume it’s meant for a slightly younger reader (more tech savvy and into racy sexual fantasy scenes). It did make me grin at its predictions of the future.
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