"Road movie, group cast, all charming. Starts funny and stays that way, even after they fly off a cliff and crash hard into existential angst caused by severe ontological challenges. The soulfulness is hilarious, and vice versa (very important). Is this our America right now, seen with cosmic x-ray vision? Is it a Daryl Gregory novel? Same thing."—Kim Stanley Robinson, author of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award winning Mars trilogy

"An addictive thriller packed with winning characters and big, brilliant ideas. Don't miss it."—Lev Grossman, New York Times bestselling author of The Bright Sword and The Magicians trilogy

“Daryl Gregory takes a classic "what if?" thought experiment—the same one that undergirds The Matrix and other high-concept sci-fi extravaganzas—and treats it with groundedness, nuance and literary sophistication. The result is a deeply absorbing novel of cross-country adventure about real, recognizable people...the irony being that they're not real people at all. What absolute fun.”—Ben H. Winters, Edgar-award winning author of The Last Policeman Trilogy

“When We Were Real goes far beyond the usual SF novels of living in a simulation. Its poignant, appealing, boisterous characters know they are simulations, and as they get on with their complicated digital lives, they—and we—explore what it means to be real, to be human, to be alive. A must-read by one of science fiction's most versatile and talented authors.”—Nancy Kress, winner of six Nebulas, two Hugos, a Sturgeon, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award

“A novel filled with characters so heartfelt and true to life that you forget they are products of a simulation... even if they can't. When We Were Real sets a new gold standard for big-idea science fiction.”—Jack Skillingstead, author of The Chaos Function

“The best thing Daryl Gregory has ever written. A riveting page-turner that delves into the biggest questions of the universe and still tackles the mysteries of the human heart.”—Christopher Farnsworth, author of Flashmob and Buried Secrets

“Daryl Gregory dispatches a captivating cast of characters on a pilgrimage through a vivid landscape, and you keep turning the pages to see where they’ll go. He’s managed a remarkable feat—When We Were Real is spirited, fun to read, with plenty of dark humor, yet asks big existential questions that keep you thinking long after you’ve finished the book.”—Mark Tompkins, author of The Last Days of Magic

"It’s a testament to Gregory’s skill at character development that the people in this novel, and not the bizarre phenomena they’re observing, are the most fascinating part. This is a marvel. Big-hearted, generous, and beautifully written." —Kirkus Reviews (starred)

“[A] deeply philosophical road trip novel… Gregory bats the existential issues back and forth, offering no easy answers... The result is a heady and entertaining treat.”—Publishers Weekly

“This novel is a fine accomplishment for Gregory— an intellectual, enriching and emotionally resonant read.”—BookPage

"Entertaining... delightfully nihilistic." —Wall Street Journal

"A five-star adventure by an author at the peak of his craft." —Booklist

"Hilarious and heartfelt." —Library Journal