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Jason Werbeloff

Hedon Kindle Edition

by Jason Werbeloff (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

58 ratings

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What if happiness were compulsory?
What if your thoughts were not your own?
Plunge into HEDON for soul-twisting sci-fi.

In 2051, the Bhutanese Empire rules post-apocalyptic Shangri with iron-fisted Buddhist compassion. Happiness is compulsory, but making everyone happy isn’t easy in an overpopulated world. Breeders are ghettoed, homosexuality is mandatory, and Shangrians’ happiness levels are strictly monitored by hedometers implanted in their heads. Become depressed, or feel too happy without helping others feel the same, and The Tax Man will get angry. Very angry.

Gemini and Cyan, winners of the pregnancy lottery, are on the run. Cyan can’t fall pregnant, and Gemini is addicted to the Experience Machine. Will they evade The Tax Man, and find a way to end the brutal pleasures of Shangri?

The lovechild of Brave New World and The Handmaid’s Tale, HEDON is gritty satire on a dystopia drunk with bigotry and positive thinking.

“A one of a kind dystopian novel.”
“As politically depraved as anyone could desire.”
“This is storytelling at its best.”
– ReadersFavorite.com 5 star review of HEDON

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Categories: dark humor science fiction gore nuclear apocalypse, overpopulation dystopian religion eastern buddhist, anti hero scifi warfare techno thriller futuristic violence, totalitarian dangerous spirituality thought control, gripping gritty thriller urban fantasy, psychological horror suspense bloody brutal captivating, post apocalyptic america tragedy philosophical novels, lgbt

Print length

253 pages
Language

English
Publication date

February 18, 2015
File size

3238 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Readers' Favorite Reviews: 5 Stars (readersfavorite.com/book-review/hedon)

"This is a story of a dystopian society that's as politically depraved as anyone could ever desire ... This is storytelling at its best ... characterization, dialog, descriptive narrative, pace, plot and subplot interaction and conclusion ... simply all the pieces fit - perfectly."

"Hedon is a one of a kind dystopian novel that combines a unique plot, brilliant setting and gripping characters."

"The great accomplishment of indie authorship and self-publishing is that books like Hedon by Jason Werbeloff will not only be written, but they also provide for a reading experience beyond the limits imposed by traditional publishers."

About the Author

JasonWerbeloff is a novelist and philosopher. He loves chocolate and his Labrador,Sunny. He's interested in the nature of social groups, personal identity,freedom, and the nature of the mind. His passion is translating philosophicaldebate around these topics into works of science fiction, while gorging himselfon chocolate.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00RC77QQK
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 18, 2015
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3238 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 253 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #1,847,995 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #2,231 in LGBTQ+ Science Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #3,886 in Metaphysical Science Fiction eBooks
- #3,960 in Technothrillers (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
58 ratings

About the author

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Jason Werbeloff

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Human. Male. From an obscure planet in the Milky Way Galaxy. Sci-fi novelist with a PhD in philosophy. Likes chocolates, Labradors, and zombies (not necessarily in that order). Werbeloff spends his days constructing thought experiments, while trying to muster enough guilt to go to the gym.

He's the author of the sci-fi thriller trilogy, ‘Defragmenting Daniel’, two novels, 'Hedon' and 'The Solace Pill', and the short story anthology, 'Obsidian Worlds'. His books will make your brain hurt. And you'll come back for more.

Subscribe to his newsletter to receive a free book, and a lifetime of free and discounted stories: http://smarturl.it/werbeloff

**Facebook and Twitter - follow Werbeloff for release date information on upcoming novels:

http://www.facebook.com/solaceseries

@JasonWerbeloff

**Website - want to read about the philosophy behind the fiction? Take a look at:

http://www.jasonwerbeloff.com

**Goodreads - http://smarturl.it/WerbeloffGR

Customer reviews

5 star		50%
4 star		23%
3 star		10%
2 star		6%
1 star		11%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Betty55

Population control can be deadly.

Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2017

Verified Purchase

I bought this book after reading Jason's newer ones. I find his writing so consuming. HEDON did not let me down. Once I got the understanding of what had and would happen to those that failed to comply, I couldn't put it down. The sex was different but understandable for survival. People are forced to do what they could to survive. Breeders became the enemy, as births were controled. They were locked in a getto and the only way out was through a lottery. The ending left my mouth hanging open. Jason touches on areas that most of us would not like to believe could happen. Fifty years ago cell phones and computers were not household words. Could population contol be on the horizon? And if so how would it be enforced. Let's look at China. This was a sad story for me.

Helpful

grannyB

a really good book

Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2016

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An interesting and unusual premise - using "happiness" as a form of currency...unusual and horrifying consequences result, of course; and that's what makes good science fiction. I'm a fussy reader, and i enjoyed this book...

Helpful

Racy

Terrifyingly prophetic

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2015

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HEDON

Whether one chooses to pronounce Hedon with the short ‘e’, as in HEAD-ON, or the long ‘e’, as in HEDONISM the message is stark, compelling and frankly terrifying. HEDON is clearly prophetic. It compels us to consider an other world. One in which pleasure is demanded, monitored and its absence punished. In my world, till now, pleasure taking is a choice I indulge or refuse. A Post Nuclear Disaster World? Surely not something that will touch me...and perhaps not for now. However, fascist dystopias already dominate: Africa; from the top down; Libya, Egypt, Mail, Western Sahara, Chad...Central America – most if not all, Eastern Europe...USA – believe it or not – thinly veiled in ‘we care’. And on and on and on around the world. HEDON is perhaps a late prophecy for those of us still paddling through the comfort of illusion.
Much of Jason Werbeloff philosophical thought is clear in the conflicts between characters and their situations. His characters are powerful – some even so in their defencelessness. They are visible and sometimes I smell them when the threat is too close.
HEDON is a book about real people, about love in the time of fear, about homosexuality, about depraved perversions and cruelty. And about hope, if you read the subtext very, very carefully. Dystopian to its core HEDON is an excellent thought provoking read.
I have followed this writer’s The Solace series, his short stories and his news letter. Hedon is certainly the best yet.

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Dr.Gonzo

Creative and Unique Vision of the Future

Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2016

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Following nuclear war the US has become a Buddhist dystopia. Happiness is mandatory, as is homosexuality, but breeding (heterosexuality) is forbidden unless you have won the lottery. This story shifts perspectives between our 2 protagonists and several supporting characters giving the reader different perspectives on the story.

This creatively imagined scifi novel is not for everyone. It does contain graphic descriptions of homosexual sex acts. However they are not gratuitous, rather they help set the dystopian tone of the story.

The ending was a bit rushed and I found Miltons hacking abilities to be a bit too much of a deus ex machina. After investing time in the characters I guess I just hoped for more. The final sentence was shocking but well done and an overall bold way to end the novel.

Recommended for fans of dystopian sci fi, however readers squeamish about homosexuality might find a few section of this book unpleasant (even though it only comes up roughly 5 times in the story.)

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Khin Kyaw

An immersive, satisfying read with mind-blowing ideas

Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2015

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I am a voracious and fickle reader of science fiction but this is one novel that will remain in my mind (and on my shelf) for a very long time. Werbeloff has created an eerily plausible world where the tech is integrated so seamlessly that you almost forget it's there. He excels at writing unique characters that are nonetheless firmly grounded in reality. The action is fast-paced and gritty, making for immersive reading that stirs up a host of feelings; some of them not entirely pleasant - but isn't that why we read?

What really impressed me is that the novel handles complex ideas around happiness, sexuality and bigotry with finesse: these themes are presented succinctly and with no hint of an agenda. I am also a Buddhist and I especially loved the author's interpretation of compassion taken to extremes!

It's difficult in any genre to find fiction with an addictive story, solid characters and mind-blowing ideas. "Hedon" achieves this holy grail. It is a thoroughly satisfying read.

