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The Four Cities #0.5
Preset
Inception meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in this captivating prequel to the acclaimed, bestselling science fiction romance Reset by Sarina Dahlan
Can you give up a love you can't forget?
After the Last War destroyed most of the world, survivors formed a new society in four self-sustaining cities in the Mojave Desert. To halt extinction, everything in the Four Cities is carefully predicted and carefully controlled ... even love.
But how can you control love and freedom? In the engrossing prequel to Reset, Preset weaves the tales of Eleanor, the Crone, and Eli, the Planner, before and after the creation of the Four Cities. Much has changed in the world and their relationship, but there are some truths that have yet to come to light.
Fighting for change yet still loving her husband Eli, the scientist Eleanor travels to Elara, the lone city resisting fully bending to Eli's control. There she must separate reality from lies, memories from desires, as she tries to piece together the truth about what is happening in the Four Cities.
But the gulf between love and freedom, between the past and the now, between what we remember and what we strive to become can be as vast as the break between two hearts bound together. It is here, in the dark fissure left by loss, where Eleanor discovers the true cost that has been paid to save humanity.
Can you give up a love you can't forget?
After the Last War destroyed most of the world, survivors formed a new society in four self-sustaining cities in the Mojave Desert. To halt extinction, everything in the Four Cities is carefully predicted and carefully controlled ... even love.
But how can you control love and freedom? In the engrossing prequel to Reset, Preset weaves the tales of Eleanor, the Crone, and Eli, the Planner, before and after the creation of the Four Cities. Much has changed in the world and their relationship, but there are some truths that have yet to come to light.
Fighting for change yet still loving her husband Eli, the scientist Eleanor travels to Elara, the lone city resisting fully bending to Eli's control. There she must separate reality from lies, memories from desires, as she tries to piece together the truth about what is happening in the Four Cities.
But the gulf between love and freedom, between the past and the now, between what we remember and what we strive to become can be as vast as the break between two hearts bound together. It is here, in the dark fissure left by loss, where Eleanor discovers the true cost that has been paid to save humanity.
Hardcover
First published May 23, 2023
15 people are currently reading
2811 people want to read
About the author
Sarina Dahlan
9 books90 followersSarina Dahlan was born into an Indonesian family in Thailand, and immigrated to the United States at the age of twelve. While children in the west grew up on fairytales, she learned parables through ghost stories, mythologies, and Japanese manga.
A graduate of the University of California, San Diego with degrees in Psychology and Visual Arts, she has blended both disciplines in careers as an advertising producer, corporate marketing strategist, small business owner, and a writer.
She finds inspiration for her stories in traveling, the people she knows, and the places she has lived. She currently resides in San Diego, California with her family.
A graduate of the University of California, San Diego with degrees in Psychology and Visual Arts, she has blended both disciplines in careers as an advertising producer, corporate marketing strategist, small business owner, and a writer.
She finds inspiration for her stories in traveling, the people she knows, and the places she has lived. She currently resides in San Diego, California with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 28, 2024
Author’s Note:
This book is the 2nd of the series set in the Four Cities, a post apocalyptic Utopia where memories are erased in the name of peace. It reads, however, like a standalone as I intend my books in this series to be. You can even read this before RESET, the first book. Each is a story about love—in all its glory, complexity, sweetness, and pain. This one centers around the marriage of two passionate, idealistic people. A lovers-to-enemies-to-? story perhaps.
PRESET is the most difficult and intricate story I’ve ever wrestled with, in both character development and plot. I began it in 2019, paused and restarted it many times in between writing two other books (and a few half written ones), and finished editing it in the summer of 2022 during a year of personal loss. But the fact that this book required me to grow and age alongside it doesn’t make me upset. It made me better.
I’m beyond grateful you’ve chosen to spend your precious time with Eli and Eleanor, the Planner and the Crone—creators of the Four Cities. I hope I did them justice.
This book is the 2nd of the series set in the Four Cities, a post apocalyptic Utopia where memories are erased in the name of peace. It reads, however, like a standalone as I intend my books in this series to be. You can even read this before RESET, the first book. Each is a story about love—in all its glory, complexity, sweetness, and pain. This one centers around the marriage of two passionate, idealistic people. A lovers-to-enemies-to-? story perhaps.
