Bell Tower

by Raphael Pond

In a future where one phrase can heal any pain, there exists a meditation unlike any other: Solosis. It’s a practice that forms an empathetic bond between two souls, unlocking unparalleled healing power. But its secrets are fiercely guarded by Sasha Sumzer, a mysterious meditation teacher with a darker agenda.

Sasha is determined to bring down Axiom, the social media giant that has reshaped society with its revolutionary Glow Domes—devices that have replaced smartphones and altered daily life forever. While Glow Domes captivate the masses, Sasha believes the human mind is the final frontier for true liberation.

As an unsuspecting group of individuals stumbles upon Sasha's teachings, they become entangled in a dangerous game that forces them to question whether Solosis is a tool for healing or a weapon for control. To discover the truth , they must confront their deepest fears and decide what they’re willing to sacrifice to save the nation's collective consciousness.

In this gripping thriller, the battle for the mind has begun—and the line between healing and manipulation is dangerously thin.

304 pages, Paperback

Published February 18, 2025

About the author

Raphael earned a degree in Professional Writing at York College of Pennsylvania. While there, he also studied the philosophy of technology and its effects on humankind.

Most of his writing is a mixture of hard sci-fi and magical realism. He likes when stories are dark yet beautiful, wise yet wild, and haunting yet healing.

Reviews

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bell Tower is a beautiful examination of morality set in an eerily relevant near-future world. The story is fast-paced yet thoughtful, tense yet poetic, dark yet playful. If you are looking for something that intentionally blurs the lines of what is moral and just in an effort to reexamine our current values, then Bell Tower is the book for you.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bell Tower Review
By Alan Zepp

Raphael Pond’s Bell Tower is an important novel that joins the catalogue of current books addressing the menace of unchecked technology and its dangers to an increasingly passive public. Its immediacy creatively reflects today’s terrifying headlines: the power of X and oligarchs, TikTok and influencers, smart phones and addiction.

Bell Tower is compelling and fast-paced. It establishes a convincing situation, only two generations into the future, where a giant social media conglomerate called Axiom has created a bio-tech innovation. Axiom’s owner, Bill Sumzer, calls this new development Glow Domes: an eye implant that functions as a smart phone screen, enabling users to scroll social media headlines and “like” them merely by blinking an eye. Social media stars are called EmLights, elite influencers who have created videos and gained fame by reaching a billion “likes.” Unfortunately, many of these EmLight videos have been created through “skezzing,” achieving notoriety by setting someone up for a catastrophic failure then filming it for the world to see.

The Bell Tower’s conflict is established by introducing Sasha and Hugo, Bill Sumzer’s sons. A series of flashbacks expose a horrific family dynamic that reveals how each son has come to realize the devastating effects Glow Domes have had on society. Hugo becomes a teacher, encouraging his students to use their own imaginations instead of passively scrolling Axiom’s social media headlines. Sasha also becomes a teacher and creates a mediation center, encouraging his students to become more self-aware and engaged with the world.

It becomes apparent, however, that Sasha’s composed demeanor conceals a nefarious plan to dismantle his father’s media empire. And as much as Hugo believes in Sasha’s cause, he is reluctant to join his devious scheme. Tension builds as Sasha’s students become accomplices and begin to understand their unique roles in his plan to take down the high-stakes world of corporate greed. The surreal ending illustrates what happens when continued exposure to social media becomes, literally, embedded into our brains.

For Sasha’s bold plan to succeed, each main character must use ancient methods of meditation to overcome deep-seated trauma. Pond’s vivid descriptions of their journeys to self-actualization integrate the unique rhythms of nature with the distinctive rhythms of each character’s talents, including aviation, drumming, and dance. Pond’s writing is exciting and pulses with the same rhythmic incantations of deep meditation. Powerful nature imagery, including water, flowers, and birds, drives the narrative toward its mesmerizing and inexorable conclusion. The reader will ultimately have to judge Sasha’s embrace of the Bell Tower’s invocation.

[Lori Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as a review copy from Booksirens, this is an honest review. Bell Tower is both a philosophic, vibrant journey set within a realistic dystopian future. And a visceral story that demonstrates for any individual to achieve their absolutely best of their gifts means a great physical and mental undertaking to earn it.

In this future, technology has consumed humanity in totality that without a person is very much an outcast. And teacher Hugo Sumzer wants to give this students a true, real connection; to think for themselves; his brother Sasha desire is to bring people back to better times throughout embracing his powerful meditations. Those that choose to follow the road Sasha laid out before them discovers that just like technology can strip away a person's humanity; the darker sides of the world Sasha wants to exists leaves people just as vulnerable and the perfect pawn to be used like a chess piece.


Highly recommended.

[_sassy_39 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bell Tower by Raphael Pond is a captivating novel that takes readers on an intriguing journey. The protagonist, Sasha Sumzer, is a meditation teacher with an unusual ambition: he aims to acquire the tallest bell towers in the country. His latest acquisition is the tallest bell tower in Albuquerque.

Set in a futuristic world where automation has stripped society of real skills, traditional smartphones are replaced by Glow Domes—devices that dominate the minds of people, causing widespread mental decline. Scrolling Centers have replaced hard work, where people endlessly scroll through news, information, etc and share their thoughts. Amid this dystopia, Sasha envisions a revolution. Through meditation and the resonance of his bell towers, he plans to awaken a new consciousness and heal fractured minds.

But does Sasha harbor a hidden, darker purpose? Dive into this thought-provoking narrative to uncover his true intentions. With its imaginative world-building and fresh storyline, the book offers a unique perspective on technology and the human mind. Raphael Pond's engaging writing style and the striking cover design make this a must-read for fans of speculative fiction.

[Diane Elizabeth Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This amazing story had me hooked from page one.
Our world has been overtaken by one company that has infiltrated the minds of those within it dulling real feelings and experiences. Those in possession of the technology are driven by the desire for 'likes' and approval from their peers, with total disregard for the consequences.
Sasha, the older son of the company owner is determined that through meditation he can bring the world back from the brink.
Sasha enlists his brother Hugo and some of his ex students to begin the process of bringing down his father's company.
This dystopian world is brought to life expertly by the author and the characters were well developed so thank you to BookSirens for the opportunity to read the ARC. This is my honest review.
There were so many lessons to be learned from this book, and the story is both mesmerising and enlightening. I did feel that the importance of the bell towers got lost a bit but there really was so much going on that I almost forgot about them at times.
At some points it was my heart that was glowing due to the sheer determination of the band of would-be saviours, however there is a 'sting in the tale' that while not totally unexpected, is saddening.
I look forward to reading more books by this author and thoroughly recommend reading this one.

[Heather Hawk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A relevant dystopian story haunts our minds, making us wonder about the human condition. Clearly written, the author portrays a possible future of a society that is mentally and physically addicted to social media.
I was drawn into this dystopian world because it is very relevant to society today. Conversations about individualism vs. collective/political control are likely to ensue; a cautionary warning for our current times.
I was intrigued with the way Raphael Pond linked the past ancient times to 2072, the year in which this story is told.
Sasha is the rebellious son of Bill, the owner of Axiom. Bill attempts to coerce Sasha into following in his footsteps. However, Sasha is set on restoring humanity's thought processes by using an ancient meditation ritual. He longs for a world where people have real physical relationships and utilize their brains to analyze data rather than having a constant stream of data feeding their eyes while starving their intellect.
What extent of harm would one do to oneself, to another, or to the masses, to save humanity?
This is not only a conflict between father and son, but also between brothers and a fight to return society to humanism.
If you like stories like "The Circle", and "1984", then "Bell Tower" is highly recommended.

[Lupita_333 (on a break) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story alternates between different characters and their past and present. It has excellent world building. Bill Sumzer is the epitome of corruption. Sasha wants to be the complete opposite of his father, Bill. My favorite character in this story was Hugo. I was saddened to see how Sasha turned out in the end even though the ending was expected due to some things that were hinted throughout the story.

I took away 1 star due to:
-The characters felt a bit immature for their age.
-There was too much tell rather than show.

Overall I loved the story and the good versus evil aspect of it.

Thank you so much to BookSirens for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Raji · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find this review and more on my blog at Worlds Unlike Our Own .

Thank you to the author, Raphael Pond, for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In the not-so-distant future, a new piece of technology has become a way of life for most people. Known as Glow Domes, the device is implanted into the eyes, allowing users to view and interact with a sort of smartphone screen and scroll through endless social media headlines all with the blink of an eye. But with this technological advancement, empathy is fast vanishing from society and Sasha Sumzer, a meditation teacher, is determined to bring down Axiom, the company that created the Glow Domes. With access to meditations that can have powerful effects, Sasha gathers a group of people and introduces them to his teachings, starting with Solosis, which he claims will form an empathetic bond between two souls and is a tool for healing. But is Sasha all he claims to be or does he have a hidden, darker agenda?

Thanks again to the author for the opportunity to read this book! I do love science fiction set in the near future as the technology always seems only a few steps away from our own, and while it can be a bit scary to imagine, it always ends up being such a fascinating read.