11 people found this helpful

Helpful

J. Kidwell

Would have liked a little more of a wind down

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2015

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Interesting book. Takes the whole dystopian future and turns it on its ear. The book kept up pace fairly well though ended a little quickly for me. Would have liked a little more of a wind down. The way that sexuality was brought into the book as a polar inverse of the current paradigm was something that I'd never thought of before. A fun read.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Colin Murtagh

complex work

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2015

Verified Purchase

I'm used to the author as a short story writer, so this is the first full length novel of his I've read.
It's the near future and Bhutan, the happiest place to live, is taking over the world. Money is a thing of the past, everything is measured in either the happiness you give others, or the happiness you receive. Homosexuality is compulsory, and woman are kept separate. Babies are only allowed under the strictest of conditions, and any who are not perfect are killed.
Into this come Gemini and Cyan, taken from the slums and allowed to become pregnant, the Tax collector, who monitors your happiness levels, Anand, who works in a bath house and Donys, the paramedic.
It's a weird story, with a well developed world. The characters are wonderfully drawn, the plotting is tight and the ideas used are complex. This is not a simple book, but it pays the reading. Utopia is not always what it seems to be

One person found this helpful

Paultcha

A brilliant little concept on how to con the people into ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 14, 2015

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A brilliant little concept on how to con the people into believing all is well in their lives to hide the dictatorship they live under. Alas human need for stimulation and greed never goes away and leads to all kinds of mayhem.

One person found this helpful

Lola M

easy to love

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 7, 2015

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scary future prospect. could not put the book down, well written, easy to love

One person found this helpful

Kai

Great

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 27, 2018

Verified Purchase

Very good book, worth a read! Can't wait for 2nd book!

K. Di Fulvio

I recommend it for those who love dystopia but need it drawn with a new set of crayons.

Reviewed in Canada on January 8, 2016

Verified Purchase

One of the best things about having a Kindle is the free offers that are constantly flung onto the internet. This lets me take a chance on a book I've never heard of before, by an author I've also never head before, at no cost to myself except for time.

That's how we find the diamond in the rough.

Hedon is a creative take on the overpopulation themed post-apocalypse. It's REPO! The Genetic Opera meets Logan's Run, complete with life or death games for the amusement of the masses, and repossession of things one would think cannot be repossessed. In this case, memories.

The year is 2051 and for the good of the world, society has been divided into two castes, separated by a wall. On one side is the metropolis known as Shangri. Filled with brothels and opium dens and porn, people can live like kings, as long as they're happy and spread that happiness around.
On the other side is where the destitute live, the Breeders. Those who must make the best with what they have.

When married Breeder couple Cyan and Gemini win the lottery and are allowed access to Shangri and permission to have a child, they think their dreams come true...

The author has created a vivid world, filled out by great characters. Each are distinct with rich back stories that are gradually pieced together. The villain is interesting and a relentless force.

It's unpredictable. I don't mean that there are twists for the sake of twists, I mean that where the story begins and where it ends are two very different places, but the progression of events are fluid and organic.

The economics of the world are interesting. The more good deeds you do, the more altruism points you get. Then you can spend those, your hedons, for pleasure. But never take more than you give, or the Tax Man will come to collect.

The idea of forced homosexuality, while not unique, is interesting. Especially if you assume it's a natural outgrowth of "What if homosexuality is a biological switch nature flicked on to control the population?"

There were a few tiny things that caught in my craw though.

Every time I read "hedon", I followed it up with "Apply directly to the forehead". This is my problem and I need to deal with it in my own way.

There was a character called Mascara because of his heavy mascara. No one knew his name so he was described as "Mascara", as one would say "the boy" or "The tall man". Later, he introduces himself to another character and says his name is Mascara. It just threw me a bit because up until that point the author was doing a good job keeping things like that in check.

Some of the violence was to cartoonish levels with very little commentary. People are slaughtered left and right like the Unstoppable Juggernaught was racing through and nothing...happened. No commentary on the slaughter, no people mourning, no "My cabbages!", nothing.

None of these things were too much to distract from my enjoyment of the story though. A solid, fun, at times depressing, story. I recommend it for those who love dystopia but need it drawn with a new set of crayons.

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Hedon Kindle Edition

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Jason Werbeloff

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