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Patenting Peter
My wife says the Bureau isn’t watching me. She says there aren’t cameras in my contact lenses. No microphone in the ‘vitamin pill’ they made me swallow on the submarine into Tokyo.
She says I’m paranoid. That I should get off the couch, and find a job.
But there’s a glowing number in the bottom-right corner of my vision. And each time I move, each time I yawn, or slouch, or laugh too loudly, the number ticks upwards.
My wife says the Bureau isn’t watching me.
She would say that. She works for them.
Plunge into Patenting Peter, a psychological sci-fi thriller.
She says I’m paranoid. That I should get off the couch, and find a job.
But there’s a glowing number in the bottom-right corner of my vision. And each time I move, each time I yawn, or slouch, or laugh too loudly, the number ticks upwards.
My wife says the Bureau isn’t watching me.
She would say that. She works for them.
Plunge into Patenting Peter, a psychological sci-fi thriller.
35 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2017
32 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Jason Werbeloff
60 books326 followersHuman. Male. From an obscure planet in the Milky Way Galaxy. Sci-fi novelist with a PhD in philosophy. Likes chocolates, Labradors, and zombies (not necessarily in that order). Werbeloff spends his days constructing thought experiments, while trying to muster enough guilt to go to the gym.
He's the author of the sci-fi thriller trilogy, Defragmenting Daniel, two novels, Hedon and The Solace Pill, and the short story anthology, Obsidian Worlds. His books will make your brain hurt. And you'll come back for more.
Subscribe to his newsletter to receive a free book, and a lifetime of free and discounted stories.
**Amazon Author Page - download all of Werbeloff's fiction from Amazon.
**Facebook and Twitter - follow Werbeloff for release date information on upcoming novels.
**Website - read about the author, and the philosophy behind his fiction.
He's the author of the sci-fi thriller trilogy, Defragmenting Daniel, two novels, Hedon and The Solace Pill, and the short story anthology, Obsidian Worlds. His books will make your brain hurt. And you'll come back for more.
Subscribe to his newsletter to receive a free book, and a lifetime of free and discounted stories.
**Amazon Author Page - download all of Werbeloff's fiction from Amazon.
**Facebook and Twitter - follow Werbeloff for release date information on upcoming novels.
**Website - read about the author, and the philosophy behind his fiction.
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 13, 2017
In the bubble anything is possible, even patenting movement.
What is Peter going to do in the Tokyo bubble? His actions were much more fun than I could possibly have imagined, I definitely read with a smile as I waited for a twist that I tried and failed to figure out. The ending, as always, was out of this world and left me stunned but delighted.
What I enjoy about these books is that the settings and characters are so bizarre, yet it is a place I can imagine coming to pass.
A mighty 5 stars and a book I would recommend to anyone as this is a wonderful, weird world.
What is Peter going to do in the Tokyo bubble? His actions were much more fun than I could possibly have imagined, I definitely read with a smile as I waited for a twist that I tried and failed to figure out. The ending, as always, was out of this world and left me stunned but delighted.
What I enjoy about these books is that the settings and characters are so bizarre, yet it is a place I can imagine coming to pass.
A mighty 5 stars and a book I would recommend to anyone as this is a wonderful, weird world.
August 14, 2017
What a quirky, fun sci-fi short story, my first by this author but I will be reading another.
April 15, 2017
Another great short story set in the world of The Bubble. There is plenty to like about this tale - an amusing, sardonic and surprisingly sympathetic main character, a worthy and rather enigmatic adversary and a little bit of the art of Salsa. I really enjoyed the expansion of the Bubble world to another location with it's own customs and quirks and I hope the author continues to explore and share the workings of this realm.
April 25, 2017
Another cracking short from inside The Bubble. The Bubble first appeared in the Defragmenting Daniel trilogy.
I loved the idea that non purposeful movements are taxed to the hilt here. The main character - Peter - gives us his insights into his wife (who just happens to work for the Tax Bureau!), his marriage (or the lack of), and his enjoyment at running up a huge bill - to be paid for by his wife alone. Revenge is sweet...but not how you think.
Werbeloff is so precise with his wording. Not a single word is superfluous. During Peter's 'running up of the bill' and afterwards, the reader feels everything. This is so well written, we are 'as one' with Peter, seeing, touching, moving, until the final stretch and then...
Werbeloff never lets you down in terms of entertainment value, unusual subject matter, or the beautifully cringing twists he adds. Long live The Bubble! Wonderful.
I loved the idea that non purposeful movements are taxed to the hilt here. The main character - Peter - gives us his insights into his wife (who just happens to work for the Tax Bureau!), his marriage (or the lack of), and his enjoyment at running up a huge bill - to be paid for by his wife alone. Revenge is sweet...but not how you think.
Werbeloff is so precise with his wording. Not a single word is superfluous. During Peter's 'running up of the bill' and afterwards, the reader feels everything. This is so well written, we are 'as one' with Peter, seeing, touching, moving, until the final stretch and then...
Werbeloff never lets you down in terms of entertainment value, unusual subject matter, or the beautifully cringing twists he adds. Long live The Bubble! Wonderful.
April 25, 2017
Another great short story set in the Bubble, another character in this universe, with enough twists and changes to enjoy it as thoroughly as all the others. It is set in the Tokyo Bubble this time, which allows for many interesting cultural changes. And just a note if you mind the gore in some of Jason Werbeloff stories, this one is pretty safe. But it is, as usual, very witty, funny, with plot twists, and making you think, all at the same time.
I'm looking forward to reading more of his stories in the future!
Disclaimer: I received a free advance reader copy of this ebook from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
I'm looking forward to reading more of his stories in the future!
Disclaimer: I received a free advance reader copy of this ebook from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
April 24, 2017
Jason Werbeloff and "The Bubble" continue to entertain me with each new addition to this world. In this story, Peter is a discontented husband acting out while his wife is at work. He suspicions that he is under constant surveillance by the Tokyo Bubble government, in general, and his wife in particular, while toting up the “movement tax” on his actions. He tries to garner his wife’s attention with more and more outrageousness until he succeeds. And succeed he does. Just not with the results he was hoping for.
The Bubble World short stories are a super addition to the Defragmenting Daniel trilogy. Don’t miss it or the supplemental stories.
The Bubble World short stories are a super addition to the Defragmenting Daniel trilogy. Don’t miss it or the supplemental stories.
April 19, 2017
When I read fiction, I've got three threads functioning: is it an interesting premise, does it spin out a good tale, and how well is it written?
If you have not yet read any of his stories set in the Bubble universe, you are in for a treat. The premise is solid, with a bend on current physics. The short stories are not directly linked and can be read in any order, before or after Defragmenting Daniel, but they build a consistent framework.
The plot of this individual story is likewise solid, though short. We really focus on Peter and his thoughts, with minimal dialog, but that is part of the tale itself. His internal arguments move the story from its beginning to its unexpected end. Even knowing that there was going to be a surprise ending did not prepare me for what Mr. Werbeloff delivered.
In the year or so that I have known of this author, his craftsmanship has consistently impressed. He balances humor, pathos, and the grotesque. These shorts are as long as they must be, but no longer. Most telling, his imagery is first rate and will delight the sensory reader.
I did receive an advance copy of this and some of his other work, in order to post early reviews. Once it is officially released, I heartily recommend this and his other stories.
If you have not yet read any of his stories set in the Bubble universe, you are in for a treat. The premise is solid, with a bend on current physics. The short stories are not directly linked and can be read in any order, before or after Defragmenting Daniel, but they build a consistent framework.
The plot of this individual story is likewise solid, though short. We really focus on Peter and his thoughts, with minimal dialog, but that is part of the tale itself. His internal arguments move the story from its beginning to its unexpected end. Even knowing that there was going to be a surprise ending did not prepare me for what Mr. Werbeloff delivered.
In the year or so that I have known of this author, his craftsmanship has consistently impressed. He balances humor, pathos, and the grotesque. These shorts are as long as they must be, but no longer. Most telling, his imagery is first rate and will delight the sensory reader.
I did receive an advance copy of this and some of his other work, in order to post early reviews. Once it is officially released, I heartily recommend this and his other stories.
April 21, 2017
You can run, but you cannot hide
Patenting Peter is another wonderful short by Werbeloff. Peter is a sympathetic guy you can really relate to. Though I wouldn’t necessarily do the stuff Peter does, like running around naked.
Peter’s relationship with his wife has cooled a bit. He desperately tries to get his wife to notice him; even though Peter has the feeling that his wife is constantly watching him.
In the Tokyo Bubble where Peter lives, idle movements are heavily taxed. His wife works at the Tax Bureau and running up a huge bill seems the perfect way to get to his wife.
The way Peter manages this is a lot of fun to read. In the end there is, of course, a price to pay…
Werbeloff is known for his wild twists at the end of his stories. This time he really out did himself. Be in for a very nice surprise!
Patenting Peter is another wonderful short by Werbeloff. Peter is a sympathetic guy you can really relate to. Though I wouldn’t necessarily do the stuff Peter does, like running around naked.
Peter’s relationship with his wife has cooled a bit. He desperately tries to get his wife to notice him; even though Peter has the feeling that his wife is constantly watching him.
In the Tokyo Bubble where Peter lives, idle movements are heavily taxed. His wife works at the Tax Bureau and running up a huge bill seems the perfect way to get to his wife.
The way Peter manages this is a lot of fun to read. In the end there is, of course, a price to pay…
Werbeloff is known for his wild twists at the end of his stories. This time he really out did himself. Be in for a very nice surprise!
April 14, 2017
OMG I LOVED this story! I have read all of Werbeloff's novellas, shorts, the Defragmenting trilogy, and just everything he majestically wrote. He is the BEST! Patenting Peter is a very fast-paced story about our dear, dear Peter. I can't tell you much more cuz I want you to experience it all yourself. Just hang on for his crazy adventures. So unpredictable, so chancy, so bold.... our dear, dear Peter...enter the Bubble at your own risk, and if you have not met Daniel in Defragmenting Daniel, you must meet him and journey with him on his wild adventures. Werbeloff creates wonderful characters, spellbinding stories, cool cyberpunk sci-fi, and in his book of short stories, some really, truly touching shorts... or no shorts... as in the case of our dear, dear, naked Peter... oops! I must go now! Don't want to spoil anything! Read and enjoy!!
July 12, 2017
This is a quick sci-fi read. An interesting story of one man's paranoia. Is he crazy, or is someone really watching him?
Finding out the answer to that question kept me entertained.
Finding out the answer to that question kept me entertained.
August 19, 2017
What if it cost money every time you moved, and the more elaborate the motion, the more expensive it would be? And what if a man who no longer cares about life and wants to send a message to his wife - via her bank account - comes up with the most extravagant series of motions he can think of? Some results you might be able to guess, but you won't see the end coming until it hits you. This story is the most loosely connected to the world and events of
Defragmenting Daniel
of all the short stories collected in
The Crimson Meniscus
.
May 12, 2017
I liked it way too much for what it was. The ending was catchy enough to pull it all together in spite of numerous shortcomings. If this is a hint of "Defragmenting Daniel" I might push that up a few notches in the reading queue. Not keen on the world in this dystopia, nor the people in it, but if it all implodes into chaos and despair, all is not lost.
September 28, 2017
This was not nearly.as good as other books written by Jason Werbeloff. Interesting...yes but it was lacking in many areas. Not his best work.
October 28, 2017
Weird
Yup, this is a weird one. This not a world I'd want to live in. I:m still not sure if Peter's wife was even human. A short story with an odd twist.
Yup, this is a weird one. This not a world I'd want to live in. I:m still not sure if Peter's wife was even human. A short story with an odd twist.
January 15, 2018
I really enjoyed this short sci-fi. It was so creative and original, even the characters inside their strange world were unpredictable. A great and fun read.
July 10, 2019
A lecture in brain biology. Physically draining. I don't understand why I read it.
Tragic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Wonderful characters.
Tragic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Wonderful characters.
June 3, 2017
Wow... I'm not even sure I know where to begin with this one. Patenting Peter was one weird piece of short story. I think I liked it, if for nothing else, because it was science fiction weirdness in a way I've never experienced before. Jason Werbeloff has done something special in creating this odd futuristic world.
Unfortunately I felt early on that I didn't like the main character, Peter, in this story all that much. I found him to be paranoid, disrespectful to his wife and just living in his own world. I didn't feel that much for him, and I found myself wondering if he was completely insane or if he was actually on to something in suspecting his wife to be spying on him (through his contact lenses!). The perspective of the story was also one sided, and because of that you don't really know what to feel about his wife or anyone else that Peter interacts with. Which, of course, deepens the mystery. But I still just didn't like the guy, and I think that at least feeling something more for a character than what I did here is important to me.
So I liked the story because it was so uniquely weird. But then again I didn't like it all too much. But then again the story sort of stayed with me just because it was so weird and because I can't remember reading anything quite like it before...
The Body Movement Bureau... I mean, really? Having to pay taxes for body movements that aren't efficient enough? Yeah, I told you it was weird...
Unfortunately I felt early on that I didn't like the main character, Peter, in this story all that much. I found him to be paranoid, disrespectful to his wife and just living in his own world. I didn't feel that much for him, and I found myself wondering if he was completely insane or if he was actually on to something in suspecting his wife to be spying on him (through his contact lenses!). The perspective of the story was also one sided, and because of that you don't really know what to feel about his wife or anyone else that Peter interacts with. Which, of course, deepens the mystery. But I still just didn't like the guy, and I think that at least feeling something more for a character than what I did here is important to me.
So I liked the story because it was so uniquely weird. But then again I didn't like it all too much. But then again the story sort of stayed with me just because it was so weird and because I can't remember reading anything quite like it before...
Cassandra said the Bureau doesn’t watch you. Not individually. It was all automated, she said. I was being paranoid, she said. But I knew better. How else did they monitor your body movements? How else did they know when you smirked, or walked haughtily, or moped, or laughed too loudly? They knew. They knew, and they taxed you for it.
The Body Movement Bureau... I mean, really? Having to pay taxes for body movements that aren't efficient enough? Yeah, I told you it was weird...
April 24, 2017
Who is to say what the future holds and the road to success in Patenting Peter by Jason Werebeloff is twisted and perverted, leading to much anguish in Peter’s life in this eerie, creepy, futuristic, science fiction short story that left me a bit disgusted, amused and thinking, “Am I really paranoid if Someone Is Watching Me?”
Check out fundinmental for more fabulous books
Check out fundinmental for more fabulous books
April 27, 2017
The short stories from Jason's Bubble universe are really very good. If you have read the Defragmenting Daniel trilogy, or even if you haven't, you will enjoy these stories. This one is about Peter, who is trying to get his wife's attention by being a bit naughty. It works, in Werbeloff's weird way. :-D
April 27, 2017
Peter develops self esteem issues when he can't find work. But you still feel sorry for him as his problems mount. There's suspense and a lot of humour. And a surprising ending.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews