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Comatose
Comatose follows the lives of four strangers who are trying to cheat death. On the surface, these people - a famous Hollywood director suffering from terminal brain cancer, a budding scientist in Artificial Intelligence whose honeymoon tragically ended with a freak plane accident, an angry orphan who lost her closest family to a tragic motorcycle accident, and the leading medical expert in treating comatose patients – appear to have nothing in common.
However, once they independently uncover a link between lucid dreaming and comas, their lives start to intersect. They uncover astounding opportunities to ease individual suffering and pain as they crisscross different time periods and distant locations in their odysseys. The competing factions careen forward into a life-threatening race for survival and supremacy, ultimately leading to an exciting conclusion that explains why we really dream.
However, once they independently uncover a link between lucid dreaming and comas, their lives start to intersect. They uncover astounding opportunities to ease individual suffering and pain as they crisscross different time periods and distant locations in their odysseys. The competing factions careen forward into a life-threatening race for survival and supremacy, ultimately leading to an exciting conclusion that explains why we really dream.
425 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 22, 2019
About the author
Tony Estrella
2 books14 followersFeatured by the BBC, Tony is a global digital health expert, author, and podcaster applying creativity and experience to catapult healthcare into the future. His fiction novels are inspired by his lucid dreaming and explore the science of the mind. He is the host of the Digital Health Today Asia Pacific edition podcast. Key themes in his books and podcasts include the future of healthcare as influenced by technologies including AI, smart devices, and robotics.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 14, 2019
https://orlando-books.blog/2019/08/14...
Comatose revolves around five characters:
Sumire who on her honeymoon with Fernando was involved in an air incident and ended up in a coma….
Fernando is an AI developer and Dr Hajji is Sumire’s Doctor, a specialist in coma…and he understands what Fernando is going through due to losing his own wife…
Daya, who has been in a coma, but awakened, only to recall a dream and Him…..he left her and she is trying to see him again in her dreams…Dr Hajji is monitoring her.
Arnold has stage 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme and is trying to extend his life by using meditation to lower his metabolism and is considering cryogenesis at one point (I can understand his fear though)…
Are dreams a glimpse into an alternate reality?
A very interesting, intriguing tale full of emotion and the science of sleep, coma and AI…Unique and compelling.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.Comatose revolves around five characters:
Sumire who on her honeymoon with Fernando was involved in an air incident and ended up in a coma….
Fernando is an AI developer and Dr Hajji is Sumire’s Doctor, a specialist in coma…and he understands what Fernando is going through due to losing his own wife…
Daya, who has been in a coma, but awakened, only to recall a dream and Him…..he left her and she is trying to see him again in her dreams…Dr Hajji is monitoring her.
Arnold has stage 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme and is trying to extend his life by using meditation to lower his metabolism and is considering cryogenesis at one point (I can understand his fear though)…
Are dreams a glimpse into an alternate reality?
A very interesting, intriguing tale full of emotion and the science of sleep, coma and AI…Unique and compelling.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Comatose revolves around five characters:
Sumire who on her honeymoon with Fernando was involved in an air incident and ended up in a coma….
Fernando is an AI developer and Dr Hajji is Sumire’s Doctor, a specialist in coma…and he understands what Fernando is going through due to losing his own wife…
Daya, who has been in a coma, but awakened, only to recall a dream and Him…..he left her and she is trying to see him again in her dreams…Dr Hajji is monitoring her.
Arnold has stage 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme and is trying to extend his life by using meditation to lower his metabolism and is considering cryogenesis at one point (I can understand his fear though)…
Are dreams a glimpse into an alternate reality?
A very interesting, intriguing tale full of emotion and the science of sleep, coma and AI…Unique and compelling.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.Comatose revolves around five characters:
Sumire who on her honeymoon with Fernando was involved in an air incident and ended up in a coma….
Fernando is an AI developer and Dr Hajji is Sumire’s Doctor, a specialist in coma…and he understands what Fernando is going through due to losing his own wife…
Daya, who has been in a coma, but awakened, only to recall a dream and Him…..he left her and she is trying to see him again in her dreams…Dr Hajji is monitoring her.
