The Tok Rebellion

by Nate Lemcke

Cassian Dahl is destined to lead a revolution against the technocratic one-world government. The only problem is, he doesn’t know it yet.

All he knows is that he is in a strange house, far away from home and his captors have cut out his Neural Net.

No more notifications, no in-vision content, no way to call for help.

He can hear their hushed voices in the adjoining room and a terrible realization comes over him. These are the rebels he was warned about. These are the radicals who live off-grid in the dreaded State of Jefferson.

Somehow he has been caught in the middle of a rebellion that threatens to tear the country apart. Will he escape and return to the safety of the life he once knew? Or will the revolutionaries he has been programmed to despise win him over to their cause?

An irresistible dystopian thriller, The Tok Rebellion is a prescient tale about returning to the land, finding meaning in a bleak future, and resisting authority at all costs.

Genres: Fiction

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 24, 2025

About the author

Nate Lemcke is an American novelist whose work explores metaphysics, spirituality, and internet culture.

Reviews

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I ended up being highly disappointed in this book. The author marketed this book as being a really awesome story. Except it isn't. He has really misled his readers.

This guy gets a nueronet chip implanted in his head while living in a big city. He leaves that city and ends up meeting rebels living in the woods. The rebels take the chip out of him. He works for the rebels. But basically all he does is live in the woods with them. Then a rebel leader asks him to do some computer coding. The rebels get blown up. The guy and this girl survive. They keep trying to escape the military. They end up at a defunct military base where there's a missile silo housing rockets that cause emp blasts in the air. Then they are left to make the decision to launch the rockets. The book ends.

No real plot. No real climax. No real uprising or rebellion.

It fell flat.

I wish I could get this book refunded. I feel like I wasted an entire day of my life on this book.

Do better, Lemcke.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought off Tik Tok after listening to the author speak about it and this book was wild! A dystopian thriller with a very believable and capable of happening premise. This book gave modern day 1984 vibes. In the year 2034 there is a cyber pandemic that essentially wipes out everyone's financial status. This brings about the need to then rely on the government and the government's technology. Zuckerberg is president and anyone wanting to live comfortably and content has to have a neuralink chip implanted where they can then receive "notes," the currency of the time. Along with that neuralink chip comes all of your information being broadcasted. When you walk down the street, not only is your name visible for others but also your credit score. Ads are being broadcast non stop in your vision and you are truly just always distracted and reliant on the government. Sound familiar? But what if you don't want to comply? This book looks at how government control and believing everything you are being fed as solid truth can go South quickly as well as the dangers that come with bucking the system. This book had me hooked from page one and did an amazing job of analyzing the threat that technology poses to society. If you love dystopian with a little dose of possible reality, I highly recommend this book! It definitely made me throw thought towards the things we perceive as comforts and easy life and made me want to do things a little differently. It's a quick easy read that I read in less than 24 hours but it gave me so much to think about.

[Keasha M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good futuristic story about the downsides of letting Internet and A.I. advancements go wilde and to the extreme.

After a cyberpandemic attack the way of life as we know if has to be changed drastically and one person steps forward to create a new form of money and a secure way to do transactions as well as internet related activities by creating a neurolink. soon everyone is forced to have one installed as well as the nanobots that coincidence with it. those that refuse are classified as terrorists.

Cassian is a member of the integrated city and after a mishap with some drugs his neurolink fails and he wanders into the wilderness in fascination of the stars. he gets severely sick and Chessed finds him, bringing him back to her family's farm after getting rid of his link. At first he's forced to remain on the farm and help out under threat of his life, but slowly he enjoys living there. Someone close to them betrays them and a massive attack happens, leaving Cassian and Chessed to follow the quest of a dead man and coming to a solution to fix the world's issues.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ordered this book because it mirrored current events going on in the world. It especially mirrored a certain mario brother which is why I decided to give it a go.

I ended up actually really enjoying this book. The chapters are super short but provide just enough information on the setting and backstory. The separation of the old world vs the new world was done really well. I was able to paint a perfect picture in my mind of the differences thanks to the way the author laid it out. I also enjoyed the little plays off names like Zuck, Tok, and the names of companies.

My only criticism is the cliff hanger UGH i need to know what happens!!!

[Alexis Crotty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have really high expectations for my dystopian books due to the great ones I have read. This was good, it just didn't quite do it for me. I think there were good messages and parts, but overall, it felt a little rushed because it had so many moving parts and it was so short. Because of this, I felt that it didn't quite develop everything which I would have like and it would have been more impactful. The ending started to give me The Giver vibes, but then the aliens being thrown in just kind of dampened it for me. I feel like it gave the basic core that is common for all dystopian books, but then didn't really have a unique spin.

[Alexandra Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tok Rebellion was a wild, thought-provoking ride that I can’t stop recommending to all my friends. It blends dystopian vibes and biting social commentary in a way that hits uncomfortably close to home. The story masterfully mirrors current events while warning us about a potential future if we fail to take care of our planet, our humanity, and each other.

I read this book in one sitting—I just couldn’t put it down. And the last line sent a chill up my spine. If you’re into books that entertain while making you think, this one’s a must-read!

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inherently political it ends in a call to action of sorts for today’s generation. I wish the ending was more solid as the whole book seemed to jump from one moment to the next somewhat sporadically. The idea was good, but could have been more fleshed out. Also why were there aliens????

CONTENT WARNINGS
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail

[LaToya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The future in 160 pages!

I could have totally read an additional 200 pages of this! Loved it and will be sure to recommend to others. This book tells of a future that is very possible for us and we need to open our eyes to what really truly matters and it’s NOT material consumption, over stimulation and unending conveniences!

[Adrianna Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Perfect for the rebel who follows current and past events and conspiracies. It gives black mirror and hunger games meets the scary possibility for the future regarding Al and the governments control of the people. The ending was def a surprise twist I wasn't expecting. Def recommend.

[Lynn Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! Not only was it written so well but the story hit too close to home. If you know, you know. I am amazed at how the author was able to deliver such an impactful story in a smaller book. The ending...you won't see it coming but it makes sense.

[The Table · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book very much just felt like TikTok leftist slop, it genuinely felt like this was someone who went so far left they went right. Don’t read this book.

[Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Super interesting and quick to read. Love the concepts and ideas of this author!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

To me, this book reads like a daydream which I loved. Exploring a possible variation of the future of America that a lot of us ponder daily

[Ronen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a page turner for sure! The brief chapters keep the momentum going. There are some great moments of surprise and lovely turns of phrase scattered throughout the prose.

Yet halfway through the book I started getting the sense that the world where the story takes place is a bit incomplete. And I can sum up that incompleteness in a question:

Where are the gay people?

The message of finding joy in nature and the idea that “enlightened liberal society” isn’t all its cracked up to be are valid. I understand the point being made that people who live in a certain place aren’t all good or bad. But I couldn’t help wondering how Geburah would have taken to Cassian if he had been a gay man. Or a trans man. There isn’t a single non-cis, non-straight character to illustrate how things are for them in the “God-loving” world of the story.

Lemke either didn’t ask this question while he was writing the book, or he did ask the question and decided that it would complicate the narrative. Considering that religion, spirituality, and queerness are not mutually exclusive concepts — but also considering there are MANY “God-loving” people who propagate hate — leaving that question unaddressed feels like a missed opportunity.