It's 2041, and CynCity is a hazardous place to live. Day-to-day survival is difficult as people can't trust one another and are terrified of each another more than anything. Ithuriel, a divine figure, visits Harl Babouc, a small businessman who owns an appliance repair shop. Ithuriel lets Harl know that he has been chosen for a mission that will decide his city's fate. While being a bodiless presence, a specter, Harl must examine all the city's citizens to learn about them and see if they should live or die. Thus, Harl learns from April, Tom Wyman, Nora Abernathy, Martha, Izzy, Luis, and other people how their city reached the point of being so destructive but at the same time so adaptable. Babouc's Vision by Glenn Searfoss is an outstanding dystopian science fiction novel about a city on the verge of destruction.

I found Babouc's Vision by Glenn Searfoss a very peculiar, stimulating, and challenging read. I have never read anything like this novel. It's completely compelling, unpredictable, and a little bit frightening. Glenn writes with amazing detail and objectivity as he primarily focuses on the characters, making them incredibly interesting, and the apocalyptic world he presents feels very real. Glenn offers many concepts worth reflecting on, such as whenever one should define good by intent or by the result and how life is always able to find its own way to cling to survival and hope. Babouc's Vision by Glenn Searfoss is an absorbing, well-plotted science fiction novel set in a dystopian world that every fan of this genre should not miss.

Set in a not-too-distant future, Babouc's Vision by Glenn Searfoss is an amalgamation of loosely connected stories featuring the inhabitants of a dystopian metropolis called CynCity. Harl Babouc, a tinker, finds himself reluctantly assigned as an observer by the angels to determine whether his city's population deserves to survive an upcoming catastrophe or not. Nora Abernathy, an elderly woman, struggles to cover the costs of an operation for a terminal illness as a rogue doctor conspires to swindle her insurance coverage. Seventeen-year-old Luis finds himself mired in gang-related activities while trying to provide a life for his unborn child. Tom and April try to convince their doctor to approve them as genetically suitable to bear a child. Recently homeless Izzy embraces a rare act of kindness from a young girl named Carrisa.

Melancholic and poignant, Babouc's Vision is a grim reminder of the fact that society's current ills may bear a dark future for our children. Author Glenn Searfoss touches upon some serious topics such as population explosion, the environmental impact of human activity on the planet, the rise of unchecked corporatism, and much more. Despite the large cast and multiple POV storylines, you find yourself caring for each character as they face the adversities of their lives. Each story acts as a mirror to showcase real-world issues that we face today. Searfoss's slice-of-life narratives leave a lot to ponder about long after you've finished reading the book. If you love stories that make you introspect, Babouc's Vision is a gem of a book for you.