When We Were Real

Gregory (Spoonbenders) riffs on The Canterbury Tales with this deeply philosophical road trip novel about a disparate group of pilgrims on a cross-country bus tour of surreal American landmarks. Seven years after the world was revealed to be merely a computer simulation, the North American Impossibilities Tour takes the curious to witness strange sites caused by glitches in the code, including a frozen tornado, a tunnel that runs outside of time, and a rectangular canyon where gravity reorients. Among the participants are JP, also referred to as “The Engineer,” who’s chosen to stop treatments for his brain tumor, and his buddy, Dulin, “The Comic Book Writer,” who hopes the tour will reignite JP’s will to live—and also provide him with an opportunity to hook up with “The Nurse,” Beth-Anne. Meanwhile, “The Nuns” Janet and Patrice struggle to reconcile their belief in God with the knowledge that their world is only zeroes and ones. Gregory bats the existential issues back and forth, offering no easy answers, and, through other members of the eclectic cast, mixes in sharp commentary on internet influencers and armed conspiracy theorists. The result is a heady and entertaining treat. Agent: Seth Fishman, Gernert Co. (Apr.)