Arnold has stage 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme and is trying to extend his life by using meditation to lower his metabolism and is considering cryogenesis at one point (I can understand his fear though)…
Are dreams a glimpse into an alternate reality?
A very interesting, intriguing tale full of emotion and the science of sleep, coma and AI…Unique and compelling.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
September 18, 2019
I read this book in 2 days. for me, it felt like Robin Cook met James S.A. Corey and co-wrote this thriller.
The vividly descriptive writing and adroit integration of meditation, lucid dreaming, AI, neuroscience made this a really gripping read. The Senoi tribe’s role in this novel is a real delight. They really provided the humane anchor and cultural dose of reality that allowed this novel to transcend its fictional roots to real-world curiosity for me. I live near Malaysia and I just might swing by to try and find them although that might destroy their isolation!
I really like the world-building attempts of the dreamscape too and appreciate that it wasn’t too complicated for a first novel, especially if the attempt is to build a series. This novel has an ambitious scope and introduces quite many characters that I feel could have longer character arcs in any potential sequels. The amount of character development in this book felt right though as I can see how character arcs were subsumed to service the fast-moving plot.
For those into “hard” sci-fi, this should be quite a decent read. I can’t wait to see my friend Tony build on this impressive debut and cook up more literary masterpieces from that lucid brain of his! Congrats and keep ‘em coming , Tony! :-)
The vividly descriptive writing and adroit integration of meditation, lucid dreaming, AI, neuroscience made this a really gripping read. The Senoi tribe’s role in this novel is a real delight. They really provided the humane anchor and cultural dose of reality that allowed this novel to transcend its fictional roots to real-world curiosity for me. I live near Malaysia and I just might swing by to try and find them although that might destroy their isolation!
I really like the world-building attempts of the dreamscape too and appreciate that it wasn’t too complicated for a first novel, especially if the attempt is to build a series. This novel has an ambitious scope and introduces quite many characters that I feel could have longer character arcs in any potential sequels. The amount of character development in this book felt right though as I can see how character arcs were subsumed to service the fast-moving plot.
For those into “hard” sci-fi, this should be quite a decent read. I can’t wait to see my friend Tony build on this impressive debut and cook up more literary masterpieces from that lucid brain of his! Congrats and keep ‘em coming , Tony! :-)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2019
I recommend this book as a good read .
Comatose is born of my friend Tony's interest in, and study of, lucid dreaming, artificial intelligence and mixed reality, the non-tech type in this case. I even recall his telling me how this book was given to him over a number of years via his own lucid dreams.
While it was a slow start, I'm glad I persevered as it turned out to be more than well worth it given my interest in sci-fi, tech, and the metaphysics of traditional cultures. (On reflection, I wondered if my perception of a slow read had so much to do with the manuscript, or my own social media-warped, razor-thin and fragmented attention span.)
I was delighted by the mix of drama, tragedy, romance, suspense and action this book contains, making it a rollercoaster of a read. It also has a nicely complex character structure, of which one is a consequential AI. Tony also does a masterful job of reflecting the vernacular language and settings of multiple international settings from London to Lausanne to Seoul to Kuala Lumpur.
The further treat of this book is the variety of topics it examines which in include lucid dreaming, comas, AI, alternate reality (Is this what dreams really are?), memory and its impact on relationship, and as any good literature has, (multiple) catastrophes and redemption all around. I especially enjoyed the book's examination of the Senoi Tribe of Malaysia.
I'm already anticipating the further development of this universe in audio and hopefully on to graphic novel, NetFlix/Prime and box office.
And yes, if you were wondering, a very nice door is left open for a sequel, at the end, which I am already anticipating.
Comatose is born of my friend Tony's interest in, and study of, lucid dreaming, artificial intelligence and mixed reality, the non-tech type in this case. I even recall his telling me how this book was given to him over a number of years via his own lucid dreams.
