Head Canon [Hard Sci-Fi Mind Bender]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

All you can do with life is waste it. Xan is the world's most dangerous criminal mastermind. He’s also in hiding and completely broke. That’s fine. He’s between master plans. It’s normal to be at rock bottom between master plans. He also forgets stuff and may be trapped in a dream. Because at night, Xan thinks he’s an old lady, trapped in a dingy apartment, by an angry fellow who wants to kill her. Not her idea of a good time, but she’s keeping an open mind. It is excitingly visceral. Could turn out awesome. HEAD CANONis a hard sci-fi, comedic, mystery. Set in a future that's already happening. Guaranteed to cause more mental problems than it solves.

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2022
Author: Doctor Zero

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.7/ 5.0
Followers: 294
Views: 107,129

Chapters(36 total)

What readers say about Head Canon [Hard Sci-Fi Mind Bender]

“Seems, so far, to be another mind-bending, well-researched, existentialist treat. With sex and drugs and sci-fi. Which really is just to say—a new Dr. Zero story! Frabjous day!Regarding the plot (and because reviews have to be 50 words), all I can say is I…”
2br02bRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“Ideas upon ideas, but not too many to make it frustrating. It makes no sense in the best way possible. Optimistic beyond belief. Completely hollow of purpose. Just like life, hey? It's a creative writing commentary piece on... something. Hope, sleep, the la…”
Agent8449Royal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

2br02bRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Seems, so far, to be another mind-bending, well-researched, existentialist treat. With sex and drugs and sci-fi. Which really is just to say—a new Dr. Zero story! Frabjous day!Regarding the plot (and because reviews have to be 50 words), all I can say is I laughed at the big dream switcheroo, and the idea of flip-flopping further between dreams and reality is a great concept.
Agent8449Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Ideas upon ideas, but not too many to make it frustrating. It makes no sense in the best way possible. Optimistic beyond belief. Completely hollow of purpose. Just like life, hey? It's a creative writing commentary piece on... something. Hope, sleep, the lack thereof, and how to live with it?
A relaxing read, frankly. I enjoyed it.
Apostrophe of ChaosRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Amazing story, super fast-paced, action-packed and open-ended. Seriously, whenever you feel like you really want to know what's going on, chances are you're either not gonna find out or it's just casually mentioned at some point, like it's no big deal. Sounds frustrating? Should be, but instead it's really entertaining. Except that one thing, where we almost got the answer and then just didn't (you'll know), I briefly considered deducting points for that. But I couldn't, because I love the story, and I want more of it.
Nothing matters, and that's a good thing.
Cheers
BathicRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I finished this story over a year ago and I think promised to review it. And then I didn't. I'm really sorry! Because it's been a hot sec, I'll stay away from specifics and stick with the impression it left on me. Which is: Doctor Zero is the funniest writer on the site, hands down, and is also consistently willing to take bold, weird swings I deeply respect. This story is goofy and trippy and thought-provoking. You will laugh, you probably won't cry but you never know, you will ponder, you will ask: what am I reading right now? But you won't ask why you're reading it. You're reading it because it's REALLY GOOD. End of story!
Jamie BrewerRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story jumps right into chaos then turns it up to eleven. engaging, funny and exciting, it all has that feeling that its both internally consistent and completely surprising. Look forward to seeing the rest of it.Given the length and structure of very ymmy poison, I feel confident giving a high review to an unfinished work, as they've shown that they can finish to a fairly high polish.
Killj0yRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I haven't had this much fun in a sci-fi story since the fractal prince or the rapture of the nerds. I love it when an author just starts dumping technology on you and doesn't even stop to reload. Like I'm already going places, figure it the F out on your own time i'm busy worldbuilding and if I have to explain every gritty detail we're gonna be here for a Robert Jordan of a long time.
Chef's kiss.
KrafiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story scratches that particular itch when you feel like nothing matters and the future is out of control.
The author has done a wonderful job with creating a world of human ingenuity gone wrong. I mean, you've got crypto and talking monkeys, what's not to like? Anyways, Xan is in a bit of a pickle but you can bet that he's got a plan, and getting smashed is just step one.
MBenton632Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I'm not far into this yet, but the way he accepts his current reality as real is a mind screw I like to read. If you like this book read the original 'Peter pan" it is actually a grim dark fantasy, the author keeps two realities going at a pace you don't know if either is actually real.
Richard DainRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It's good, but requires the kind of mindset you get from getting high with a bunch of engineering students, be warned.
Spoiler warning, I suppose
This story is really two stories, and it constantly asks you to switch which is the narrative and which is a dream. Is the dream the faux-utopia where everyone is slowly going mad on cheezy-coffee and cheezy-coffee related debt? or is the dream the dark city where everyone who is not already insane or a robot or dead, asleep and uncaring? In this story the good doctor takes us on a journey through (well-sourced) current and near-future tech and ideas, and where those could take us when taken to the extreme. Also free pizza. Who doesn't like Pizza that only costs a good time?
TanneRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This might just be my depression talking, but being made into a full dive dream VR NPC maintained by a boat load of neural network devices in some grand theft auto meets cyberpunk MMO while society slowly collapses around us in our self inflicted perpetual sleep seems like a not exactly terrible apocalypse compared to the alternatives. Considering that's basically the premise of the story with a... Erm... fitting dose of nihilist humor, it's an entertaining read! May actually cause existential crisis.