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If Black Mirror, Blade Runner, and Amazon Prime’s Upload had a literary lovechild, it would be Derek Cressman’s Virtuality (released this very day!). This is satirical dystopian sci-fi that feels less like fiction and more like a documentary from ten years in the future, one where we’ve all willingly plugged our brains into the algorithm and forgotten what reality looks like. Given I wasn’t much of a fan of the cover, which admittedly feels a bit generic, I was genuinely surprised by how well-written and engaging Virtuality turned out to be.
Set in 2065 Southern California, Virtuality imagines a world where everyone has a MyndScreen, a neural implant that streams constant VR content directly into your brain. Society runs on “infotainment consumption,” where citizens are economically valued primarily for viewing content, and independent thought is literally deemed a threat to economic growth. When a hacker disrupts the virtual reality transmissions, a group of misfits will discover that their addiction to virtual reality can have devastating consequences, and that the system holding society together is far more fragile than anyone imagined.
The novel follows several POV characters, labelled at the top of each chapter (which I really appreciated—multiple POVs can be disorienting, but Cressman handles it well). Each character represents a different layer of this collapsing society. For instance, Chase is a former screenwriter who spent 17 years sedated in an Entertainment Home, essentially trapped in a VR loop of reality shows, online poker, porn, and endless content. Likewise, Oscar is a resourceful teen who lives outside the core urban centers in real-world poverty. He’s not fully plugged into the MyndScreen world, which gives him survival instincts that others like Chase lack.
Caspian Blaine is another really interesting character, a corporate social climber at OrangeVine Foundation, and he’s the kind of delusional tech bro we all recognize. “He could do this. He was Caspian Blaine,” he says to himself, like a mantra. He’s shallow, self-important, and yet somehow he’s one of the most entertaining characters to read. Aneeka Randall rounds out the POV cast as a guilt-ridden Educate (high-ranking technocrat). Originally encouraging the brain upgrades, she’s become corrupted by bureaucratic and economic pressures. Over time, she begins to realize she’s helped build a cage for humanity, not a cure.
The world-building is eerily prescient and disturbingly detailed. Sure, we haven’t reached brain implants yet, but the Apple Vision Pro is pretty damn close, and I’m convinced that as soon as the prices drop, these technologies will infiltrate our lives exactly as Cressman predicts. The book describes how “modern MyndScreen operating systems used eye movements to control the curser… OrangeVine’s virtual conference table was now superimposed atop the line where an overcast sky met steel blue ocean.” In an era where we are actually capable of achieving such technology, it’s disturbingly plausible, and reading Virtuality made me acutely aware of how much time I spend staring at screens.
The book has several lovely details that enhance the reading experience and show real attention to detail. There are emojicons scattered throughout, different fonts for text messages, and character names in italics at the top of each chapter. My favorite detail? The glossary at the end of the book, which is genuinely fun to read on its own. Terms like “Vues” are all explained, and some of the definitions are pretty hilarious. I’m not entirely sure why “pony” needed to be included in the glossary, but it’s there, and honestly that kind of weird specificity adds to the book’s charm.
That said, the book isn’t subtle with its critique, and this is probably my main reservation. The Establishment literally calls its consumer class “Vues” because their primary economic value is viewing infotainment, and under-consumption makes them “dangerous to the economy.” At one point, a character declares, “The Department of Prosperity deems independent thought a threat to economic growth.” It’s about as on-the-nose as you can get.
But honestly? You don’t necessarily need subtlety to write a good book. Some of the best sci-fi stories are warnings. Think Brave New World or 1984. They succeed precisely because they’re unambiguous about what they’re critiquing. Cressman is clearly following in that tradition, and while it might feel heavy-handed at times, the urgency of the message justifies the approach.
The prose flows smoothly without ever calling attention to itself, the pacing rarely dragging despite the book’s complexity. Cressman knows exactly what kind of story he wants to tell. For an indie book, the editing and formatting are professional and polished. The chapters alternate between character perspectives, and each voice is distinct enough that you never lose track of whose story you’re following, who are all pretty likeable or at least amusing to read. The plot builds toward a convergence that feels both inevitable and surprising, gradually getting more and more gripping. The character relationships in the book are great as well, such as Oscar and his sister, Luella, which grounds all the satirical chaos and prevents the book from becoming a purely intellectual exercise.
If you’re a fan of Ready Player One‘s critique of escapism or Ray Bradbury’s social commentary, this book will feel right at home on your shelf. I’ve read a lot of sci-fi in my time, but this novel stuck out to me. It’s a warning, a satire, and a surprisingly heartfelt story about rediscovering what it means to be human when the machines have convinced us we don’t need to be. Pour yourself a coffee, silence your notifications (or better yet, turn them off entirely), and let Cressman remind you why reality still matters.
Final verdict: For fans of classic sci-fi warnings from Bradbury to Orwell, Virtuality is an excellent, timely read that deserves far more attention than it’s getting. A very fun, thought-provoking reading experience that will make you look at your phone differently.
You can get your copy of “Virtuality” here!