While it was a slow start, I'm glad I persevered as it turned out to be more than well worth it given my interest in sci-fi, tech, and the metaphysics of traditional cultures. (On reflection, I wondered if my perception of a slow read had so much to do with the manuscript, or my own social media-warped, razor-thin and fragmented attention span.)
I was delighted by the mix of drama, tragedy, romance, suspense and action this book contains, making it a rollercoaster of a read. It also has a nicely complex character structure, of which one is a consequential AI. Tony also does a masterful job of reflecting the vernacular language and settings of multiple international settings from London to Lausanne to Seoul to Kuala Lumpur.
The further treat of this book is the variety of topics it examines which in include lucid dreaming, comas, AI, alternate reality (Is this what dreams really are?), memory and its impact on relationship, and as any good literature has, (multiple) catastrophes and redemption all around. I especially enjoyed the book's examination of the Senoi Tribe of Malaysia.
I'm already anticipating the further development of this universe in audio and hopefully on to graphic novel, NetFlix/Prime and box office.
And yes, if you were wondering, a very nice door is left open for a sequel, at the end, which I am already anticipating.
March 22, 2021
Perhaps the best fictional read for anyone in the health & technology space, no matter what hats they wear.
Comatose starts off with a vivid peek into the lives of various people, you assume must eventually meet or otherwise be connected. Estrella then loses no time in illustrating an ideal healthcare paradigm with intimate health tech innervation, setting his novel just far enough in the future that all of this seems possible right now, with sufficient focus.
The book provides inspiration through its imagery, making each medical advancement important not for the world at large, but far more powerfully, for individual people with stories and feelings and struggles and meaning. And because of the character choices, the reader is able to experience, with perfect candor, the perspectives of entrepreneurs, investors and patients alike.
Comatose starts off with a vivid peek into the lives of various people, you assume must eventually meet or otherwise be connected. Estrella then loses no time in illustrating an ideal healthcare paradigm with intimate health tech innervation, setting his novel just far enough in the future that all of this seems possible right now, with sufficient focus.
The book provides inspiration through its imagery, making each medical advancement important not for the world at large, but far more powerfully, for individual people with stories and feelings and struggles and meaning. And because of the character choices, the reader is able to experience, with perfect candor, the perspectives of entrepreneurs, investors and patients alike.
February 29, 2020
I was pulled in from the very start!
I bought an advance copy of this book, and have thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The detailed descriptions pull you into the scene, and I marveled at the combination of technology, science, human emotion, and competing interests. Like Star Trek did in the 70s, it makes you wonder what truly is possible, and how the creators actually imagined and described technology years before it ever truly existed. Strongly recommend this book!
I bought an advance copy of this book, and have thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The detailed descriptions pull you into the scene, and I marveled at the combination of technology, science, human emotion, and competing interests. Like Star Trek did in the 70s, it makes you wonder what truly is possible, and how the creators actually imagined and described technology years before it ever truly existed. Strongly recommend this book!
April 21, 2020
I loved this book! This was recommended to me and didn't disappoint! Lucid dreaming is such a fascinating topic. Not my normal read but I was sucked into the story and couldn't get enough of it! Go try it!
March 4, 2020
Great read - rich story line and intriguing characters!
April 3, 2020
Comatose is a thoroughly-enjoyable first-time novel that deserves praise for many things. It’s a tense smart thriller. It’s smart because sophisticated concepts from the fields of neuroscience, medicine, culture, and technology are crucial to the story, challenging the reader to dive deep. It is a thriller, because as you fly through the novel, your heart rate goes up and your attention is undivided. At its core, Comatose has a great romance. Losing one’s partner to a coma due to a random accident is a tragedy we can all relate to. It is easy to emphathize with Fernando’s deep and unending love for his comatose wife which is authentically shown and brought to life as the spine of this novel. And finally, the story employs that now very popular technique of weaving together seemingly disparate stories and characters into a cohesive thread at the end. Without revealing any spoilers, Estrella does require the reader to accept the author’s imagined universe and go with it. Immersing oneself into the book’s dream theory and not questioning its veracity is the only way to enjoy Comatose. And it is, like Inception, a highly entertaining, imaginative ride that is written cinematically. Searching hard for a criticism, it might be that a certain key character lacks pathos. The plot asks us to abandon binary tags for characters as good or bad, but we only start “believing” in the duality of one certain character perhaps too late in the piece for us to be fully invested in his story. In sum, Comatose is genre-breaking and lives up to the word “novel” through its alluring storytelling and sheer originality.
April 23, 2020
If you’re picking this book up now, you’ll probably miss the novel experience I had of starting chapter two whilst taxing on a runway.
What you’ll likely experience is a broader and richer journey now that our world is a rather different place.
Given how many of us are having rather vivid dreams whilst sheltering in place, the lucid dreaming and meditation themes in the book may take on a different intensity for you, as they have for me. It’s also taught me a few things about areas I’m clueless about, namely AI and the world of private health services.
Like many of my favourite novels, this one requires you pay attention from the start; the multiple story arcs means you need to focus, and commit, to get going. Do stay on course, as Comatose is an interesting book to be reading in this strange new reality we are experiencing.
What you’ll likely experience is a broader and richer journey now that our world is a rather different place.
Given how many of us are having rather vivid dreams whilst sheltering in place, the lucid dreaming and meditation themes in the book may take on a different intensity for you, as they have for me. It’s also taught me a few things about areas I’m clueless about, namely AI and the world of private health services.
Like many of my favourite novels, this one requires you pay attention from the start; the multiple story arcs means you need to focus, and commit, to get going. Do stay on course, as Comatose is an interesting book to be reading in this strange new reality we are experiencing.
April 24, 2020
Such an enjoyable and provocative escape!
How is it that individual events in one corner of the world can affect so many others? How can events that initially appear distinct become entangled in a larger and a more significant wave of interconnection? In Tony Estrella's Comatose, diverse protagonists desperately search for a way to connect to loved ones or others when they find themselves separated by geography, tragedy, or illness. At this time when so many of us feel separated, this story easily finds relevance today as the author examines ways that people interact within their dreams and introduces the possibility that we all can find meaningful connection with others without constraints of time and place.
How is it that individual events in one corner of the world can affect so many others? How can events that initially appear distinct become entangled in a larger and a more significant wave of interconnection? In Tony Estrella's Comatose, diverse protagonists desperately search for a way to connect to loved ones or others when they find themselves separated by geography, tragedy, or illness. At this time when so many of us feel separated, this story easily finds relevance today as the author examines ways that people interact within their dreams and introduces the possibility that we all can find meaningful connection with others without constraints of time and place.
May 6, 2019
Fascinating read. Comatose seamlessly weaves the themes of dreaming, healthtech and AI into a suspenseful search for answers to unlock the state of coma. That chase is set against the backdrop of Venice, rural Malaysia, Seoul ... but also different dream planes. An inviting journey.
June 19, 2019
A page-turning debut novel from a talented new sci-fi writer. I first met Tony back in 2016 when he was head of healthcare innovation at MetLife Asia, and given his professional background in the life sciences and insurance industries, I wasn’t surprised that many key elements of the plot revolved around futuristic medical technologies and care delivery models. What I didn’t know was that he is also avid about sleep science and particularly a phenomenon known as lucid dreaming, a type of dream state in which the dreamer is aware that s/he is dreaming. Recent scientific research indicates some people are capable of controlling their lucid dreams and using them for creative purposes, and many parts of the book explore the meaning and potential uses of this intriguing practice.
I don’t want to spoil the plot, so I won’t say anything further about that, other than that it was fast-paced and multi-dimensional (literally and figuratively). All I'll say is that it skillfully combines elements of medical futurism, spiritualist fantasy and classic corporate intrigue to create a mind-bending storyline. I normally favor audiobooks, but this one was definitely worth reading in print!
I don’t want to spoil the plot, so I won’t say anything further about that, other than that it was fast-paced and multi-dimensional (literally and figuratively). All I'll say is that it skillfully combines elements of medical futurism, spiritualist fantasy and classic corporate intrigue to create a mind-bending storyline. I normally favor audiobooks, but this one was definitely worth reading in print!
August 18, 2019
Comatose is probably the most unique and compelling novel I have read this year…and maybe even ever. It is a twisty ride through dreaming, health technology, and artificial intelligence.
From the first page, this novel took me on a thrilling, suspenseful journey. We follow five very compelling characters who seemingly have nothing to do with each other until the web continues to be woven and we learn more.
I really don’t want to go into too much detail because this is one I don’t want to spoil for you. I highly recommend checking it out. It’s definitely in the running for a top spot in my favorite reads of the year.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Random Things Tours. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
From the first page, this novel took me on a thrilling, suspenseful journey. We follow five very compelling characters who seemingly have nothing to do with each other until the web continues to be woven and we learn more.
I really don’t want to go into too much detail because this is one I don’t want to spoil for you. I highly recommend checking it out. It’s definitely in the running for a top spot in my favorite reads of the year.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Random Things Tours. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
July 30, 2019
Comatose is an interesting look into the link between science and dreaming, let down a little by it's less than perfect execution.
Despite the slow start and occasional spelling error, I actually quite enjoyed this read. The concepts and ideas put forward by Estrella were all very interesting, and I soon became somewhat invested in the characters stories. The conclusion was satisfying without being too easy, and the many twists and reveals throughout the book kept it engaging from start to finish. Would recommend to those interested in a slightly different kind of sci-fi book.
Despite the slow start and occasional spelling error, I actually quite enjoyed this read. The concepts and ideas put forward by Estrella were all very interesting, and I soon became somewhat invested in the characters stories. The conclusion was satisfying without being too easy, and the many twists and reveals throughout the book kept it engaging from start to finish. Would recommend to those interested in a slightly different kind of sci-fi book.
October 22, 2019
What an original book, quite unlike anything I have read before. What I find hard to believe is that it is a debut novel.
The book looks into the link between lucid dreams and comas, an area in which the author has extensive experience. He puts his expertise to great use in this novel, as his knowledge as he uses this subject to create a great book.
This is an excellent read, especially if you are looking for something different. The amazing detail and description in the dreams is written so well, you can visualise it easily.
The book looks into the link between lucid dreams and comas, an area in which the author has extensive experience. He puts his expertise to great use in this novel, as his knowledge as he uses this subject to create a great book.
This is an excellent read, especially if you are looking for something different. The amazing detail and description in the dreams is written so well, you can visualise it easily.
June 19, 2019
Comatose is seriously a fascinating read. Truly enjoyed it! Suspenseful and certainly food for thought. Particularly around futuristic medical devices and lucid dreaming. The book focuses on four strangers and how their lives intertwined. It’s fast paced and certainly leaves you to stop and think. Brilliant. 5 stars from me!
March 27, 2019
Mind twisting suspense from the first page intertwined with both legitimate yet futuristic vision of Hgh-Tech in hopefully next generation's lives. Made me smile as it reminded me of Edgar Allan Poe's quote: 'All that we see or seem/Is but a dream within a dream.'
February 28, 2022
Captivating book, well researched with thought provoking insights on lucid dreaming with brilliant cultural and country references with vivid characters coming to life in a compelling storyline that’s breathtaking!!! A must read and highly recommend!
July 2, 2019
Comatose is a interesting book that keeps you entertained. A quick read that has interesting characters.
April 12, 2023
Comatose is the first book I've read by this author. It was an interesting read and one that kept me reading until the very end.
April 16, 2020
I enjoyed how Comatose created a link between meditation, lucid dreaming, and comas. My own meditation practices have been personally enlightening, and its fascinating to see how the author extended what can be deeply personal practices as meditation practices are, and wove it into an unexpected and engaging narrative also opens up questions around our consciousness and how it works. Well done.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews