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Virtuality
It's 2065 in Southern California. Virtuality's post-Orwellian, pre-Matrix satire is a near-future dystopia on the verge of collapse. When a mysterious hacker disrupts transmissions, four quirky misfits find out that the streaming infotainments of their customized MyndScreen(TM) brain implants have noxious side effects-not to mention the addictive free extruded soyalgent food that everyone's eating. Who will succumb to corporate commercialism on steroids? Who will survive the apocalypse?
- GenresHumorScience Fiction
378 pages, Paperback
Published November 25, 2025
2930 people want to read
About the author
Derek Cressman
6 books91 followersDerek Cressman is an award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction based in Sacramento, California. He is a graduate of the Stanford Online Certificate in Novel Writing and has served as a teaching assistance at The Writers Hotel Mini MFA conference.
Derek has testified before committees of the United States Senate, California State Assembly and Senate, and California Fair Political Practices Commission; served as an expert in federal litigation; and authored four books: Virtuality (2025), Reality(TM) 2048--Watching Big Mother (a 2019 finalist in the American Bookfest Fiction Awards and 2020 Grand Prize Short List awardee for the Eric Hoffer Book Awards) When Money Talks--The High Price of "Free" Speech and the Selling of Democracy (which received an honorable mention in the 2016 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards for political science)and The Recall's Broken Promise--How Big Money Still Runs California Politics. His columns have appeared in Alternet, The Christian Science Monitor, The Hill, Huffington Post, Orange County Register, Sacramento Bee, San Jose Mercury News, St. Louis Post Dispatch, US News and World Report, and Washington Monthly.
When he’s not writing, Derek enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters. He credits his time running marathons and mountaineering with building his fortitude to tackle obstacles of social change. He is an avid woodworker and picks at the banjo when he needs a break. Derek grew up in Colorado Springs and graduated with honors from Williams College in 1990 with a degree in political science.
Derek has testified before committees of the United States Senate, California State Assembly and Senate, and California Fair Political Practices Commission; served as an expert in federal litigation; and authored four books: Virtuality (2025), Reality(TM) 2048--Watching Big Mother (a 2019 finalist in the American Bookfest Fiction Awards and 2020 Grand Prize Short List awardee for the Eric Hoffer Book Awards) When Money Talks--The High Price of "Free" Speech and the Selling of Democracy (which received an honorable mention in the 2016 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards for political science)and The Recall's Broken Promise--How Big Money Still Runs California Politics. His columns have appeared in Alternet, The Christian Science Monitor, The Hill, Huffington Post, Orange County Register, Sacramento Bee, San Jose Mercury News, St. Louis Post Dispatch, US News and World Report, and Washington Monthly.
When he’s not writing, Derek enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters. He credits his time running marathons and mountaineering with building his fortitude to tackle obstacles of social change. He is an avid woodworker and picks at the banjo when he needs a break. Derek grew up in Colorado Springs and graduated with honors from Williams College in 1990 with a degree in political science.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 26, 2025
I didn’t realize how much I needed a dystopia that was actually fun until I read Virtuality.
In this world, VR is a full-time substitute for living. Chase, one of the central characters, is so plugged into simulations that his body is maintained like a plant on life-support. He's got an IV drip to feed him, a nanny bot to come bathe him and change out his IV tube, and he hasn't seen the sun in years. Clothes are superfluous.
Then there's Oscar and his little sister Luena, who are in a different strata of society referred to as "the Vues." They have older technology and have to wear helmets in order to be plugged into the metaverse, instead of having fancy implants like Chase. Their life is a little more like augmented reality because they actually walk around outside while being immersed in their helmets. But ultimately they are considered second-class citizens, and most of them dream of being "upgraded" (yes, that's the term for it) to the status of someone like Chase.
One of the best parts of Oscar’s storyline is his gang: the MarlBros, a cigarette-dealing throwback culture born from the prohibition of nicotine. They go around on motorcycles, dealing cigarettes in the sly way that drug dealers do today. I thought that was really clever. The MarlBros and their rival gang, the Winstons, feature moderately in the plot, and I loved every second of it.