PRESET is the most difficult and intricate story I’ve ever wrestled with, in both character development and plot. I began it in 2019, paused and restarted it many times in between writing two other books (and a few half written ones), and finished editing it in the summer of 2022 during a year of personal loss. But the fact that this book required me to grow and age alongside it doesn’t make me upset. It made me better.
I’m beyond grateful you’ve chosen to spend your precious time with Eli and Eleanor, the Planner and the Crone—creators of the Four Cities. I hope I did them justice.
May 29, 2023
4.5*
I really enjoyed the author’s first book in this world, Reset. I mean clearly, otherwise I’d not have requested this one, eh? Anyway, this is a prequel if we’re being technical, but it can be read as a standalone. Regardless of HOW you read it, you should read it because it’s pretty great.
I enjoyed the story in Reset, but the emotional side of Preset took the whole series to the next level. I was already invested in this world which proposes the thought provoking concept of literally resetting your life. But NOW. Now I am wholly invested in the characters, and I am even MORE invested in the world building since I understand the hugely emotional impetus that lead to it.
Bottom Line: I cannot wait for more of this series! The world is so thought provoking, and now I’m all in on the characters too.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
I really enjoyed the author’s first book in this world, Reset. I mean clearly, otherwise I’d not have requested this one, eh? Anyway, this is a prequel if we’re being technical, but it can be read as a standalone. Regardless of HOW you read it, you should read it because it’s pretty great.
I enjoyed the story in Reset, but the emotional side of Preset took the whole series to the next level. I was already invested in this world which proposes the thought provoking concept of literally resetting your life. But NOW. Now I am wholly invested in the characters, and I am even MORE invested in the world building since I understand the hugely emotional impetus that lead to it.
Bottom Line: I cannot wait for more of this series! The world is so thought provoking, and now I’m all in on the characters too.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
November 18, 2025
I definitely enjoyed this one more than the first in the series.
There were a few times I got a bit lost, between the dual pov, and dual time lines of past and present that would change mid chapter, I'd end up going back a few times to reread a page or so to get me back on track.
The twist at the end was interesting and I feel like it really laid out why the events in Reset take place. Excited to see how the series concluded in Freeset.
There were a few times I got a bit lost, between the dual pov, and dual time lines of past and present that would change mid chapter, I'd end up going back a few times to reread a page or so to get me back on track.
The twist at the end was interesting and I feel like it really laid out why the events in Reset take place. Excited to see how the series concluded in Freeset.
May 23, 2023
What a delightful mindfuck of a book.
Thank you to the publishers at Blackstone publishing for a chance to read the ARC in exchange for a review!
Honestly, I’m still recovering from some of the revelations of this book. I can’t wait to get my hands on Reset to understand the world of the four cities more in depth.
This book hurt so good. Please go read it; if you have no idea what’s happening for a bit of the book, that’s fine. The story didn’t click for me until 80% through the book but once it did, it destroyed me.
Finally, even though there’s a lot of play with memory and perceptions of reality, I’d actually say that the story feels more like Children of Men meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, set in a post apocalyptic world.
Thank you to the publishers at Blackstone publishing for a chance to read the ARC in exchange for a review!
Honestly, I’m still recovering from some of the revelations of this book. I can’t wait to get my hands on Reset to understand the world of the four cities more in depth.
This book hurt so good. Please go read it; if you have no idea what’s happening for a bit of the book, that’s fine. The story didn’t click for me until 80% through the book but once it did, it destroyed me.
Finally, even though there’s a lot of play with memory and perceptions of reality, I’d actually say that the story feels more like Children of Men meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, set in a post apocalyptic world.
May 7, 2024
While the author states this is a prequel to Reset just as much as it is a stand-alone, I definitely feel like I would have enjoyed it more re-reading Reset beforehand.
Read
May 23, 2023This dystopian sci-fi book follows the end of the rest of the world via bombs. It’s described in such a way that was so heartbreaking. This futuristic world that was created and maintained by Eli, Eleanor and his team is such an interesting take on how we could/ would survive.
The story follows a love story of Eli and Eleanor with both current events and their history of their romance in flash backs to both the making of this new world as well as Eleanor and Eli’s start, their love story. The mystery behind what Eleanor is worried about and what drove a wedge between her and Eli is what really had me curious and on the edge. The twist at the end is quite a huge twist. This book can be read on its own even though it’s a prequel to Reset.
The story follows a love story of Eli and Eleanor with both current events and their history of their romance in flash backs to both the making of this new world as well as Eleanor and Eli’s start, their love story. The mystery behind what Eleanor is worried about and what drove a wedge between her and Eli is what really had me curious and on the edge. The twist at the end is quite a huge twist. This book can be read on its own even though it’s a prequel to Reset.
Read
November 30, 2023Preset, Dahlan's prequel to Reset, is about love, memory, and resistance. It's deeply devoted to discussing what will tip the scales. If we have everything, what would it take for us to turn? Would it be the shattering of the illusion of what we have? Would it be the secrets in our other options? Preset took me back to the dystopian days full of medical experimentation, ethics for the 'greater good', and control in the face of danger.
May 22, 2023
"Preset" is the prequel to "Reset". It builds the world that "Reset" lives in. But it's not just building a world for stories to exist in; it's building a reality that you will simultaneously occupy and suspect.
I've said it before and it remains truer now than ever: Sarina Dahlan is an author that defies definition. To call her Sci-Fi is an insult to the truth she speaks about the human condition. To call her Fantasy is an insult to the reality that she can absolutely rip your heart out of your chest and the tears from your eyes. To call her Fiction is to ignore the fact that every one of her characters exists within every one of us.
The Four Cities post war identity unfolds page after page as we learn the story of the doomed lovers that created it. From idealistic young newly-weds to adversaries on humanity's preservation. Dahlan's characters teach us deep truths about what people will do to survive and thrive through the harshest of circumstances, even going so far as to wage asymmetric warfare in a battleground that is not as it seems.
"Preset" is a masterclass in misdirection as an intricate web unravels revealing the devastating truth
Dahlan points out: We are more likely to question the laws of physics than our own perceptions of reality.
I've said it before and it remains truer now than ever: Sarina Dahlan is an author that defies definition. To call her Sci-Fi is an insult to the truth she speaks about the human condition. To call her Fantasy is an insult to the reality that she can absolutely rip your heart out of your chest and the tears from your eyes. To call her Fiction is to ignore the fact that every one of her characters exists within every one of us.
The Four Cities post war identity unfolds page after page as we learn the story of the doomed lovers that created it. From idealistic young newly-weds to adversaries on humanity's preservation. Dahlan's characters teach us deep truths about what people will do to survive and thrive through the harshest of circumstances, even going so far as to wage asymmetric warfare in a battleground that is not as it seems.
"Preset" is a masterclass in misdirection as an intricate web unravels revealing the devastating truth
Dahlan points out: We are more likely to question the laws of physics than our own perceptions of reality.
November 23, 2025
*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
3.5
This was such a surprise! I don't recall requesting this eARC, but it has been languishing on my kindle for years until I picked it up on a whim and I flew through it in one night.
Set in a dystopian future where survivors of an apocalypse live in four self-sustaining cities, we follow Eleanor and Eli before and after the Four Cities were created. The set up is a little jarring at first and it took about 30% of the book for me to fully buy in, but when I did, I was sold. We see how these Cities came to be and how the creation of the Cities impacted Eleanor and Eli's relationship. The book is an interesting character study while also having fascinating world building. And the ending had me staring at my kindle in disbelief.
I am intrigued to see where the other two books in this series go, and how they continue to build out this world.
3.5
This was such a surprise! I don't recall requesting this eARC, but it has been languishing on my kindle for years until I picked it up on a whim and I flew through it in one night.
Set in a dystopian future where survivors of an apocalypse live in four self-sustaining cities, we follow Eleanor and Eli before and after the Four Cities were created. The set up is a little jarring at first and it took about 30% of the book for me to fully buy in, but when I did, I was sold. We see how these Cities came to be and how the creation of the Cities impacted Eleanor and Eli's relationship. The book is an interesting character study while also having fascinating world building. And the ending had me staring at my kindle in disbelief.
I am intrigued to see where the other two books in this series go, and how they continue to build out this world.
May 11, 2024
I liked this a little more than reset. It was interesting to learn how society got to the place it was in reset and to learn about the crone and the planner before they were the crone and the planner.
June 29, 2024
3.5 stars - just like Reset, rounded up to 4. Same thing every time, haha. The middle of the book dragged a bit, then you get to the end and it's just whiplash after whiplash.
Can never stand by Eli though - consent is important and his view is very paternalistic.
Can never stand by Eli though - consent is important and his view is very paternalistic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2023
Better than average scifi.
June 9, 2023
What a great dystopian read! It was really immersive and atmospheric. I highly recommend this for dystopia fans.
December 9, 2023
Dystopian, bleak, and sad
September 13, 2023
Whatever you do, keep reading. There truly is a clever twist that brings it all into focus!
December 15, 2023
Interesting look back into the origin of the Four Cities, and the lives of Eleanor and Eli.
I always find it a little hard to go backwards in a story to a prequel, but when the prequel is written afterwards then I feel the need to go in the published order. This one goes back in time pretty far, beginning shortly after Eleanor has run away from Eli to join the Resistance movement. Her goal is to find her friend, John Chang, who appears to have been Eli’s partner in the time when Eli was incepting the Four Cities.
It's basically a back and forth between Eleanor's experience on the side fighting for personal freedoms and Eli's experience controlling everyone. The twist at the end rounded me up to 4 stars from 3.5. I am looking forward to seeing what comes in Freeset! Hoping it's towards the future again. I like the concept of known memory wiping better versus the more shady stuff that was a part of this one.
I always find it a little hard to go backwards in a story to a prequel, but when the prequel is written afterwards then I feel the need to go in the published order. This one goes back in time pretty far, beginning shortly after Eleanor has run away from Eli to join the Resistance movement. Her goal is to find her friend, John Chang, who appears to have been Eli’s partner in the time when Eli was incepting the Four Cities.
It's basically a back and forth between Eleanor's experience on the side fighting for personal freedoms and Eli's experience controlling everyone. The twist at the end rounded me up to 4 stars from 3.5. I am looking forward to seeing what comes in Freeset! Hoping it's towards the future again. I like the concept of known memory wiping better versus the more shady stuff that was a part of this one.
June 8, 2024
This one was better written but still very confusing. Having a tough time with this series and I’m bummed about it.
January 31, 2023
I absolutely loved Reset, which Preset is the prequel to, so I was excited to get my hands on this ARC. It did not disappoint!
Dahlan once again works magic with her prose. It has such a dreamy quality. You can fall into the words and almost forget the apocalyptic world where these characters are fighting to forge their new lives. Preset is deeply emotional and deeply thoughtful. Heartwarming and heartbreaking. The characters, Eleanor and Eli and so many of the side characters, will live with you long after you have finished their story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone for the opportunity.
Dahlan once again works magic with her prose. It has such a dreamy quality. You can fall into the words and almost forget the apocalyptic world where these characters are fighting to forge their new lives. Preset is deeply emotional and deeply thoughtful. Heartwarming and heartbreaking. The characters, Eleanor and Eli and so many of the side characters, will live with you long after you have finished their story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone for the opportunity.
February 28, 2023
What risks will we take to hold onto each other and ourselves, this elegant and ethereal novel asks. Through her sage storytelling, Sarina Dahlan richly weaves philosophy, science, and dystopia through the complexities of the human psyche, relationships, and the desire to protect what we hold dearest. This dazzling prequel clutches its secrets tightly as seeds in the palm, cleverly scattering them for us enchanted readers to follow until the novel’s bittersweet end, which, of course, is only the beginning. PRESET offers a trenchant meditation on what we both lose and gain when we choose to remember.
May 23, 2023
This book is so beautifully written and the story, oh my. I loved the world and characters. Such a relevant conversation to have right now— the trade off between choice and freedom vs control and peace.
I could emphasize with everyone’s decisions, even the villain’s, which makes their struggles all the more painful.
And the plot twists 🤯🥰 this book left me stunned and wanting to retread it immediately!!
I could emphasize with everyone’s decisions, even the villain’s, which makes their struggles all the more painful.
And the plot twists 🤯🥰 this book left me stunned and wanting to retread it immediately!!
December 21, 2022
Preset grabs you by the heart and doesn't let go until it's wrung every emotion dry. Sarina Dahlan has a gift for weaving fresh post-apocalyptic worlds that capture the imagination in the most beautiful and tragic of ways. As a prequel to Reset, Preset is a startling exploration into what it means to live, love, and lose. I won't soon be able to forget Eleanor and Eli, and I don't want to.
January 17, 2023
I absolutely loved Reset, so I was thrilled to be able to read its prequel, Preset. Finding out how the world of Reset began, plus the personal history of its creators, was very satisfying. There was mystery, danger, love and a huge twist in this story! Excellent Sci Fi page turner!
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for access to this arc.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for access to this arc.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews