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Before Tomorrowland
Based on the spellbinding world of the Walt Disney Studios film, Tomorrowland, this original prequel novel features a 20-page comic book and unlocks a place of unfathomable science and technology and the famous people behind it.
The year is 1939.
A secret society of extraordinary geniuses is about to share an incredible discovery with the world.
A misguided enemy--half man, half machine--will stop at nothing to prevent the group from giving this forbidden knowledge to humanity.
And a mother and son on vacation in New York City are handed a comic book infused with a secret code that will lead them straight into the crossfires of the conspiracy.
The year is 1939.
A secret society of extraordinary geniuses is about to share an incredible discovery with the world.
A misguided enemy--half man, half machine--will stop at nothing to prevent the group from giving this forbidden knowledge to humanity.
And a mother and son on vacation in New York City are handed a comic book infused with a secret code that will lead them straight into the crossfires of the conspiracy.
310 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2015
119 people are currently reading
1558 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Jensen
49 books26 followersJeff Jensen is an American writer. As a journalist he worked for Entertainment Weekly from 1998 to September 2017, most recently as the publication's television critic.
In 2012, Jensen and artist Jonathan Case won an Eisner Award for their work on the 2011 graphic novel, Green River Killer: A True Detective Story, published in 2011 by Dark Horse Comics.
His first prose novel, Before Tomorrowland, a prequel to the film and co-written with Case, was released on April 7, 2015.
In 2012, Jensen and artist Jonathan Case won an Eisner Award for their work on the 2011 graphic novel, Green River Killer: A True Detective Story, published in 2011 by Dark Horse Comics.
His first prose novel, Before Tomorrowland, a prequel to the film and co-written with Case, was released on April 7, 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
December 7, 2016
It always surprises me what books you can discover while researching something totally unrelated. I recently watched the Disney film and although it didn’t become the hit they had hoped for I did enjoy it. While I was looking something up I discovered a reference to this book and was intrigued.
Well I finally was able to obtain a copy of the book (US ex-library editions are usually in brilliant condition although removing the labels is a nightmare)
The book itself is pretty much just one long race it seemed, from hotel, to convention to hotel, to - well you would need to read the story. It did feel very similar to the film in that respect just a different era and villains.
However what I did find fascinating was the explanation of how it all started how some of the most famous explorers and thinkers and scientists of the time where involved in what was going on in the shadows. There were also some fun references of technology which were science fiction in that time but which are either commonplace now or are being tipped as becoming so.
To be honest you don’t need to have seen the film to enjoy the book although it does give you some tantalising background to it all.
Well I finally was able to obtain a copy of the book (US ex-library editions are usually in brilliant condition although removing the labels is a nightmare)
The book itself is pretty much just one long race it seemed, from hotel, to convention to hotel, to - well you would need to read the story. It did feel very similar to the film in that respect just a different era and villains.
However what I did find fascinating was the explanation of how it all started how some of the most famous explorers and thinkers and scientists of the time where involved in what was going on in the shadows. There were also some fun references of technology which were science fiction in that time but which are either commonplace now or are being tipped as becoming so.
To be honest you don’t need to have seen the film to enjoy the book although it does give you some tantalising background to it all.
March 9, 2025
Here’re two reasons why I thought I would like this book: 1) unlike seemingly everyone else, I love the movie Tomorrowland, and 2) I’m a big fan of Jonathan Case (Dear Creature, The New Deal). But Before Tomorrowland just didn’t work for me. I suspect it might be partly whoever lined this project up, the Disney publishing team, which seems to have given Case and Jeff Jensen the same basic instructions Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson got for their Peter and the Starcatchers series. Which basically meant put in as much action as possible, and maybe don’t worry about the rest, except a level of villainy even Harry Potter never really touched (except for Umbridge).
The movie’s failure always baffled me. It not only killed Disney’s interest in developing its own live action material for years, it also ended George Clooney’s hot streak of both critical and commercial success he’d finally attained. It was a fun movie full of good ideas. And the book has just about none of them.
It’s the backstory, but not really the interesting backstory. It actually makes the one character who would have made any of it really make sense a nonsensical villainous figure, a boy who ends up trapped in a robotic body. He rampages throughout for…reasons. We have Amelia Earhart as our closest brush with the famous people tossed into the backstory, but we never really get close to her, either. We spend plenty of time with Jensen and/or Case making the actual villain strangely sympathetic, and the son of a mom dying from cancer also unlikable…
And the whole time we’re asked not only to buy into all of this but the Nazis as of course scientific geniuses, as far too much bad fiction has done over the decades. I just don’t understand that at all. It’s a strange kind of hero worship, or so it begins to seem when you see it so much.
It also doesn’t help that the whole backstory is festooned with wild technology that we’ve only gotten recently but we’re to believe was easily doable a hundred years ago. This has nothing to do with doubting the legend of Nikola Tesla. I’m fully onboard with that hero worship, but the difference he could have made to history totally unfettered would have looked nothing at all like this, regardless of the collaborators he might have taken on (I suggest you read Jeff Smith’s RASL, or an Atomic Robo comic instead).
So this is a dishearteningly lazy product. Embarrassing, really.
The movie’s failure always baffled me. It not only killed Disney’s interest in developing its own live action material for years, it also ended George Clooney’s hot streak of both critical and commercial success he’d finally attained. It was a fun movie full of good ideas. And the book has just about none of them.
It’s the backstory, but not really the interesting backstory. It actually makes the one character who would have made any of it really make sense a nonsensical villainous figure, a boy who ends up trapped in a robotic body. He rampages throughout for…reasons. We have Amelia Earhart as our closest brush with the famous people tossed into the backstory, but we never really get close to her, either. We spend plenty of time with Jensen and/or Case making the actual villain strangely sympathetic, and the son of a mom dying from cancer also unlikable…
And the whole time we’re asked not only to buy into all of this but the Nazis as of course scientific geniuses, as far too much bad fiction has done over the decades. I just don’t understand that at all. It’s a strange kind of hero worship, or so it begins to seem when you see it so much.
It also doesn’t help that the whole backstory is festooned with wild technology that we’ve only gotten recently but we’re to believe was easily doable a hundred years ago. This has nothing to do with doubting the legend of Nikola Tesla. I’m fully onboard with that hero worship, but the difference he could have made to history totally unfettered would have looked nothing at all like this, regardless of the collaborators he might have taken on (I suggest you read Jeff Smith’s RASL, or an Atomic Robo comic instead).
So this is a dishearteningly lazy product. Embarrassing, really.
April 30, 2015
This is a prequel of sorts to the movie Tomorrowland, though not having seen that yet I'm not quite sure where it will fit in. It took me awhile to get into this book - it started off with a couple of different plot lines that didn't really come together until about 1/3 of the way through, and only then did it start making sense. Before that it was just a little bit all over the place.
There's Henry, the boy-turned-robot that wants revenge on the people that made him an emotionless monster. Then you have the Nazis, who are trying to usurp the technology of Tomorrowland for their own means. And you have those who invented the technology - an interesting group of real people, geniuses and creative minds of their time such as Amelia Earhart, Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla, and H.G. Wells. And finally you have your everyday citizens, a mother and her son, who accidentally get caught in the middle of everything.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is really into sci-fi, as well as Disney fans curious about the upcoming movie. If you're not familiar with reading science fiction, just be aware that some of the jargon might be a little bit confusing at first. You're thrown into the middle of a situation that you don't know all of the details yet, and non-sci fi readers may be thrown a little at first.
The writing itself is okay, though nothing special. Aside from some of the issues mentioned above, like the pace in the beginning and the confusion, there were also a number of obvious typos (at least in my copy of the book). These were a little bit distracting in the beginning. Even to the extent where a paragraph was repeated twice, which I would think is something that really should have been caught by editors.
There's also a 20 page comic book in the back, which is full of fun illustrations and ties into the story nicely (as said comic book is actually something that the characters in the story read). I would actually recommend reading the comic first, or at least once you're a little bit into the book, because I felt like I had a better understanding of what they were talking about and referencing once I had read that.
At least now I feel like I have a basis for what the movie will be about. Sometimes Sci-Fi stuff confuses me, so I'm glad to have an understanding of what Tomorrowland is before going into the film. I also got to see a sneak peek of the movie at Epcot, so I'm excited to see the film when it comes out!
There's Henry, the boy-turned-robot that wants revenge on the people that made him an emotionless monster. Then you have the Nazis, who are trying to usurp the technology of Tomorrowland for their own means. And you have those who invented the technology - an interesting group of real people, geniuses and creative minds of their time such as Amelia Earhart, Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla, and H.G. Wells. And finally you have your everyday citizens, a mother and her son, who accidentally get caught in the middle of everything.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is really into sci-fi, as well as Disney fans curious about the upcoming movie. If you're not familiar with reading science fiction, just be aware that some of the jargon might be a little bit confusing at first. You're thrown into the middle of a situation that you don't know all of the details yet, and non-sci fi readers may be thrown a little at first.
The writing itself is okay, though nothing special. Aside from some of the issues mentioned above, like the pace in the beginning and the confusion, there were also a number of obvious typos (at least in my copy of the book). These were a little bit distracting in the beginning. Even to the extent where a paragraph was repeated twice, which I would think is something that really should have been caught by editors.
There's also a 20 page comic book in the back, which is full of fun illustrations and ties into the story nicely (as said comic book is actually something that the characters in the story read). I would actually recommend reading the comic first, or at least once you're a little bit into the book, because I felt like I had a better understanding of what they were talking about and referencing once I had read that.
At least now I feel like I have a basis for what the movie will be about. Sometimes Sci-Fi stuff confuses me, so I'm glad to have an understanding of what Tomorrowland is before going into the film. I also got to see a sneak peek of the movie at Epcot, so I'm excited to see the film when it comes out!
April 17, 2015
BEFORE TOMORROWLAND is a prequel to the upcoming Disney film, Tomorrowland.
Written by Jeff Jensen, Jonathan Case, Brad Bird, and Damon Lindelof, this fast-paced science fiction novel introduces readers to a secret society led by scientific geniuses. Set in 1939, the group is about to reveal an amazing new world. However an evil scientist and a confused robot-human hybrid have other plans. Caught in the middle are a mother and son in New York for a science fiction convention.
Although younger readers may be confused by the wide spectrum of characters and historical references, science fiction fans will easily become immersed in the fantasy. The retro-superhero comic illustrations add to the appeal. The book also includes the 20 page comic featured in the story adding an additional dimension to the experience.
