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The Actor
Orwell's 1984 meets Huxley's A Brave New World in a new futuristic dystopian series.
Robert Thorns left the stage with a sweaty forehead and a frightened heart. Why were his fans cheering if he was obviously spreading the lies of the government? They were lies...weren't they?
Staring at the mirror Robert didn't see the man of fame he used to be five years ago when he signed the contract to become The Actor, but a puppet used by a totalitarian regime. What happened to humanity after World War III? Everyone depended on AI to survive. Without his precious OHP-I, aka Anicor, the device installed on his cornea like a contact lens, he would be dead. But as much as Robert needed the damn AI he also loathed it for being invasive.
The man behind the mask awakens to see a world for what it truly is. He will devise a plan to revive the dead soul of his followers, to find it will be nearly impossible.
Robert Thorns left the stage with a sweaty forehead and a frightened heart. Why were his fans cheering if he was obviously spreading the lies of the government? They were lies...weren't they?
Staring at the mirror Robert didn't see the man of fame he used to be five years ago when he signed the contract to become The Actor, but a puppet used by a totalitarian regime. What happened to humanity after World War III? Everyone depended on AI to survive. Without his precious OHP-I, aka Anicor, the device installed on his cornea like a contact lens, he would be dead. But as much as Robert needed the damn AI he also loathed it for being invasive.
The man behind the mask awakens to see a world for what it truly is. He will devise a plan to revive the dead soul of his followers, to find it will be nearly impossible.
- GenresScience FictionDystopia
172 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
4 people are currently reading
664 people want to read
About the author
Paul A. Wunderlich
5 books29 followersSee Pablo Andrés Wunderlich Padilla (Guatemala, 1984)
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 21, 2015
In a dystopian world where people are controlled by an all-powerful government, propaganda is spread through the stage presence of Yulius Zezar. A position coveted by many, only one person will hold this dubious distinction for a period of five years. Only as his reign as a popular and beloved actor is coming to a close does he begin to question or doubt the messages he has been touting through his weekly stage appearances. But the government controls all and freedom of speech is blasphemous, not to mention recorded and reported by an assigned AI being. What if Yulius dared to make his last performance one the masses will never forget?
The Actor by Paul A, Wunderlich is a dark, edgy and chaotic ride into a future that has been filled with wars, deceit and the ruthless power mongers who control everything form the food sources to education, job placement and even what people think or believe. Mr. Wunderlich’s ability to project a possible future for this world is reminiscent of other works from songs of a near useless civilization to other frighteningly realistic dystopian works. Have you ever wondered where civilization is going? Is there a doomsday ahead that will rob the world of free-thinking? Will propaganda be hidden under the guise of entertainment? What if one person grows a conscience, or dares to doubt the wisdom of the leaders? Will he be believed or be considered the best entertainment around?
A quick read with a punch to the solar plexus, Paul A. Wunderlich has written a tale of complete entertainment, while being thought provoking and a little scary. Take this one to the beach…while you still can…
I received an ARC edition from Paul A. Wunderlich in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: May 18, 2015
Publisher: Paul A. Wunderlich
Genre: Dystopian Drama
Print Length: 98 pages
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
The Actor by Paul A, Wunderlich is a dark, edgy and chaotic ride into a future that has been filled with wars, deceit and the ruthless power mongers who control everything form the food sources to education, job placement and even what people think or believe. Mr. Wunderlich’s ability to project a possible future for this world is reminiscent of other works from songs of a near useless civilization to other frighteningly realistic dystopian works. Have you ever wondered where civilization is going? Is there a doomsday ahead that will rob the world of free-thinking? Will propaganda be hidden under the guise of entertainment? What if one person grows a conscience, or dares to doubt the wisdom of the leaders? Will he be believed or be considered the best entertainment around?
A quick read with a punch to the solar plexus, Paul A. Wunderlich has written a tale of complete entertainment, while being thought provoking and a little scary. Take this one to the beach…while you still can…
I received an ARC edition from Paul A. Wunderlich in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: May 18, 2015
Publisher: Paul A. Wunderlich
Genre: Dystopian Drama
Print Length: 98 pages
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
June 9, 2015
I received this book free for review from the author in exchange for an honest review. Despite the privilege of receiving a free book, I’m absolutely candid about it below because I believe authors and readers will benefit most from honest reviews rather than vacuous 5-star reviews.
