As the effects of global warming on our planet become more and more obvious, not to mention intense, more and more books will attempt to take on the challenges of educating a sometimes short-sighted public about the long-term dangers drawing ever closer. Not all of those books will be nonfiction.

Tomorrow’s World is more than just a novel. It’s a warning and even an indictment of man’s responsibility to the planet. It’s a grim exploration of a future that might not be all that far from what could happen if humanity doesn’t wake up and smell whatever replaces coffee when we can no longer grow food outside. One of the dangers of this kind of book is that it can get preachy at points, but I think Mr. Henderson managed to tell this story without venturing into that territory. For that he deserves praise. Another thing he deserves praise for is writing a rousingly good story.

Ben Travis lives in a depleted future; a world suffering from the results of an excess of greed and a lack of foresight. Mankind is relegated to living in completely artificial, computer controlled areas because the air and water outside has become toxic, and extended life outside this controlled environment is impossible.

Everything is monitored and regulated by a computer that is more powerful than anything today. A computer that works for the benefit of all mankind rather than the individual. Under this system, each person receives a basic allowance of just what they need to live, but they can earn extra credit in various ways. Credit which can be spent on extra water or rations, or trips into virtually recreated pasts that show what it was like to live outside.

The final ingredient in this story is the introduction of a new, improved humanity. Ordinary, normal humans are called names, while the genetically engineered super-humans are called numbers. The author is clearly sympathetic to names, giving them a good deal more soul than numbers, and showing them as individuals rather than carbon copies. The competition between names and numbers is portrayed throughout the book. Numbers are smarter, stronger and faster than names, but they don’t dream or act irrationally. Both sides of the divide feel that these differences represent their greatest strengths.

Enter the character, a name. Travis works for logipol, and is the equivalent of a police officer. His partner is a number he refers to as Perfect Paula. Names and numbers on the force are always paired together to bring to each investigation a variety of reactions and experiences.

The plot of the book involves the death of a name, which Perfect Paula believes is a cut and dried case of a drug overdose, while Travis’s intuition tells him otherwise. Of course, he’s right that it isn’t what it seems, which is part of the reason that names are paired with numbers. His intuition and ability to dream and imagine gives him a different point of view.

But Tomorrow’s World is more than just a murder mystery. It’s science fiction at its best, provoking thought, teasing your mind with hints of mystery, and taking you into a future that is all too possible.

I normally don’t include spoilers in my reviews, so if you don’t want to have some idea of how the book ends, stop reading now, buy the book and enjoy it for yourself. However, now that I’ve warned you, I do feel obligated to say one more thing.

I was slightly disappointed by the end of the book. I am guessing the author felt a need to put in the proverbial happy ending, which didn’t fit with the rest of the story. I’d have been happier if he’d ended it earlier, without what seemed to me to be an artificial gift to his readers. Those who like happy endings will no doubt be delighted, but I felt a bit cheated. Mr. Henderson’s premise would have worked better if things ended more on a note of darkness than lightness. Our world does need to watch where it’s going, and a happy ending isn’t just going to come out of nowhere to save us. Even if it might, it makes for a much weaker caution (a problem particularly if you’re trying to write a cautionary tale).

That said, I highly recommend this book. It’s an interesting story that’s not only fun to read, but it’s a fascinating look into just where we might be heading. For the record, I think Mr. Henderson got it right--the luxuries we enjoy now aren’t worth the ultimate price tag future generations will have to pay.

Reviewed by Steve Lazarowitz
© Nov 2007