With the popularity of Disney films, this book is likely to be popular. Consider a summer library program based on the Tomorrowland theme. There are lots of social media resources ready to use. Youth who enjoy this aspect of books and movies will love these connections. To get started, go to the Tomorrowland Times website at http://www.tomorrowlandtimes.com/.
For more information about the movie, go to http://movies.disney.com/tomorrowland.
Published by Disney Press and available April 7, 2015.
Written by Jeff Jensen, Jonathan Case, Brad Bird, and Damon Lindelof, this fast-paced science fiction novel introduces readers to a secret society led by scientific geniuses. Set in 1939, the group is about to reveal an amazing new world. However an evil scientist and a confused robot-human hybrid have other plans. Caught in the middle are a mother and son in New York for a science fiction convention.
Although younger readers may be confused by the wide spectrum of characters and historical references, science fiction fans will easily become immersed in the fantasy. The retro-superhero comic illustrations add to the appeal. The book also includes the 20 page comic featured in the story adding an additional dimension to the experience.
With the popularity of Disney films, this book is likely to be popular. Consider a summer library program based on the Tomorrowland theme. There are lots of social media resources ready to use. Youth who enjoy this aspect of books and movies will love these connections. To get started, go to the Tomorrowland Times website at http://www.tomorrowlandtimes.com/.
For more information about the movie, go to http://movies.disney.com/tomorrowland.
Published by Disney Press and available April 7, 2015.
April 24, 2015
Disney is doing a fine job of promoting their upcoming film, "Tomorrowland", with this novel set in the 1920's and 30's. It features a myriad of fictional and famous characters and plays out like a classic noir novel. Imaagine, if you will, that the greatest minds of our time --- in an effort to save the future of planet earth --- have created a perfect world in an alternate dimension. Some real bad guys (including Nazi's) want to get their hands on this technology to claim dominance over both dimensions.
With characters like Nikola Tesla, Howard Hughes, Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart (who did NOT disapper) constantly involved in the plot this thrill-ride of a novel reads like an old serialized movie and is a great pre-cursor to the new film.
With characters like Nikola Tesla, Howard Hughes, Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart (who did NOT disapper) constantly involved in the plot this thrill-ride of a novel reads like an old serialized movie and is a great pre-cursor to the new film.
May 26, 2015
(The book is by Jeff Jensen, Johnathan Case, Brad Bird, and Damon Lindelof. I just couldn’t fit the all the names in the title!
First, the book review!
Based on the spellbinding world of the Walt Disney Studios film, Tomorrowland, this original prequel novel features a 20-page comic book and unlocks a place of unfathomable science and technology and the famous people behind it.
The year is 1939.
A secret society of extraordinary geniuses is about to share an incredible discovery with the world.
A misguided enemy–half man, half machine–will stop at nothing to prevent the group from giving this forbidden knowledge to humanity.
And a mother and son on vacation in New York City are handed a comic book infused with a secret code that will lead them straight into the crossfires of the conspiracy.
This book is….surprising. It was not what I was expecting. It was interesting? I can’t say many great things about this book. Let’s just say I was expecting more. Here’s why-
First, I thought it would have more to do with the movie. I understand it is a prequel to the movie and it is supposed to show how Tomorrowland came to be. But it has a very forced tie to fit in. I honestly feel like this is a different series then the movie. The book characters are referenced about twice in one scene in the whole movie. And thoe are very minor mentioning’s.
Second, the book is hard to read. I had a difficult time getting into the book. There was a lot of sci-fi, technology, and all that stuff that I don’t understand and don’t really enjoy reading about.
Next, there were so many characters, I kept getting them confused. Tesla? Hughes? Rotwang? Lee? I never knew who was who! I felt like there were too many peoples stories and lives thrown into one book. I couldn’t focus on just one or two characters.
Plus, none of the characters were really likable. They all felt sorta plain, boring, and aggressive. Or possibly even crazy.
I was also disappointed at the amount of profanity in this book. I was expecting none, seeing its by Disney, but I was totally wrong. Lots of uses of the ‘D’ and ‘H’ words. So adding the profanity in with everything else I’ve described, I don’t think this is a kids book. 13+, if you can actually keep up with all the technology and characters.
Now a (spoiler free) movie review!
I have been looking forward to this movie ever since the first trailer came out. My hopes were high! Too bad they were totally shot down during the movie.
I don’t even know how to describe the movie. It wasn’t nearly as good as I was hoping. I was very disappointed in it.
The plot was a great idea, it was just so crowded with useless stuff and a sometimes annoying protagonist. I couldn’t keep up with everything going on.
Plus, about every other word was a curse word. Seriously, Disney. I don’t need to hear that when I’m trying to enjoy what I thought was a family-friendly movie.
Anyway’s, a lot of people seem to have liked the movie. Maybe it’s just me that felt this way. Did you see it yet? What do you think of it? Leave a comment below!!
-Lilian-
First, the book review!
Based on the spellbinding world of the Walt Disney Studios film, Tomorrowland, this original prequel novel features a 20-page comic book and unlocks a place of unfathomable science and technology and the famous people behind it.
The year is 1939.
A secret society of extraordinary geniuses is about to share an incredible discovery with the world.
A misguided enemy–half man, half machine–will stop at nothing to prevent the group from giving this forbidden knowledge to humanity.
And a mother and son on vacation in New York City are handed a comic book infused with a secret code that will lead them straight into the crossfires of the conspiracy.
This book is….surprising. It was not what I was expecting. It was interesting? I can’t say many great things about this book. Let’s just say I was expecting more. Here’s why-
First, I thought it would have more to do with the movie. I understand it is a prequel to the movie and it is supposed to show how Tomorrowland came to be. But it has a very forced tie to fit in. I honestly feel like this is a different series then the movie. The book characters are referenced about twice in one scene in the whole movie. And thoe are very minor mentioning’s.
Second, the book is hard to read. I had a difficult time getting into the book. There was a lot of sci-fi, technology, and all that stuff that I don’t understand and don’t really enjoy reading about.
Next, there were so many characters, I kept getting them confused. Tesla? Hughes? Rotwang? Lee? I never knew who was who! I felt like there were too many peoples stories and lives thrown into one book. I couldn’t focus on just one or two characters.
Plus, none of the characters were really likable. They all felt sorta plain, boring, and aggressive. Or possibly even crazy.
I was also disappointed at the amount of profanity in this book. I was expecting none, seeing its by Disney, but I was totally wrong. Lots of uses of the ‘D’ and ‘H’ words. So adding the profanity in with everything else I’ve described, I don’t think this is a kids book. 13+, if you can actually keep up with all the technology and characters.
Now a (spoiler free) movie review!
I have been looking forward to this movie ever since the first trailer came out. My hopes were high! Too bad they were totally shot down during the movie.
I don’t even know how to describe the movie. It wasn’t nearly as good as I was hoping. I was very disappointed in it.
The plot was a great idea, it was just so crowded with useless stuff and a sometimes annoying protagonist. I couldn’t keep up with everything going on.
Plus, about every other word was a curse word. Seriously, Disney. I don’t need to hear that when I’m trying to enjoy what I thought was a family-friendly movie.
Anyway’s, a lot of people seem to have liked the movie. Maybe it’s just me that felt this way. Did you see it yet? What do you think of it? Leave a comment below!!
-Lilian-
January 1, 2016
I expected a lot from this book and I was very excited to read it. I have NOT seen Tomorrowland yet, but I thought it looked very interesting in the trailers and I do plan to watch it. I read this book so I could get familiar with the world and get a framework for when I watch the movie.
That would have been a better plan if the book would've delivered. While I really enjoyed certain aspects, especially the character arc of Henry, there were just parts of this novel that were not good. The prologue chapter was gripping, but every chapter following it for the first 100 pages was slow and tiresome and not very well written. The overall writing style just doesn't flow or invoke any emotion or sense of wonder. It brings a lot of confusion, presenting characters you know little to nothing about, you don't know which side is doing what, where the Nazis are in comparison to Plus Ultra, you don't really even know WHAT Plus Ultra really is until much later in the novel, which is something I had major issues with. I like knowing why I should be on one side versus another, or being torn between both because of empathy, but this book provides nothing to solidly grab onto for the whole first half! The most intriguing sympathetic characters are Lee and his mom, but they aren't as focused on in the beginning, when they were who I wanted to experience the story with the most! They were the most relatable and the most developed to begin with, yet they're dropped like an old hat until all the worlds begin to collide.
I had high hopes for this book, because some of the concepts are so very interesting on the surface, but the execution just doesn't work. While I did have a good time towards the end, it just couldn't save the beginning and move the story to a higher rating for me. I was also disappointed to realize that not very much of the actual Tomorrowland is present. I expected to be transported into a new world that was in its beginning stages, at least for a little while, but there isn't hardly any aspect of that to be amazed by. I liked some of the historical figures that were brought into the story, particularly Plus Ultra's leading lady, and I like the time period of the story, but there were so many missed opportunities over the course of the novel.
While some characters are pretty well developed in the long run, and the story becomes progressively better, it doesn't make up for the lack of passion in the writing, the early confusion in the plot/story, and the failure to bring a truly imaginative concept to fruition. I expected a lot more from a Disney publication. Better luck next time....this one I won't be purchasing or reading again.
That would have been a better plan if the book would've delivered. While I really enjoyed certain aspects, especially the character arc of Henry, there were just parts of this novel that were not good. The prologue chapter was gripping, but every chapter following it for the first 100 pages was slow and tiresome and not very well written. The overall writing style just doesn't flow or invoke any emotion or sense of wonder. It brings a lot of confusion, presenting characters you know little to nothing about, you don't know which side is doing what, where the Nazis are in comparison to Plus Ultra, you don't really even know WHAT Plus Ultra really is until much later in the novel, which is something I had major issues with. I like knowing why I should be on one side versus another, or being torn between both because of empathy, but this book provides nothing to solidly grab onto for the whole first half! The most intriguing sympathetic characters are Lee and his mom, but they aren't as focused on in the beginning, when they were who I wanted to experience the story with the most! They were the most relatable and the most developed to begin with, yet they're dropped like an old hat until all the worlds begin to collide.
I had high hopes for this book, because some of the concepts are so very interesting on the surface, but the execution just doesn't work. While I did have a good time towards the end, it just couldn't save the beginning and move the story to a higher rating for me. I was also disappointed to realize that not very much of the actual Tomorrowland is present. I expected to be transported into a new world that was in its beginning stages, at least for a little while, but there isn't hardly any aspect of that to be amazed by. I liked some of the historical figures that were brought into the story, particularly Plus Ultra's leading lady, and I like the time period of the story, but there were so many missed opportunities over the course of the novel.
While some characters are pretty well developed in the long run, and the story becomes progressively better, it doesn't make up for the lack of passion in the writing, the early confusion in the plot/story, and the failure to bring a truly imaginative concept to fruition. I expected a lot more from a Disney publication. Better luck next time....this one I won't be purchasing or reading again.
April 27, 2015
The book was sluggish to read at the start while you get to know the characters, but by the end it was full of action. The book reminded me of the books The DaVinci Code and The Lost Symbol by author Dan Brown.
Is there a secret society that these historical individuals belonged to? Possibly or perhaps not. But what ever your thoughts, you have to respect that they had vision. What's more, whether Tomorrowland exists or not, it is their dreams, considerations, energy and enthusiasm in what they chipped away at that help shape and issue us the world today.
I am anticipating how the book is going to tie into the up and coming movie.
I would recommend this book if you are a science-fiction fan that enjoys a little obscurity with a dash of history to get your imagination going.
REMEMBER to put on the glasses, look out the window and follow the signs! Take the journey! Oh yes...don't forget the comic book.
Is there a secret society that these historical individuals belonged to? Possibly or perhaps not. But what ever your thoughts, you have to respect that they had vision. What's more, whether Tomorrowland exists or not, it is their dreams, considerations, energy and enthusiasm in what they chipped away at that help shape and issue us the world today.
I am anticipating how the book is going to tie into the up and coming movie.
I would recommend this book if you are a science-fiction fan that enjoys a little obscurity with a dash of history to get your imagination going.
REMEMBER to put on the glasses, look out the window and follow the signs! Take the journey! Oh yes...don't forget the comic book.
April 9, 2020
I hate not finishing books, but this one was so annoying. It missed all the stuff that was interesting in the movie. I wanted the origins of Plus Utra and their technology. But we get more of the same. Nothing that I really wanted.
November 27, 2021
The style is neat, but the plot is not really a plot and just summery, to be honest. Just see the movie
April 15, 2015
The concept was good; interesting story. However, the writing was a bit uneven and distracting
May 22, 2020
This book started out kind of slow. I usually give a book 100 pages and if it hasnt caught my interest I put it down. But I had a feeling about this one and I'm glad I didnt put it down. It actually got good. Not 5 star worthy but pretty close.
July 3, 2025
The amount of grammatical errors throughout the book truly pissed me off and made it difficult to enjoy the overall story.
Obviously the editor nor the writers cared much about the final draft.
10/10 would not recommend this book.
Obviously the editor nor the writers cared much about the final draft.
10/10 would not recommend this book.
January 29, 2025
it was soo different after switching from classics to a stupid children's science fantasy book. I wasn't thrilled, it was predictable, but not bad
August 2, 2024
Really cute read - I’m a big fan of the movie so it was nice to be in its universe again. The characters made me smile a bunch and the novelty factor of the retrofuturistic setting was sky high. I love how this world is built on and woven with so much Disney parks history and I really enjoyed all the little references to that throughout :) I feel I could apply many of my same critiques of the movie Tomorrowland to this book though. The plot/characters often got bogged down by too many action scenes, and I was also disappointed by the surprisingly small amount of information or lore about Tomorrowland itself. Just like the movie, only a very brief amount of time is actually spent there. The book does a great job of building the suspense and intrigue of this other world - even mentioning that it has different physics, wildlife, and natural resources than Earth - but this is never expanded on and we end the book only getting a glimpse of what it has to offer. Also I have to mention that the amount of typos in this book was a little egregious lmao 🙈 I think overall the scope of the story was perhaps a bit ambitious, but I still had a great time with it and thought the writing style was cheeky, accessible, and enjoyable while also not feeling too juvenile.
June 6, 2019
I really enjoyed "Tomorrowland", the recent Disney film with George Clooney, but one of the things that I feel that made watching the film a bit of a challenge for some folks and left a feeling of dissatisfaction in others was how the whole backstory of how this secret group got to Tomorrowland to begin with and what they were aiming for was glossed over. Fortunately for geeks like me who wanted a bit more backstory, the authors of the film's screenplay came up with this book.
The book is a prequel of sorts to the movie, and takes place in New York in 1939, when the first World's Fair was wowing the world. The world is on the verge of hearing of a great discovery by a super-secret society of scientists and engineers, and a woman whose illness hasn't dimmed her optimism for the future and her son find themselves becoming the test audience for the big announcement. Unfortunately, others have decided to crash the party, including a covert force of Nazis, a robotics genius who will stop at nothing to place his own soul in the ultimate robot so he can seize a new world, and the spirit of a young man already trapped in the robot body who is seeking revenge against those who helped put him there.
It's a shame that Tomorrowland wasn't more successful at the box office, because this would have been a fun follow-up film; as it is, the book is a fun sci-fi adventure and a tribute to the pulp novels of the early 20th century. It's not great literature by any means, but it's a fun romp through an alternate past that could have been, and features famous figures from that era. It's a quick but engrossing read, and it also provides a little set-up for how things got to where they were when we met our heroes in the film. I really enjoyed it!
The book is a prequel of sorts to the movie, and takes place in New York in 1939, when the first World's Fair was wowing the world. The world is on the verge of hearing of a great discovery by a super-secret society of scientists and engineers, and a woman whose illness hasn't dimmed her optimism for the future and her son find themselves becoming the test audience for the big announcement. Unfortunately, others have decided to crash the party, including a covert force of Nazis, a robotics genius who will stop at nothing to place his own soul in the ultimate robot so he can seize a new world, and the spirit of a young man already trapped in the robot body who is seeking revenge against those who helped put him there.
It's a shame that Tomorrowland wasn't more successful at the box office, because this would have been a fun follow-up film; as it is, the book is a fun sci-fi adventure and a tribute to the pulp novels of the early 20th century. It's not great literature by any means, but it's a fun romp through an alternate past that could have been, and features famous figures from that era. It's a quick but engrossing read, and it also provides a little set-up for how things got to where they were when we met our heroes in the film. I really enjoyed it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2022
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
I was very excited when I first picked up this book. I'm absolutely obsessed with the cover and the synopsis just sounded so good. Unfortunately, I was pretty let down.
I'm pretty sure that this book was supposed to be connected to the movie Tomorrowland, and while I haven't seen the movie in a while, other than having Tomorrowland be in another world accessible by invitation only, it really didn't seem to make a lot of connections to the movie. But maybe I just need to rewatch the movie.
There are pieces of this book that I did enjoy - mainly Henry's story - but a lot of it just didn't make a big impression on me. For some reason, I just had a very hard time connecting with most of the characters and up until the last few chapters, I only cared about one POV and kind of just waited for the next chapter from their POV to show up again.
I know I made other notes about this book, but when I switched phones, I lost my notes, so I can't say specifics. All-in-all, this wasn't a horrible book, it just wasn't outstanding and it wasn't for me.
I was very excited when I first picked up this book. I'm absolutely obsessed with the cover and the synopsis just sounded so good. Unfortunately, I was pretty let down.
I'm pretty sure that this book was supposed to be connected to the movie Tomorrowland, and while I haven't seen the movie in a while, other than having Tomorrowland be in another world accessible by invitation only, it really didn't seem to make a lot of connections to the movie. But maybe I just need to rewatch the movie.
There are pieces of this book that I did enjoy - mainly Henry's story - but a lot of it just didn't make a big impression on me. For some reason, I just had a very hard time connecting with most of the characters and up until the last few chapters, I only cared about one POV and kind of just waited for the next chapter from their POV to show up again.
I know I made other notes about this book, but when I switched phones, I lost my notes, so I can't say specifics. All-in-all, this wasn't a horrible book, it just wasn't outstanding and it wasn't for me.
March 29, 2015
A nod to the founders of science fiction - this is Disney's version of the utopia of the future as imagined in 1939. A young man visits a futuristic exhibit with his dad and is captivated by the wonders he finds there not knowing how his life will be impacted. At the same time a mom and son visit one of the first sci-fi conventions so his mom can peddle her art and is given a strange comic book of the future. A secret government society comprised of all the great scientific minds was created to search for new frontiers - space, technology, robotics, underwater exploration etc. All the big names are in this book - Tesla, Einstein even Amelia Earhart play an important role in this new world and as you can imagine the Nazi regime and a hybrid human are also looking for ways to advance their plans for the new world. For fans of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells and the early days of sci-fi comics legend Buck Rodgers all written and illustrated like a Hardy Boys mystery.
April 13, 2015
This book takes place in 1939, and throws together a bunch of well-known geniuses from the 20th century into a group called Plus Ultra. It has almost a conspiracy theory feel in the way it takes details from the lives of historical figures and fits them into the story of Plus Ultra and its attempts to improve the world through technology. It is a very interesting read. Ordinarily I'm not a fan of using real people in fiction, but I enjoyed this one. That could have had to do with the involvement of some of my favorite historical figures (namely Nikola Tesla, as well as references to Jules Verne).
I realize Disney has no problem with using anachronisms, but I would have liked them to make a little more of an effort to avoid them in this book. Not necessarily with the technology, since that was the whole idea of the book, but mainly with the vernacular of the main characters.
I realize Disney has no problem with using anachronisms, but I would have liked them to make a little more of an effort to avoid them in this book. Not necessarily with the technology, since that was the whole idea of the book, but mainly with the vernacular of the main characters.
October 3, 2015
I gave this 2 stars but it is closer to 2.5 stars. The first two thirds of the book presents us with a very scattered plot. Just as the story starts making sense we are jerked into a different plot line. Eventually the plot emerges but by that point it is almost two late. It seems like the book is intended to target a YA audience but I find it hard to believe that most teenagers would put up with such a thoroughly disorganized book. For a change Nicholas Tesla is not portrayed as a bad guy. If this book is a trial balloon for a future Disney movie then Disney need not bother making it.
April 22, 2015
Before Tomorrowland was a great sci-fi book. It combines themes of adventure, action, and sci-fi to make a great book that I loved. The only thing I did not like was that the switching of POVs got confusing at times. I loved the fact they added the comic book in the back of the book, and the different personalities of the characters. The book was fun to read and kept me on my toes. Readers into action-adventure books and sci-fi should definitely check Before Tomorrowland out!
June 8, 2015
This book is a prequel to the movie Tomorrowland. You do not have to have seen the movie first or read the book first to enjoy either.
With that said, while the book started slowly, it eventually reached a good pace with dialogue and action. It also provided a fun look at some famous historical figures and gave us a look at their "secret" activities.
Overall a fun read. Relatively light.
With that said, while the book started slowly, it eventually reached a good pace with dialogue and action. It also provided a fun look at some famous historical figures and gave us a look at their "secret" activities.
Overall a fun read. Relatively light.
dnf
October 18, 2017DNF at 98 pages.
I really wanted to love this book after such a promising premise. However, my issue with the book is that there are too many plot lines that took too long to come together into one plot line. At times the different plot lines were hard to follow. From what I did read, I enjoyed the writing and writing style.
I really wanted to love this book after such a promising premise. However, my issue with the book is that there are too many plot lines that took too long to come together into one plot line. At times the different plot lines were hard to follow. From what I did read, I enjoyed the writing and writing style.
January 19, 2016
Not bad, but a little pointless. Especially if you've seen the movie. :/
Honestly? I still think the movie did a better job of eluding to this backstory without actually going into all this unnecessary detail.
Honestly? I still think the movie did a better job of eluding to this backstory without actually going into all this unnecessary detail.
March 31, 2015
Placed in the year of 1939, this is full of science and intrigue, and it contains the actual comic book that has a secret that could change the world.
May 4, 2015
Thanks to Dad, I grew up on Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. I've always enjoyed the fantastical. The movie preview caught my attention enough to get this and finish it fairly quickly.
September 16, 2015
really good book can't wait to see the movie now
June 19, 2017
First, the pictures in this book are fantastic, there's not too much of them but they have a specific retro style that fits the story perfectly. There's one particular image that has Albert Einstein looking deep into the eyes of a friendly dog, wondering, while Nikola Tesla, Howard Hughes and Amelia Earhart are having a fiery argument on the background. GENIUS! WHY WASN'T THE MOVIE LIKE THIS? I actually feel that this would've worked better as a graphic novel. Funnily enough, there's a short comic in the end of the book and a comic convention is used in the story as a backdrop.
Now I have to compare this to the movie. The story is actually more solid and consistent than the one in the film. It has more refined characters with stronger motivations and a somewhat more mature tone. Weirdly enough the book feels like the more inspired one of the two. There's a lot going on, and the chapters are filled with suspense building and character development instead of violent action sequences we saw in the movie. The book has many historical references and characters (from Nazis to the 1939 World's Fair) and so feels like The Da Vinci Code set in the 1930's geared towards more younger audiences. It also has imaginative sci-fi elements that I wouldn't want to spoil for you, but they are nerdy and awesome.
One of the movie's downfalls was the preachy and simplified optimistic message. The battle between optimism, pessimism and realism is an interesting but complex one and this book gives voices to characters with different viewpoints on how humanity should approach the future. It's not as thoughtful as I would like, but it's much less simplified than the movie. There's also one surprisingly dark and sad scene that is darker than anything we saw in the movie. You know what I'm talking about when you get to it.
I feel like Tomorrowland could have been a successful franchise. Maybe if they had used this story as a groundwork for the screenplay, the movie could have succeeded. The movie had fun yet meaningless references to the Disney parks which most people probably didn't get, and a simplistic yet often weirdly obscure story. Damon Lindelof's stories initially hint at great revelations yet have a bland resolution or don't have a resolution at all. There's none of that in this book. It's not perfect but still has an original story and some actually memorable scenes. Too bad nobody will remember them because the movie flopped.
Now I have to compare this to the movie. The story is actually more solid and consistent than the one in the film. It has more refined characters with stronger motivations and a somewhat more mature tone. Weirdly enough the book feels like the more inspired one of the two. There's a lot going on, and the chapters are filled with suspense building and character development instead of violent action sequences we saw in the movie. The book has many historical references and characters (from Nazis to the 1939 World's Fair) and so feels like The Da Vinci Code set in the 1930's geared towards more younger audiences. It also has imaginative sci-fi elements that I wouldn't want to spoil for you, but they are nerdy and awesome.
One of the movie's downfalls was the preachy and simplified optimistic message. The battle between optimism, pessimism and realism is an interesting but complex one and this book gives voices to characters with different viewpoints on how humanity should approach the future. It's not as thoughtful as I would like, but it's much less simplified than the movie. There's also one surprisingly dark and sad scene that is darker than anything we saw in the movie. You know what I'm talking about when you get to it.
I feel like Tomorrowland could have been a successful franchise. Maybe if they had used this story as a groundwork for the screenplay, the movie could have succeeded. The movie had fun yet meaningless references to the Disney parks which most people probably didn't get, and a simplistic yet often weirdly obscure story. Damon Lindelof's stories initially hint at great revelations yet have a bland resolution or don't have a resolution at all. There's none of that in this book. It's not perfect but still has an original story and some actually memorable scenes. Too bad nobody will remember them because the movie flopped.
April 25, 2025
3.5 stars
I have had this book for a long time and I finally put it on a 25 in '25 challenge so I would read it. I enjoyed the movie Tomorrowland, so I was hoping that I would enjoy this too. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. I'm not going to lie, I almost put it down almost immediately because there were 3 pretty big grammatical errors within the first few pages (but none after that).
We start with a prologue where we meet Henry and his father Max. They are visiting a futuristic exhibit at some kind of fair. The book itself takes place a few years later (1939). Henry is now some kind of robotic man, but we don't know what happened to him. We also meet Lee and his mom Clara who are visiting New York City for a science fiction con. They are both "flagged" and given comic books based on a futuristic world. We also learn about Plus Ultra - a group of the world's smartest human beings who have found and created this "other world." This group includes people like Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla. But there is also a rogue member who is trying to get all of this information to Hitler which would be catastrophic.
Having so many different people we are following through this book made it a little bit confusing, especially at first because we didn't know how they connected. I found some of the more scientific chapters a little boring and long. My favorite characters to follow were Lee and Clara. Clara has cancer and Lee is basically taking care of her since his dad works away from home and sends them money. They really have a cute relationship. Lee is determined to take care of Clara the best he can even though he is the child. You can tell they just love each other so much. I did also like Henry, though he seemed to be one of the villains almost. I really enjoyed getting to know his backstory.
The plot was ok. Like I said, it was a little confusing following so many people at first, but those scientific chapters were also a little confusing. I did like how the book ended, but the rest of it was just kind of average.
I do want to watch the movie again to see how it ties in with the book. I am glad I read it - it was interesting and mostly entertaining, but it wasn't a favorite.
I have had this book for a long time and I finally put it on a 25 in '25 challenge so I would read it. I enjoyed the movie Tomorrowland, so I was hoping that I would enjoy this too. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. I'm not going to lie, I almost put it down almost immediately because there were 3 pretty big grammatical errors within the first few pages (but none after that).
We start with a prologue where we meet Henry and his father Max. They are visiting a futuristic exhibit at some kind of fair. The book itself takes place a few years later (1939). Henry is now some kind of robotic man, but we don't know what happened to him. We also meet Lee and his mom Clara who are visiting New York City for a science fiction con. They are both "flagged" and given comic books based on a futuristic world. We also learn about Plus Ultra - a group of the world's smartest human beings who have found and created this "other world." This group includes people like Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla. But there is also a rogue member who is trying to get all of this information to Hitler which would be catastrophic.
Having so many different people we are following through this book made it a little bit confusing, especially at first because we didn't know how they connected. I found some of the more scientific chapters a little boring and long. My favorite characters to follow were Lee and Clara. Clara has cancer and Lee is basically taking care of her since his dad works away from home and sends them money. They really have a cute relationship. Lee is determined to take care of Clara the best he can even though he is the child. You can tell they just love each other so much. I did also like Henry, though he seemed to be one of the villains almost. I really enjoyed getting to know his backstory.
The plot was ok. Like I said, it was a little confusing following so many people at first, but those scientific chapters were also a little confusing. I did like how the book ended, but the rest of it was just kind of average.
I do want to watch the movie again to see how it ties in with the book. I am glad I read it - it was interesting and mostly entertaining, but it wasn't a favorite.
June 11, 2020
As a stand-alone story it was actually good. As a prequel to the Tomorrowland movie however, it was a dud. There was almost nothing to tie this story to the movie beyond the theme and the presence of Tesla as a character. Verne and Edison were absent, H.G. Wells was abused as the comedic relief, and the hand-wavy explanations for why what was in the book was nowhere to be found in the movie made zero sense without understanding the realities of modern-day copyrights and royalties. I'm not sure if this would have been better billed as "inspired by the Disney movie Tomorrowland", or not, because it was just that so obviously removed.
Having said that, to story was nice, even if obviously forced. A world-weary-beyond-his-years teenage protagonist is the eventual main character, but there are so many supporting characters, including his not-mature-enough-to-be-a-mom mother that it quickly becomes a general shuffle of who is the lead in any given chapter depending upon which subplot is being chased at any given point. And there are half a dozen subplots going on at once, so I have to wonder what a much lesser experienced young reader may think about trying to keep up with that.
In the end, there is the promised science fiction, the action, the adventure, the out-of-place future tech that gives the whole thing almost an undercurrent of Steampunk even though the setting is about 25 years too far along for that. I found the ending to be satisfactory in terms of plot resolution, but completely contrived with respect to the movie. Alas, Disney has, yet again, kept the best parts only for themselves in this make-do work in a corporate conglomerate controlled creative world.
Having said that, to story was nice, even if obviously forced. A world-weary-beyond-his-years teenage protagonist is the eventual main character, but there are so many supporting characters, including his not-mature-enough-to-be-a-mom mother that it quickly becomes a general shuffle of who is the lead in any given chapter depending upon which subplot is being chased at any given point. And there are half a dozen subplots going on at once, so I have to wonder what a much lesser experienced young reader may think about trying to keep up with that.
In the end, there is the promised science fiction, the action, the adventure, the out-of-place future tech that gives the whole thing almost an undercurrent of Steampunk even though the setting is about 25 years too far along for that. I found the ending to be satisfactory in terms of plot resolution, but completely contrived with respect to the movie. Alas, Disney has, yet again, kept the best parts only for themselves in this make-do work in a corporate conglomerate controlled creative world.
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