The meditation techniques described were so intriguing and I loved how we got to see each character’s unique experience with it as they used it to overcome their trauma.

Sasha and his brother Hugo’s past, revealed through flashbacks were a core part of this book and explained how each of them realized how bad Glow Domes were for society and what they did to get away from it and the terrible family environment they grew up in. It explained a lot about their different mindsets despite them being united in being against Axiom.

I felt that the bit about the bell towers could have been explained better and also been given more page time. With everything else that was going on, it got kind of lost in the narrative. This was a very thought provoking read especially because aspects like social media addiction could so easily be extended to today’s society.

This was a fast paced and well written book – I binge read it in a single sitting! The meditation experiences in particular were wonderfully described, though I did feel that the wording became a little repetitive.

The many flashbacks for various characters made for not only great world building but also allows the reader to understand their motivations better. I think of the lot, Sasha and Hugo’s arcs were the best and I would have loved to see more of Sasha’s thoughts. The secondary characters were interesting enough, but only from the perspective of the plot. I didn’t find myself really invested in their stories as I was with the Sumzer brothers.

I’m curious how other readers reacted to the ending, but personally, I wasn’t that surprised – there were enough hints and foreshadowing that it wasn’t really out of the blue, though seeing the extent to which Sasha was willing to go for his plans was quite the twist.

Bell Tower was an engrossing read with what is probably one of the most unique plot lines I’ve come across. I would highly recommend this book for fans of the genre!

[Heena Rathore Rathore-Pardeshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bell Tower by Raphael Pond is one of those books that seamlessly blends near-future dystopian elements with philosophical introspection, creating a story that lingers long after you finish the book. It’s a bold, high-concept novel that explores the intersection of technology, consciousness, and the power of connection—while keeping the reader thoroughly entertained.

At its heart, the novel follows Sasha Sumzer, a meditation teacher with a hidden agenda, who seeks to dismantle Axiom, a powerful social media giant that has entrenched itself in people’s daily lives through Glow Domes—devices that have replaced traditional smartphones and fundamentally altered human interaction. His mission? To awaken a society trapped in digital sedation and remind them of what it truly means to be present. Alongside him is an ensemble cast of intriguing characters, each caught in the web of modern technology and its insidious grip on free will.

Author Pond’s world-building is brilliant. The Glow Domes feel quiet plausible. They feel like an unsettling next step in our already tech-saturated lives. The idea that people are so plugged into their devices that they’ve lost the ability to think creatively or meaningfully engage with the world is chilling, yet entirely believable. Sasha’s unique approach adds a fresh and poetic touch to the rebellion against mindless digital consumption.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its philosophical depth. It doesn’t just critique social media and corporate overreach; it asks deeper questions about identity, control, and the nature of human experience. Sasha’s meditative techniques and the concept of Solosis introduce a fascinating spiritual aspect that contrasts sharply with the mechanical, algorithm-driven world of Axiom.

That said, the book’s pacing can be uneven at times. While the philosophical discussions are fascinating, they occasionally slow down the action, making some sections feel a bit dense. Also, Sasha himself, though a compelling character, sometimes feels more like a symbol than a fully realized person. I would have liked to get inside his head more, beyond his mission-driven persona.

But despite these minor quibbles, Bell Tower is a refreshing and thought-provoking read. If you’re a fan of speculative fiction that makes you reflect on the world we live in (think Black Mirror meets The Giver) this book is absolutely worth reading. Raphael Pond delivers a story that challenges, inspires, and might even change the way you look at technology, meditation, and the human mind.

[Billy Buttons · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
EDITORIAL REVEW
10th December 2024

TITLE: Bell Tower
AUTHOR: Raphael Pond

Star Rating: 5


‘A smartly plotted thriller set within a well-imagined dystopian future. Highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf

REVIEW
I very much enjoyed this dystopian style thriller from the talented pen of Raphael Pond. Simply written, with very little in the way of fluff, it’s the story of Sasha Sumzer, a meditation teacher, who’s determined to bring down Axiom, an ‘evil’ conglomerate using Solosis—a soul-to-soul osmosis. But to do it, he needs to buy up every bell tower in the country! I must say, the plot is very ‘different’; but in a good way, the author working hard to offer the reader a complex, yet accessible, story, a host of interesting characters, and a well-imagined dystopian setting.
So, what did I enjoy the most? Well, I loved the protagonist, Sasha. He’s what I’d call a ‘deep’ sort of fellow, and I very much enjoyed his insights. I particularly liked his chat with the taxi driver at the beginning of the story, when he says, “Your mind is an engine…It should have its own shop—a place for regular, practical upkeep.” Thought-provoking stuff! I also felt the pacing was excellent, the author doing a good job of juggling ALL the balls – the balls being character growth, speech, and plot. He works particularly well with speech, not only using it to develop the story but to develop the characters too. And, finally, the dystopian-style setting is eye-opening, particularly the Glow Dome, a device which replaced the smartphone, but is equally addictive and far more dangerous, stunting creativity and damaging the memory.
So, if smartly plotted, dystopian thrillers is your ‘thing’, Bell Tower is for you. I think most readers will enjoy the way the author’s extrapolated the present day to a worrying future, and they’ll be rooting for Sasha to save the world – or as he puts it to his estranged brother - We’re going to take it all down, Hugo. We’re going to raze it to the ground.

A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk

[Luke Adams · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bell Tower by Rafael Pond is a science fiction novel set in a world where people have technology called Glow Domes attached to them that allow them access to information at a rapid pace.
I do not give low scores without proper consideration. I factor in many aspects of a book in order to determine how I should score something and I will always try to find good things to say.
For Bell Tower, the premise is a good one. That's why I chose to read it in the first place. I was intrigued about reading a science fiction thriller that covered themes of social media abuse and reliance on technology, but the book is riddled with issues that I just cannot look past.
The first and most glaring issue is that the book is almost entirely dialogue. Each chapter briefly sets the scene before launching into lines of dialogue between the various characters. The very little actual prose that is present is simple and matter-of-fact. There's no real descriptions of characters or settings beyond the surface level and this leads to it feeling stale.
Beyond this, there is no nuance to the plot, opting to push the ‘technology bad’ narrative over any actual exploration of the themes.
Overall, Bell Tower needs considerably more development and love before it can be considered worthy of a read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This near future science fiction story is an allegorical tale for our technologically-fraught times!

The story begins with Sasha Sumzer, a mysterious meditation teacher who also happens to be the son of the man who created Axiom, the social media powerhouse that created Glow Domes, contact lens computer screens that allow people to zone out at any time, which they do.

Sasha means to free the masses from their dependence of the all-consuming technology, and the brain numbing work they perform at Scrolling Centers, through a form of meditation practice he calls Solosis, which fosters empathy, allowing people to reconnect.

When he turns up one day to visit his estranged brother, Hugo, Sasha talks about buying up defunct bell towers in towns across the land as part of his plan, which initially appears to be positive and healing. But that assumption is soon called into question.

The story convincingly portrays an eerie near future with technology that could plausibly replace smartphones. As a fan of expanding empathy in the world, I found the premise fascinating. Couple that with the suspense of the mystery — does Sasha really mean to use Solosis for good? — and the story really moves along.

[Jessica-sim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book seemingly written for me personally, I love bells and belltowers and meditation, and of course dystopian storytelling about social media derailing the minds of humanity also is something I tend to sample. Perfect set up then? No, unfortunately not. The writing was absolutely immersive though, the world building very captivating. The ideas interesting and the conversations fast paced but I wanted more. The bell towers played way too little a role and the meditation teacher abused their power as probably all cult leaders ultimately do but it wasn’t a cathartic ride.

If meditation was treated with more respect I would have shared this book with my meditation friends, if the bell towers actually played an integral part I would have shared it with my bell people. But as it stands, I will keep the book and its story just for me.

[Sreeja Mitra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful idea, deep and meaningful. Very realistic dystopia. But the language use and flow is cluttered and lacking. The plot itself is okay. Nothing exceptional. The themes are what I liked the best. They were profound. And the idea that the author tried to peddle about returning to meditation and mindfulness as a rebellion against technologically induced zombification had potential. The story itself could have been better executed. A strong hand in editing would have worked wonders for this book.

At some points It felt like the author was trying very hard to execute the narrative like a film. It had lots of flashbacks and time jumps. And I found a few inconsistencies in the plot and character development as well.

All in all, this was a beautiful, meaningful, deep and spiritual idea executed quite poorly.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book. The world has gone to crap. The vast majority of people are hooked on Glow Domes-a kind of internet surfing device grafted onto their eyes. When Axiom, the company who makes Glow Domes, invents a new drug to go with Glow Domes one man fights back with the power of meditation. This book was a lot of fun.

[Elaina Battista-Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a truly interesting journey of a book--not usually my genre, but I love to roam out of my usual spaces, and Pond's writing is completely crisp and rhythmic. awesome pick!

[P.S. Gear · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing exploration of technology, society, and meditation.