The book actually starts off in Oscar's viewpoint when he wakes up in an abbey after having the bright idea that since he was doing so well in these skiing simulations, he should go out and try the real thing. He gets to the ski resort and discovers that it's completely automated and also devoid of any other customers. That's a sad refrain throughout the book--amusement parks, outdoor recreation, movie theaters, restaurants, all of it--they're all empty, devoid of people, ghost towns. It's so much cheaper and addicting for everyone to do everything online from the convenience of their minds.
Anyways, Oscar doesn't do so well on his first ski outing, goes way off the course, crashes, destroys his AR helmet, and wakes up tended to by a nun's cloistered daughter, Ellen. Seeing him interact with the nuns is hilarious. You can tell he's from a different world, where he has completely no idea about what life is like "outside."
When Ellen tries to take him home by horseback, I remember the moment when something hit home for me. Oscar doesn't actually remember his own address.
Something about that just made it really sink in what kind of dystopia we're in. And it makes too much sense. I already don't remember anyone's phone number but my wife's. I already don't know any addresses but my own. How much longer till even that is a distant memory?
And the book is chock-full of moments like that, deliciously chilling.
There are two other viewpoint characters: Caspian, who is in the middle of ascending to the top of a corporation, and Aneeka, who is one of the Educates, the oligarchy who rule this whole mess. Through Caspian and Aneeka's eyes, we get to understand exactly how this whole society functions, with glimpses of law, economics, foreign policy, and of course, lots of good 'ole propaganda and brainwashing techniques. Aneeka actually starts questioning a few of the wrong things and gets herself in trouble.
Caspian is climbing the corporate ladder, but also wants to institute change and help people. He's the head of a division in his company that does philanthropic activities, as measured by "utils", a measurement generated by utilitarian analyses of the net goods and ills to society of any action. Fascinating concept, really, and we quickly see how it can be perverted with the way corporations think about public justice. But Caspian is able to do some good; he's kind of a more radical executive who looks good by comparison to some of the others who are even worse.
Caspian’s corporate doublespeak is painfully accurate, by the way—so spot-on it made me laugh and cry at the same time. Yep, I've heard that garbage before...NAILED IT.
An interesting aspect of the book is the way that it blends therapy with consumeristic indoctrination. The new world order is founded on infotainment and consumerism. Consumption is patriotism, is the core moral obligation. If you aren't a good consumer, they lock you up in an insane asylum and give you "therapy," which is that they deprive you, generate needs, and then sell you on their solution: get upgraded, so you never have to feel anything again. Agitators aren't killed, just neutralized with a pacy.
The terrible truth is, the people who have "upgraded" are miserable, but find themselves unable to break out of the cycle of addiction they find themselves caught in. Well, they think they can't get free...actually a lot of the book is about them getting back their agency and doing just that.
This book is chock-full of ideas, and you can barely ingest the latest brilliant idea before you turn the page and stumble across three more. The world is layered with so many things. I haven't even talked about the law angle yet. Essentially, several court cases throughout the centuries have set up dangerous precedents. One such, which is still very fresh in present day, is Citizens United, which ruled in 2010 to grant corporations human rights. Virtuality asks: what if that precendent carried forward? What kinds of things follow if it continues to be upheld that corporations legally get human rights? As you can imagine, the result is terrifying.
Honestly, I've read my fair share of dystopias, but this one is much more realistic than any I've yet read. It feels very of the moment without losing its sense of fun. It struck chords I didn’t expect; I kept recognizing pieces of my own digital habits in it. This has the sharp social insight of Brave New World, but written for questions we’re actually asking in 2025.
An amusing thing he does in the book is use all of these obvious stand-ins for corporations we all know about. He won't use their names, he'll just say that there's a drink duopoly of Pepsoylent and CokAid...and one of the two main producers of VR headsets is the Whamzong GalXSee, and so forth. It's quite amusing.
Speaking of which, the nutrient slop people live on is awesome. It reminds me of what's happened with the fast food industry, how we've gotten so used to eating things that to a hunter gatherer would be classified as disgusting and bland compared to real food.
Part of the joy of this book, by the way, is that as the characters start to unplug and do more things "IRL," such as cooking, having relationships, hanging out, riding motorcycles, going to a real casino, etc., you get to ride along as characters experience these things for the first time in years (or for some of the youngsters, for the first time ever) and have a viscerally happy experience and ask: wow. What have we been doing living in the Matrix? Isn't this better? It's surprisingly wholesome.
A big part of the plot is the creation of a community garden that Caspian's company funds. Oscar decides to grow his own 'bacco, much to the shock of the nuns. But then his ex-gang, the MarlBros, torch the garden, and things progress from there.
Another thing I have to say: this book is one of the very best instances of a multi POV book that I have read. I don't know how many books I have read where the multiple points-of-view feel unnecessarily complicated and hard to keep track of; not this one. The threads come together pretty quickly so that people are in the same scenes as each other, and it’s very satisfying. Also, you can see why each one of the POVs has a really specific reason to be in the book; each one reveals another fascinating layer of the world, and all of their plotlines are super relevant to each other's.
There's also some wonderful pathos as you learn some of the character's backstories...the tragedies of how corporations "upgrade" people who fall in love because love pulls people too much away from being ideal consumers. Just savagely tragic. Anything that makes people consume less is the enemy...even love.
The second half shifts into a surprisingly hopeful register—faster than I expected, but emotionally satisfying. There's also a lot of revelations and family drama towards the end, things I won't spoil. But it's very satisfying.
But it's not just that Virtuality is a lot of fun to read. It's also about really important topics I've been urgently pondering: where are things going with VR and AR? Videogames are already so addictive; what's going to happen when it gets even better (worse)? And how will it affect how we think about reality itself? Will we forget the sun? Not to mention, what happens when AIs take over and do everything for us and we no longer need jobs? What are we going to do with ourselves? Where are we going to find meaning when productivity is superfluous?
Also, I couldn't have been more pleased (although that's a really strange word for it!) to see representation of the Citizens United court case which is, in my opinion, one of the most genuinely disturbing things that no one's talking about. It's a really disturbing precedent.
In summary, this is a wonderfully chilling and hopeful dystopia, with a few solutions put forth along the way and a heck of a lot of fun, all while dealing with some of the most pressing, existential threats that humanity is facing today. I could not recommend this book more. This is perfect for anyone looking for a fresh but hopeful dystopia written for the issues of 2025.
If themes of simulation addiction and lost agency resonate with you too, I dive directly into that from the angle of addiction and relationships in my short story Gone One. You can read it here:
https://levihobbs.substack.com/p/gone...
In this world, VR is a full-time substitute for living. Chase, one of the central characters, is so plugged into simulations that his body is maintained like a plant on life-support. He's got an IV drip to feed him, a nanny bot to come bathe him and change out his IV tube, and he hasn't seen the sun in years. Clothes are superfluous.
Then there's Oscar and his little sister Luena, who are in a different strata of society referred to as "the Vues." They have older technology and have to wear helmets in order to be plugged into the metaverse, instead of having fancy implants like Chase. Their life is a little more like augmented reality because they actually walk around outside while being immersed in their helmets. But ultimately they are considered second-class citizens, and most of them dream of being "upgraded" (yes, that's the term for it) to the status of someone like Chase.
One of the best parts of Oscar’s storyline is his gang: the MarlBros, a cigarette-dealing throwback culture born from the prohibition of nicotine. They go around on motorcycles, dealing cigarettes in the sly way that drug dealers do today. I thought that was really clever. The MarlBros and their rival gang, the Winstons, feature moderately in the plot, and I loved every second of it.
The book actually starts off in Oscar's viewpoint when he wakes up in an abbey after having the bright idea that since he was doing so well in these skiing simulations, he should go out and try the real thing. He gets to the ski resort and discovers that it's completely automated and also devoid of any other customers. That's a sad refrain throughout the book--amusement parks, outdoor recreation, movie theaters, restaurants, all of it--they're all empty, devoid of people, ghost towns. It's so much cheaper and addicting for everyone to do everything online from the convenience of their minds.
Anyways, Oscar doesn't do so well on his first ski outing, goes way off the course, crashes, destroys his AR helmet, and wakes up tended to by a nun's cloistered daughter, Ellen. Seeing him interact with the nuns is hilarious. You can tell he's from a different world, where he has completely no idea about what life is like "outside."
When Ellen tries to take him home by horseback, I remember the moment when something hit home for me. Oscar doesn't actually remember his own address.
Something about that just made it really sink in what kind of dystopia we're in. And it makes too much sense. I already don't remember anyone's phone number but my wife's. I already don't know any addresses but my own. How much longer till even that is a distant memory?
And the book is chock-full of moments like that, deliciously chilling.
There are two other viewpoint characters: Caspian, who is in the middle of ascending to the top of a corporation, and Aneeka, who is one of the Educates, the oligarchy who rule this whole mess. Through Caspian and Aneeka's eyes, we get to understand exactly how this whole society functions, with glimpses of law, economics, foreign policy, and of course, lots of good 'ole propaganda and brainwashing techniques. Aneeka actually starts questioning a few of the wrong things and gets herself in trouble.
Caspian is climbing the corporate ladder, but also wants to institute change and help people. He's the head of a division in his company that does philanthropic activities, as measured by "utils", a measurement generated by utilitarian analyses of the net goods and ills to society of any action. Fascinating concept, really, and we quickly see how it can be perverted with the way corporations think about public justice. But Caspian is able to do some good; he's kind of a more radical executive who looks good by comparison to some of the others who are even worse.
Caspian’s corporate doublespeak is painfully accurate, by the way—so spot-on it made me laugh and cry at the same time. Yep, I've heard that garbage before...NAILED IT.
An interesting aspect of the book is the way that it blends therapy with consumeristic indoctrination. The new world order is founded on infotainment and consumerism. Consumption is patriotism, is the core moral obligation. If you aren't a good consumer, they lock you up in an insane asylum and give you "therapy," which is that they deprive you, generate needs, and then sell you on their solution: get upgraded, so you never have to feel anything again. Agitators aren't killed, just neutralized with a pacy.
The terrible truth is, the people who have "upgraded" are miserable, but find themselves unable to break out of the cycle of addiction they find themselves caught in. Well, they think they can't get free...actually a lot of the book is about them getting back their agency and doing just that.
This book is chock-full of ideas, and you can barely ingest the latest brilliant idea before you turn the page and stumble across three more. The world is layered with so many things. I haven't even talked about the law angle yet. Essentially, several court cases throughout the centuries have set up dangerous precedents. One such, which is still very fresh in present day, is Citizens United, which ruled in 2010 to grant corporations human rights. Virtuality asks: what if that precendent carried forward? What kinds of things follow if it continues to be upheld that corporations legally get human rights? As you can imagine, the result is terrifying.
Honestly, I've read my fair share of dystopias, but this one is much more realistic than any I've yet read. It feels very of the moment without losing its sense of fun. It struck chords I didn’t expect; I kept recognizing pieces of my own digital habits in it. This has the sharp social insight of Brave New World, but written for questions we’re actually asking in 2025.
An amusing thing he does in the book is use all of these obvious stand-ins for corporations we all know about. He won't use their names, he'll just say that there's a drink duopoly of Pepsoylent and CokAid...and one of the two main producers of VR headsets is the Whamzong GalXSee, and so forth. It's quite amusing.
Speaking of which, the nutrient slop people live on is awesome. It reminds me of what's happened with the fast food industry, how we've gotten so used to eating things that to a hunter gatherer would be classified as disgusting and bland compared to real food.
Part of the joy of this book, by the way, is that as the characters start to unplug and do more things "IRL," such as cooking, having relationships, hanging out, riding motorcycles, going to a real casino, etc., you get to ride along as characters experience these things for the first time in years (or for some of the youngsters, for the first time ever) and have a viscerally happy experience and ask: wow. What have we been doing living in the Matrix? Isn't this better? It's surprisingly wholesome.
A big part of the plot is the creation of a community garden that Caspian's company funds. Oscar decides to grow his own 'bacco, much to the shock of the nuns. But then his ex-gang, the MarlBros, torch the garden, and things progress from there.
Another thing I have to say: this book is one of the very best instances of a multi POV book that I have read. I don't know how many books I have read where the multiple points-of-view feel unnecessarily complicated and hard to keep track of; not this one. The threads come together pretty quickly so that people are in the same scenes as each other, and it’s very satisfying. Also, you can see why each one of the POVs has a really specific reason to be in the book; each one reveals another fascinating layer of the world, and all of their plotlines are super relevant to each other's.
There's also some wonderful pathos as you learn some of the character's backstories...the tragedies of how corporations "upgrade" people who fall in love because love pulls people too much away from being ideal consumers. Just savagely tragic. Anything that makes people consume less is the enemy...even love.
The second half shifts into a surprisingly hopeful register—faster than I expected, but emotionally satisfying. There's also a lot of revelations and family drama towards the end, things I won't spoil. But it's very satisfying.
But it's not just that Virtuality is a lot of fun to read. It's also about really important topics I've been urgently pondering: where are things going with VR and AR? Videogames are already so addictive; what's going to happen when it gets even better (worse)? And how will it affect how we think about reality itself? Will we forget the sun? Not to mention, what happens when AIs take over and do everything for us and we no longer need jobs? What are we going to do with ourselves? Where are we going to find meaning when productivity is superfluous?
Also, I couldn't have been more pleased (although that's a really strange word for it!) to see representation of the Citizens United court case which is, in my opinion, one of the most genuinely disturbing things that no one's talking about. It's a really disturbing precedent.
In summary, this is a wonderfully chilling and hopeful dystopia, with a few solutions put forth along the way and a heck of a lot of fun, all while dealing with some of the most pressing, existential threats that humanity is facing today. I could not recommend this book more. This is perfect for anyone looking for a fresh but hopeful dystopia written for the issues of 2025.
If themes of simulation addiction and lost agency resonate with you too, I dive directly into that from the angle of addiction and relationships in my short story Gone One. You can read it here:
https://levihobbs.substack.com/p/gone...
November 17, 2025
2 stars
I love to read a book where the author is out there working it, and the author asked me to read this one so I’m sorry I couldn’t rate it higher. This is a story of the future which may remind you a bit of the end of….Wall-E, I think it is, where all the humans just live in big recliners and are being force fed entertainment after they’ve ruined the world? Am I remembering correctly? And from that standpoint it’s timely.
The book involves four people: Oscar, an underground cigarette salesman, Aneeka, who is on a sort of global Supreme Court, Chase, the resident of an Entertainment Home, Caspian, the director of charitable giving for a big foundation. I had some trouble remembering the characters from chapter to chapter, and was sometimes unclear as to how the characters related to each other.
Aneeka. Oh, Aneeka. To put in plainly, Aneeka wasn’t smart enough to be on a global Supreme Court. I wouldn’t trust Aneeka to settle a dispute between two teenagers. Aneeka took me right out of the story, over and over, because she was just so, so clearly incapable of what it was the story wanted her to be doing…she was clearly meant to be brilliant, but acted as if she maybe got Cs in high school and then went to a community college. She….was a mistake.
At some points the story read a little YA because characters (and events) were so naive. And the book went way overboard with the cutesy names for things….a little of that goes a long way (for my taste.)
And if there is time for edits before this goes to press, in America, at least, there is no undergraduate degree in psychiatry. That’s a med school specialty.
I honestly think this book could be better were it reworked and made a YA book, but that’s just me. I wish you every success with it.
I love to read a book where the author is out there working it, and the author asked me to read this one so I’m sorry I couldn’t rate it higher. This is a story of the future which may remind you a bit of the end of….Wall-E, I think it is, where all the humans just live in big recliners and are being force fed entertainment after they’ve ruined the world? Am I remembering correctly? And from that standpoint it’s timely.
The book involves four people: Oscar, an underground cigarette salesman, Aneeka, who is on a sort of global Supreme Court, Chase, the resident of an Entertainment Home, Caspian, the director of charitable giving for a big foundation. I had some trouble remembering the characters from chapter to chapter, and was sometimes unclear as to how the characters related to each other.
Aneeka. Oh, Aneeka. To put in plainly, Aneeka wasn’t smart enough to be on a global Supreme Court. I wouldn’t trust Aneeka to settle a dispute between two teenagers. Aneeka took me right out of the story, over and over, because she was just so, so clearly incapable of what it was the story wanted her to be doing…she was clearly meant to be brilliant, but acted as if she maybe got Cs in high school and then went to a community college. She….was a mistake.
At some points the story read a little YA because characters (and events) were so naive. And the book went way overboard with the cutesy names for things….a little of that goes a long way (for my taste.)
And if there is time for edits before this goes to press, in America, at least, there is no undergraduate degree in psychiatry. That’s a med school specialty.
I honestly think this book could be better were it reworked and made a YA book, but that’s just me. I wish you every success with it.
December 1, 2025
Virtuality by Derek Cressman is a razor edged, near future satire that blends dystopian collapse with dark comedic intelligence. Its tone echoes the cultural critique found in genre defining works like The Matrix and the political absurdism and surveillance dread often associated with Orwellian tradition and satirical science fiction.
Set in 2065 across the Southern California, Cressman’s world is mediated through immersive digital consumption delivered by MyndScreen™, a fictional %antidepressant% turned neuro-corporate product delivered via brain implants. These implants evoke questions of digital addiction, neurotoxic infotainment, and the fragility of autonomy when attention becomes a commercial commodity.
Corporate power surges on steroids bolstered by addictive everyday dependencies like a dystopian food substitute extruded soyalgent paste satirizing modern packaged food monoculture through grotesque extrapolation. The inciting disruption, delivered by a mysterious hacker, sets a truth seeking ensemble journey into motion four idiosyncratic protagonists whose survival instincts clash, falter, and resist the immersive gravitational pull of corporate programming and social conformity.
By using satire not just as comedic device but as narrative scalpel, Virtuality becomes a critique of identity, autonomy, media consumption, bio-engineered convenience, and late capitalism’s psychological imprinting. Both funny and unsettling, it challenges readers to ask: when collapse comes, who obeys, who dissolves, and who rebels and what kind of world have we already rehearsed for them
Set in 2065 across the Southern California, Cressman’s world is mediated through immersive digital consumption delivered by MyndScreen™, a fictional %antidepressant% turned neuro-corporate product delivered via brain implants. These implants evoke questions of digital addiction, neurotoxic infotainment, and the fragility of autonomy when attention becomes a commercial commodity.
Corporate power surges on steroids bolstered by addictive everyday dependencies like a dystopian food substitute extruded soyalgent paste satirizing modern packaged food monoculture through grotesque extrapolation. The inciting disruption, delivered by a mysterious hacker, sets a truth seeking ensemble journey into motion four idiosyncratic protagonists whose survival instincts clash, falter, and resist the immersive gravitational pull of corporate programming and social conformity.
By using satire not just as comedic device but as narrative scalpel, Virtuality becomes a critique of identity, autonomy, media consumption, bio-engineered convenience, and late capitalism’s psychological imprinting. Both funny and unsettling, it challenges readers to ask: when collapse comes, who obeys, who dissolves, and who rebels and what kind of world have we already rehearsed for them
November 6, 2025
In Virtuality, Derek Cressman crafts a sharp, darkly humorous vision of a near-future society intoxicated by convenience, consumption, and control. Set in Southern California in 2065, this post-Orwellian, pre Matrix dystopia satirizes a culture that has surrendered its autonomy to algorithmic pleasure and corporate manipulation.
Cressman’s world is both absurd and alarmingly familiar. Through the lens of four eccentric misfits, he exposes the psychological decay hidden beneath technological dependence. The MyndScreen brain implants designed for infinite, personalized entertainment serve as the perfect symbol of humanity’s willingness to trade agency for comfort. Add to that the addictive, mass produced soyalgent food supply, and Virtuality becomes a biting reflection on the costs of unchecked innovation and consumer apathy.
What elevates the story beyond dystopian commentary is its wit and humanity. Cressman doesn’t just warn of the dangers of technology he examines the fragility of human connection in a world where even consciousness can be commodified. The narrative pulses with satirical energy, yet its undertones of loss and longing lend it emotional depth.
Virtuality is a provocative exploration of what happens when entertainment becomes existence. It asks a question both timeless and urgent: if reality becomes optional, what happens to truth?
Cressman’s world is both absurd and alarmingly familiar. Through the lens of four eccentric misfits, he exposes the psychological decay hidden beneath technological dependence. The MyndScreen brain implants designed for infinite, personalized entertainment serve as the perfect symbol of humanity’s willingness to trade agency for comfort. Add to that the addictive, mass produced soyalgent food supply, and Virtuality becomes a biting reflection on the costs of unchecked innovation and consumer apathy.
What elevates the story beyond dystopian commentary is its wit and humanity. Cressman doesn’t just warn of the dangers of technology he examines the fragility of human connection in a world where even consciousness can be commodified. The narrative pulses with satirical energy, yet its undertones of loss and longing lend it emotional depth.
Virtuality is a provocative exploration of what happens when entertainment becomes existence. It asks a question both timeless and urgent: if reality becomes optional, what happens to truth?
November 11, 2025
Derek Cressman’s “Virtuality” is a razor-sharp, near-future dystopian satire that brilliantly captures the dangers of a society consumed by convenience, entertainment, and corporate control. Set in 2065 Southern California, the novel reads like a clever hybrid between Orwell’s 1984 and The Matrix, delivering biting social commentary through vivid storytelling and dark humor.
Cressman’s world-building is both chilling and familiar. The concept of the MyndScreen™ brain implant, streaming infotainment directly into people’s minds, feels eerily plausible, while the “free extruded soyalgent food” is a perfect symbol of the trade-offs people make for comfort and conformity. As the plot unfolds and a mysterious hacker disrupts the illusion, the story dives deep into questions of autonomy, addiction, and what it truly means to think freely in a hyper-connected world.
The ensemble cast of misfits navigating this chaos adds personality and relatability to the dystopia. Each character is distinct, flawed, and searching for something real amid the artificial noise. Cressman’s wit shines throughout, blending satire with genuine emotional depth, a combination that makes “Virtuality” both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Cressman’s world-building is both chilling and familiar. The concept of the MyndScreen™ brain implant, streaming infotainment directly into people’s minds, feels eerily plausible, while the “free extruded soyalgent food” is a perfect symbol of the trade-offs people make for comfort and conformity. As the plot unfolds and a mysterious hacker disrupts the illusion, the story dives deep into questions of autonomy, addiction, and what it truly means to think freely in a hyper-connected world.
The ensemble cast of misfits navigating this chaos adds personality and relatability to the dystopia. Each character is distinct, flawed, and searching for something real amid the artificial noise. Cressman’s wit shines throughout, blending satire with genuine emotional depth, a combination that makes “Virtuality” both entertaining and thought-provoking.
December 9, 2025
Derek Cressman delivers a razor-sharp, darkly funny, and unsettlingly plausible satire in Virtuality. Set in 2065 Southern California, the novel brilliantly exposes a world numbed by hyper-commercialized technology, addictive synthetic food, and brain-implanted infotainment that blurs the line between convenience and control. Cressman’s worldbuilding is immersive and alarmingly believable, a near-future dystopia that echoes Orwell and anticipates the Matrix while remaining entirely its own creature.
The quirky misfit cast brings humor, humanity, and heart to a story that critiques corporate manipulation without ever losing its entertainment value. The mysterious hacker, the malfunctioning MyndScreen™, and the unraveling society all collide in a narrative that is equal parts satire, sci-fi, and social commentary. Smart, inventive, and wickedly timely, Virtuality is a standout work that will leave readers questioning just how far we are from this future.
The quirky misfit cast brings humor, humanity, and heart to a story that critiques corporate manipulation without ever losing its entertainment value. The mysterious hacker, the malfunctioning MyndScreen™, and the unraveling society all collide in a narrative that is equal parts satire, sci-fi, and social commentary. Smart, inventive, and wickedly timely, Virtuality is a standout work that will leave readers questioning just how far we are from this future.
November 10, 2025
Dystopias always walk the line between fun science fiction and a terrifying reflection of present day society, and this one was no exception. I wish the glossary wasn't at the back since there were some things that weren't clear earlier; similarly some of the brands take a while to parse out.
Thank you for the E-ARC!
P.S. - Loved that last line's wink. Very meta.
Thank you for the E-ARC!
P.S. - Loved that last line's wink. Very meta.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews