Sci-Fi book with people mutilated and floating in tanks, alternating between fantasies / illusions and their horrifying reality. Spoilers ahead...

[Teresa]

I'm in search of a science fiction book, likely from the last 5-10 years, although I don't want to swear to it. I only read it sometime in the last few years myself.

The only thing that I can remember - because it was so horrifying that it stuck with me - is that some guy (I believe a rich / corporate type, definitely a villain) condemns people who "wrong" him (screwing up a job or trying to work against him) by cutting off their arms and legs, removing their eyelids (maybe) and leaving them hooked up to all of this machinery while floating in a tank. Forever. They mostly have dreams about pleasant experiences that they think are real, but then every now and then they'll be yanked back to consciousness to re-experience the horror of their situation.

*SPOILERS*
The book ends with the protagonist, whose mind was messed with, having a flash of being in one of those tanks with the evil guy smiling at him. But then he's back in what we thought was the real world and is convinced that it's just a leftover nightmare from his traumatic experiences. We as the readers are left to wonder which one is true.

Does this sound remotely familiar to anyone?

[Teresa]

I hope it's okay to bump this up because I'm still desperately trying to figure out what this book is. It's the only one left that I can't identify, and the frustrating thing is that I didn't read it all that long ago!

[Kris]

Yes, we encourage members to bump their request every 30+ days -- or sooner if they remember more information.

Spoiler alert added to the topic header.

[Andy]

You might find it in this list http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php... (look under the literature tab).

[Teresa]

Unfortunately it's not there but thanks so much for the suggestion! The thing is, that's not what the story is specifically about. It's just something that happens within it, briefly. So I don't think it would be counted as that type of story in particular.

[Teresa]

Bumping this once again, hoping that someone has got some ideas!

[Teresa]

Still no luck finding this one...still hoping it will trigger someone's memory!

[David]

bump

[Teresa]

resurrecting this.... anyone have any idea?

[Regina]

Following, looks interesting

[Teresa]

Still never managed to find out...can anyone help? I know I didn't imagine this book lol.

[SamSpayedPI]

Sorry! It sounds interesting but I never read anything like it.

The Tommyknockers (view spoiler)[uses "tanked" people as "batteries" (hide spoiler)], but not particularly one person's enemies; the scary part is how willing normal people are to do this to even their loved ones, once under the influence. Also, people never regain consciousness once placed in the tanks, IIRC.

If you can "bump" your thread every one the three months, this brings it back to the first page, where fresh eyes and new members can see it.

[Teresa]

It's been almost 4 years and I still haven't found out what book or short story this is. I'm beginning to think it doesn't even exist and I just dreamed it, in which case I should write it myself. But not knowing for sure is making me feel like my reality has fragmented because I have such a clear memory of reading a physical book from the library. Help XD

[Teresa]

Coming back to this 6.5 years later still dying to know if I dreamed this or not. I'm positive this is a real book, or a lengthy story in a horror or sci-fi anthology. Unless I've lost my mind, it's real. I read it (paperback or hardcover), and it was from the library. But I can't seem to dig up anything that matches this premise. It is still making me nuts when it pops into my head every now and then!

[Chhatura]

I needed isbn 978-93-8103-195-6 registered, Silas Marner, The Weaver of Raveloe, George Eliot

[Teresa]

Chhatura wrote: "I needed isbn 978-93-8103-195-6 registered, Silas Marner, The Weaver of Raveloe, George Eliot"

Hi...sorry, I'm not sure what this means! That's definitely not the book in question or even the same time period or genre :-\

[Bargle]

Teresa wrote: "Hi...sorry, I'm not sure what this means! That's definitely not the book in question..."

It means they posted it in the wrong thread. Looks like it should be in the Librarian help forum.

[Teresa]

Ah, okay lol. I was very confused.

[Juels]

It may be more in the vein of medical experimentation but there is a similar tank/human thing in Nano by Robin Cook. See chapter 43.

https://www.google.com/books/edition/...

[Juels]

There is some weird experimentation in Human Nature by Jonathan Green.

[Teresa]

Unfortunately not either of those. It's got a male protagonist and the experimentation, as far as I remember, isn't a story point. It's more just...this is what happens when someone crosses the bad guy. And the protagonist's experience with him is the whole story, which is why I thought it might actually be a story within a sci-fi anthology rather than a standalone novel. I think the tone/style reminded me of dystopian cyberpunk books like Snow Crash and the Diamond Age.

At this point, I'm genuinely questioning reality and wondering if I dreamed this with some inspiration from a Sliders episode or not. But I'm so sure it's an actual story. I distinctly remember my shock at the twist ending.

[Teresa]

Bumping this yet again. I'm getting more and more convinced it was part of a scif-fi anthology/short story collection. I would have borrowed it from the library (NYPL) years ago at this point. I'm still desperately hoping that one day I'll find out!