Conscious Designs

by Nathanial White

Eugene, a wealthy paraplegic, must decide whether to preserve his consciousness forever in a digital utopia or suffer the pain tormenting his existence. Yet the more he learns about digital replication, the more deeply he understands personhood, empathy, and the value of suffering.

Genres: Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction

133 pages, Paperback

Published May 3, 2022

Reviews

[Gracie Westphal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. White teaches at my high school, and although I have not had the privilege of being his student, I am proud to have been able to read his book (and get it signed, tee hee).
Conscious Designs was incredibly thought provoking. While at first the large, scientific words began to scare me off, the intense, engrossing story started to pull me in and I was hooked till the very last page. While the length of the novella is, obviously, quite short, the ending was satisfying and, for lack of a better term, crisp. It felt like taking a bit of a nice, well-balanced sandwich: you have a little crunch and all the perfect flavors mixed together, and by the time you're done you feel satisfied and you're left thinking about how good that sandwich you just ate was.
I also want to mention the fact that the neuropathic pain described in the book is a reflection of White's own encounter with it. The fact that this book was partly inspired by the author's own experience with a spinal cord injury (if I'm not mistaken) only makes the content more enriching and accurate.
Overall, the book was great and I can't wait to possibly read more by White in the future.

[Jamie Hahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one certainly made me think. I loved what was revealed in the second chapter, it really packed a punch. One I wasn't expecting in such a short lil novella. This read like a Black Mirror episode, but not one of the shitty ones that just makes you depressed. Like one of the good ones that makes you think about life, humanity, technology, death, and ~*the future*~. I found the ending to be a little confusing / ambiguous, and I wish there was more discussion about it available to peruse on the world wide web (maybe we need to start our own discussion? lol).

[Andy P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought-provoking, I have always really enjoyed stories about saving human consciousness into the digital sphere. I find a lot of novellas like this seem to rush the story a bit, and I am sometimes disappointed in the ending.

This is totally worth the read, excellent bang for the time spent buck! There are a couple of fun plot twists along the way to keep it interesting.

[Mikke Marttinen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conscious Designs is an emotional and thought-provoking read. The story brings us deep into the emotional journey of its two main characters, Eugene and Corina, while also eliciting complex questions related to suffering, human connection, and, as the title implies, consciousness. The story deals with tragedy, but it is also a beautiful reflection on life. Highly recommended.

[Brandon W. Teigland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nathanial White’s "Conscious Designs" is as ominous as a future crime that goes unpunishable. Its hideous approximations of posthuman potential sing a speculative language I have never heard. Alien and haunting.

[Jacob Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very awesome concept. Beautiful story while inquiring about dilemmas we may face sooner than we think, and intertwining it with emotional and physical pain that I may not be able to relate to, but can empathize with in this novella. Mr. White, bravo!

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tight and philosophical, this neatly-written novella wins through hope, despair, guilt and shame to explore the idea of self and consciousness.

[Calvin Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story on self reflection and understanding what is important in your life.

[Leí Montae · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Lot of this definitely went over my head but I appreciate the message it was trying to convey.
Good drama mixed in with some sci-fi technological ideas. Not mad at it.

[Sofia Rios · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing. Top book I have read this year by far!!!

[Cara Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conscious Designs is an engrossing exploration of the nexus between life and death, humanity and technology, self and collective consciousness. Author Nathanial White uses thought-provoking prose to pose my favorite storytelling question: What if? Through technology, protagonist Eugene Wallace and his wife experience alternate versions of their lives - or do they? Even their simplest exchanges offer opportunities to consider the contradictions of the human condition:

- “To suffer is to be human. But we can also suffer alone,” he said.
“No, to share in suffering. That’s what makes us human.”

I was intrigued by Eugene’s three different physical modes: paralyzed and in pain, paralyzed with technological mobility but still in pain, freed from paralysis and pain but only by losing his sense of self. I also have minor spinal cord damage, and invisible pain and disability are part of my daily life. The writing touched on things I have trouble expressing to those who don’t experience it:

- “I just don’t understand why he still feels pain, why his digital body is still paralyzed. This is just pain that he is imagining. It isn’t real. Right?”

This novella is both beautiful and unnerving. It's complete as-is, but I'd be all-in if White expanded it into a longer novel, or if some visionary turned it into a feature film. Highly recommend!