Fiction • Feb 21, 2024 • 74 min read

The Lure of Somnus

The concept of the book is how we use technology to either shield ourselves from our painful reality (especially in times of crisis) or, in the case of Ted, use it to willingly entrench ourselves in our perception of the world. In the end, Ted's obsession with using VR for emotional gratification loses any chance of meaningful closure with his family, and all that's left is the fantasy he's dreamed up for himself to escape the horrors of the apocalypse. My book is unique in that it looks at the typical abusive ex-husband trope and tries to humanize the character rather than demonize him ruthlessly. There’s that hint that beneath his insanity and desire to use the Somnus project to vindicate his emotions, he’s still an intelligent, regretful man. Which makes the ending even more tragic, depending on how you choose to look at it.