The nutshell summary of this book is that it gives us the inside view of the greatest actor of his age, the smiling face that moves the Texalifornia propaganda machine forward from one weekly episode to the next. The tone of the book is partly Orwell's 1984 and partly Mike Judge's Idiocracy.
To the positive side, I really like where the author is trying to go. The concept, though at least partly derivative, has a fresh take on the dystopian horrors that await us after after a nuclear exchange. Seen from the viewpoint of one of the cogs in the propaganda machine, this isn't a narrator that we're at all accustomed to seeing in this sort of novel. I think the concept could be extended greatly into a quite a series. The author has found a great concept to wrap words around. There is also an extremely visual element to the book that the author uses to great effect. Many of the author's descriptions will stick with me for quite a while.
To the negative side, the novel really had me struggling in a couple of areas. Firstly, the mix of Orwell and Idiocracy was hard to swallow. While it is possible to mix dark social commentary with farce, it's exceptionally hard to get away with and I found the author's more comedic images to be a distraction from what I assume he was really trying to say about society and culture in general. Textually, the book struggles as well. I'm hopeful that my copy was an early release because the typographical problems scattered like cockroaches from every page. The misuse of common words was distracting and the almost constant repetition of certain phrases such as "inch-thick layer of makeup" was at fairly maddening.
In summary, I had a hard time settling on one rating for this book. The concept has wonderful potential but the execution boggled my mind at times. Wunderlich has done a unique job of cobbling together various elements of the standard Dystopian genre and making it his own. I do wonder how much better it could be with a good sound drubbing by a professional editor, however.
PS: I hope my review was helpful. If it was not, then please let me know what I left out that you’d want to know. I always aim to improve.
The nutshell summary of this book is that it gives us the inside view of the greatest actor of his age, the smiling face that moves the Texalifornia propaganda machine forward from one weekly episode to the next. The tone of the book is partly Orwell's 1984 and partly Mike Judge's Idiocracy.
To the positive side, I really like where the author is trying to go. The concept, though at least partly derivative, has a fresh take on the dystopian horrors that await us after after a nuclear exchange. Seen from the viewpoint of one of the cogs in the propaganda machine, this isn't a narrator that we're at all accustomed to seeing in this sort of novel. I think the concept could be extended greatly into a quite a series. The author has found a great concept to wrap words around. There is also an extremely visual element to the book that the author uses to great effect. Many of the author's descriptions will stick with me for quite a while.
To the negative side, the novel really had me struggling in a couple of areas. Firstly, the mix of Orwell and Idiocracy was hard to swallow. While it is possible to mix dark social commentary with farce, it's exceptionally hard to get away with and I found the author's more comedic images to be a distraction from what I assume he was really trying to say about society and culture in general. Textually, the book struggles as well. I'm hopeful that my copy was an early release because the typographical problems scattered like cockroaches from every page. The misuse of common words was distracting and the almost constant repetition of certain phrases such as "inch-thick layer of makeup" was at fairly maddening.
In summary, I had a hard time settling on one rating for this book. The concept has wonderful potential but the execution boggled my mind at times. Wunderlich has done a unique job of cobbling together various elements of the standard Dystopian genre and making it his own. I do wonder how much better it could be with a good sound drubbing by a professional editor, however.
PS: I hope my review was helpful. If it was not, then please let me know what I left out that you’d want to know. I always aim to improve.
September 21, 2015
This was mildly entertaining read, about a post nuclear, dystopian world where people are controlled by through entertainment, the pharmaceutical companies and androids. Some of the futuristic ideas in this we're just silly, but it managed to hold my interest because it was a short book I give this one 2/5!
June 28, 2015
I received this as a first read. This book is set in a dystopian universe. It is about the actor who is the face of the government. It was definitely a quick read. I enjoy this one. It is a definitely an interesting read. I would recommend this one for people that like dystopian reads.
June 10, 2015
Entertainment rules. Obesity is expected. Reading and writing are no longer required as all citizens interact with AI to keep them alive and part of the flock. The Actor takes center stage both literally and figuratively as he is the main character - famous with wealth, conflicted and depressed. His high-profile role is about to expire, compelling him to get through to the masses of ignorance and complacency.
This short, speculative science fiction story actually has a broad target for readers. Yes, it is Sci-Fi, but it is more about a philosophical position than anything else. Oh, there are NO magical beasts in this dystopian, post-nuclear war setting. UniCorn is the company that provides modified corn-based food for Texalifornia.
I didn't connect so much with the characters, but the underlying theme resonated loud and clear. I too can speculate on the future of humanity. With our booming technological advances (and perhaps because I love Sci-Fi), I can see human-tech integration becoming possible in my lifetime and AI becoming a reality in my children's' later years. Not tin-foil or Sky Net thoughts, but the foundation for the potential will come to fruition.
So, the position in my personal summary: If humanity had computers to monitor all the import aspects of life (health, education, food, etc) and provide a collective, socialist setting in which entertainment, mindless or otherwise, was provided to occupy the minds and lives of society, would individual thought cease to remain?
This was a quick read, but the thoughts should stay with you for quite some time. I enjoyed the theme and setting, but like I said, I really didn't connect with the character. The author provided a copy of his work for this unbiased review.
Sci-Fi, Speculative, Short Story, GMO, AI, Individualism vs. Collectivism
This short, speculative science fiction story actually has a broad target for readers. Yes, it is Sci-Fi, but it is more about a philosophical position than anything else. Oh, there are NO magical beasts in this dystopian, post-nuclear war setting. UniCorn is the company that provides modified corn-based food for Texalifornia.
I didn't connect so much with the characters, but the underlying theme resonated loud and clear. I too can speculate on the future of humanity. With our booming technological advances (and perhaps because I love Sci-Fi), I can see human-tech integration becoming possible in my lifetime and AI becoming a reality in my children's' later years. Not tin-foil or Sky Net thoughts, but the foundation for the potential will come to fruition.
So, the position in my personal summary: If humanity had computers to monitor all the import aspects of life (health, education, food, etc) and provide a collective, socialist setting in which entertainment, mindless or otherwise, was provided to occupy the minds and lives of society, would individual thought cease to remain?
This was a quick read, but the thoughts should stay with you for quite some time. I enjoyed the theme and setting, but like I said, I really didn't connect with the character. The author provided a copy of his work for this unbiased review.
Sci-Fi, Speculative, Short Story, GMO, AI, Individualism vs. Collectivism
May 25, 2015
Imagine a world in which your most childish needs are the ones that dictate your rhythm, a world in which none of the meaningful emotions matter, just the ones that cater to your shallow side; imagine a world in which you are controlled without even knowing it, by the very same people who promise you fulfillment and happiness. The Actor, a novel about humankind’s most grotesque and unnecessary desires, about a world thorn to pieces by our most superficial aspirations, will captivate you from page one. This book has a little something for everyone: whether you love dystopian stories, or you read books that nurture your philosophical side, The Actor will not disappoint.
Different in a lot of ways from the author’s short stories, The Actor will still spoil you with beautiful words and passages that can develop into stories of their own. The lack of unnecessary details helps readers follow the line of the story, a story that constructs itself with the turning of each page, and introduces new details from beginning to end. The perspective from which the book is written adds an element of surprise to an already well-constructed plot, and the ending feeds your need for the unexpected.
Take what you want from this book, take the great story, take the flawed characters, or the elements of surprise; the twisted plot, the deeper meanings or the mirroring of future generations. Regardless of the way you choose to experience The Actor, you will enjoy reading it. The Actor is a wonderful novel, from an author whose imagination can move mountains, and built bridges from words and emotions, and it makes for an outstanding reading experience.
Different in a lot of ways from the author’s short stories, The Actor will still spoil you with beautiful words and passages that can develop into stories of their own. The lack of unnecessary details helps readers follow the line of the story, a story that constructs itself with the turning of each page, and introduces new details from beginning to end. The perspective from which the book is written adds an element of surprise to an already well-constructed plot, and the ending feeds your need for the unexpected.
Take what you want from this book, take the great story, take the flawed characters, or the elements of surprise; the twisted plot, the deeper meanings or the mirroring of future generations. Regardless of the way you choose to experience The Actor, you will enjoy reading it. The Actor is a wonderful novel, from an author whose imagination can move mountains, and built bridges from words and emotions, and it makes for an outstanding reading experience.
August 19, 2015
An Orwellian Dystopia For the Swipe Generation
Classic novel, 1984, gets an upgrade for iPhone users in this skillfully inspired quick read. The pages may be slight in this little book, but the impact is mighty. The book is small, but dense and intriguing. And Paul Wunderlich's florid and rich language create an impressively vivid future world.
We're uploaded to a world where technology is king, and government is its conniving concubine with the king's ear. The government of Texalifornia uses technology as emotional control to subjugate its citizens to the point that "trying to kill yourself was like trying to steal from the government." Human beings are regarded as lowly as cattle to be fed, maintained and profited off of by the food and medical corporations.
In our dystopia, language is superfluous, emotions are literally worn on your sleeves, and thoughts and intentions are transmitted brain to brain like text messages.
The parallels between overbearing government control and society's overabundance on technology in The Actor, and the state of today's affairs are so striking. "We give in ever so lightly to the controlling mechanisms of pleasure," as one character fatally observes.
Mindless Consumerism is an overarching theme of the book. Government controlled consumption of food, drinks and entertainment, and even human health, will make any reader think twice the next time they sit down in front of the flat screen to unload their DVR of network TV shows with soft drinks and pre-packaged snacks."
5.0 stars - [I'm excited to have won this as a Goodreads First Read – so thanks, Paul!]
Classic novel, 1984, gets an upgrade for iPhone users in this skillfully inspired quick read. The pages may be slight in this little book, but the impact is mighty. The book is small, but dense and intriguing. And Paul Wunderlich's florid and rich language create an impressively vivid future world.
We're uploaded to a world where technology is king, and government is its conniving concubine with the king's ear. The government of Texalifornia uses technology as emotional control to subjugate its citizens to the point that "trying to kill yourself was like trying to steal from the government." Human beings are regarded as lowly as cattle to be fed, maintained and profited off of by the food and medical corporations.
In our dystopia, language is superfluous, emotions are literally worn on your sleeves, and thoughts and intentions are transmitted brain to brain like text messages.
The parallels between overbearing government control and society's overabundance on technology in The Actor, and the state of today's affairs are so striking. "We give in ever so lightly to the controlling mechanisms of pleasure," as one character fatally observes.
Mindless Consumerism is an overarching theme of the book. Government controlled consumption of food, drinks and entertainment, and even human health, will make any reader think twice the next time they sit down in front of the flat screen to unload their DVR of network TV shows with soft drinks and pre-packaged snacks."
5.0 stars - [I'm excited to have won this as a Goodreads First Read – so thanks, Paul!]
June 29, 2015
The author asked me to write a review of his book , so i'm going to be honest;
At first I really liked the book, i found it really interesting and different from any other books i've red.
The protagonist Robert aka Yulius , the actor is really well characterized and i think that all the Uni-Corn thing was really original but then I felt like nothing really happened, I mean the protagonist just complain about what's wrong with the society but apart from changing the script he really does nothing in order to change things.
I think that the idea was fantastic and that was original but , i don't know , I think that Robert and the screenwriter had so much power in their hands but they didn't really used it.
In conclusion , I liked the book in general , the idea and the moral were original and really intelligent , i think that this type of society it's what we will become in the future but at the same time i felt like the book wasn't complete.
So that's because I gave 3 stars and I really want to thank the Author for this amazing opportunity!
At first I really liked the book, i found it really interesting and different from any other books i've red.
The protagonist Robert aka Yulius , the actor is really well characterized and i think that all the Uni-Corn thing was really original but then I felt like nothing really happened, I mean the protagonist just complain about what's wrong with the society but apart from changing the script he really does nothing in order to change things.
I think that the idea was fantastic and that was original but , i don't know , I think that Robert and the screenwriter had so much power in their hands but they didn't really used it.
In conclusion , I liked the book in general , the idea and the moral were original and really intelligent , i think that this type of society it's what we will become in the future but at the same time i felt like the book wasn't complete.
So that's because I gave 3 stars and I really want to thank the Author for this amazing opportunity!
September 7, 2015
I won this in a giveaway and it came last week. I finally picked it up. Its a thin book and a really quick read. Although it is small in size it packs a punch and you don't want to put it down until you finish. Set in the future when society is controlled by the corn industry after a nuclear event and all other foods are unable to grow. The point of view is from The Actor who is contracted by the corn company which is called UniCorn. I couldn't decide if that name was brilliant or driving me nuts! As his contract comes to an end, the Actor begins to realize that society has lost the ability to think and make decisions for itself and sets out to try to awaken people to the truth.
I would consider this for a slightly more mature audience. Well worth the read..
I would consider this for a slightly more mature audience. Well worth the read..
September 1, 2015
I won this novel in a goodreads drawing.
An unusual dystopian novel with elements of 1984, Brave New World, and Soylent Green.
In a post apocalyptic world, The Actor, at the end of his five year contract, is feeling unsatisfied. He yearns to make people feel something. Everybody eats food made of sweet corn syrup, and is fat, addicted to anti diabetic and other pills. Some fat lady has adventures that I guess lead into the second book of the series.
Not bad, but I would have liked to see a little more world building, actually.
An unusual dystopian novel with elements of 1984, Brave New World, and Soylent Green.
In a post apocalyptic world, The Actor, at the end of his five year contract, is feeling unsatisfied. He yearns to make people feel something. Everybody eats food made of sweet corn syrup, and is fat, addicted to anti diabetic and other pills. Some fat lady has adventures that I guess lead into the second book of the series.
Not bad, but I would have liked to see a little more world building, actually.
June 26, 2015
So far I really enjoy this book. The book i enjoyed it
July 26, 2015
I received this book free for review from the author in exchange for an honest review.
At first I that this will be better then George Orwell "1984", that book is better then this one. I liked the main character of the book. I find the main character lacking in the strong character part and the side character did nothing for the book.
Thoughts for the author and audience of all ages.
The author needs to explored the world and tell us how did that world started and how did the leaders of that world came about!
And what happens when you see it from the inside circle of leaders, like we did in George Orwell "1984"!
The author needs to explore the view of the audience view of what the leader look like to them, and what happen when a person consent with the eating of the food and the weight!
At first I that this will be better then George Orwell "1984", that book is better then this one. I liked the main character of the book. I find the main character lacking in the strong character part and the side character did nothing for the book.
Thoughts for the author and audience of all ages.
The author needs to explored the world and tell us how did that world started and how did the leaders of that world came about!
And what happens when you see it from the inside circle of leaders, like we did in George Orwell "1984"!
The author needs to explore the view of the audience view of what the leader look like to them, and what happen when a person consent with the eating of the food and the weight!
January 4, 2016
I started into this and wasn't sure that I would finish. I did stick it out and concluded that this was a bizarre satire inhabited by completely unlikeable characters situated in yet another post apocalyptic future. I could not muster much sympathy for any of the characters. I suspect that I am too unsophisticated to appreciate the obvious warning about a corporate conspiracy fostering consumerism and social engineering to a state of extreme absurdity.
Themes found in two other stories, Wall-E and Soylent Green, came to mind as I was reading this.
I will not be looking for the rest of the series.
Themes found in two other stories, Wall-E and Soylent Green, came to mind as I was reading this.
I will not be looking for the rest of the series.
October 7, 2015
I received this book free from a Goodreads Giveaway.
I enjoyed the premise of the book. It has a 1984 meets Idiocracy feel to it, as another reviewer has mentioned. It was a good quick read that kept my attention.
The spelling and grammar errors were distracting. 'New' instead of 'Knew' and 'You're' instead of 'Your' throughout the book. I don't think this made my rating any lower than it would have been, but I hope it gets fixed in the next revision.
I think more could have been done with this story. I'm hoping there will be a part 2 to explore this world more.
I enjoyed the premise of the book. It has a 1984 meets Idiocracy feel to it, as another reviewer has mentioned. It was a good quick read that kept my attention.
The spelling and grammar errors were distracting. 'New' instead of 'Knew' and 'You're' instead of 'Your' throughout the book. I don't think this made my rating any lower than it would have been, but I hope it gets fixed in the next revision.
I think more could have been done with this story. I'm hoping there will be a part 2 to explore this world more.
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December 29, 2015 A too-familiar dystopian without much depth.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews