Book Review: Smarter by Dave Montano
What if you could suddenly become the musician you had always dreamed of being, playing flawlessly and composing brilliant songs with almost no effort? For Tommy Reeves, the struggling musician at the heart of Dave Montano’s Smarter, that dream becomes reality when his brilliant cousin introduces him to a pair of experimental, AI-enhanced glasses. But what initially appears to be a miraculous shortcut to success soon becomes something far more disturbing.
Montano builds his story around an intriguing premise that feels increasingly relevant in a world where artificial intelligence is transforming creativity, work, and everyday life. Tommy begins as a talented but frustrated musician whose band, Sinder, is on the verge of breaking apart. His new glasses unlock abilities he never knew he possessed, allowing him to write extraordinary music, impress his bandmates, and compete for national recognition. Yet the more he depends on the technology, the more he begins to question whether his accomplishments are truly his own.
The early chapters effectively establish Tommy’s desperation and make his temptation understandable. He is not simply seeking fame; he wants to overcome his limitations, reclaim his confidence, and save the band he cares about. That emotional motivation gives the science-fiction premise a human foundation. His growing dependence on the glasses also creates a compelling source of tension, particularly as his bandmates begin to suspect that his sudden transformation cannot be explained by ordinary hard work or a creative breakthrough.
The novel becomes increasingly ambitious as Tommy’s personal struggle expands into a much larger conspiracy. What begins as an experiment in enhanced musical ability develops into a chilling exploration of technology that can influence thought, behavior, and human identity. The music competition, initially a promising opportunity for Sinder, becomes part of a much more sinister scheme. Montano uses this escalation to raise questions about who controls technological progress, what happens when convenience replaces independent judgment, and whether humanity can remain free when intelligent systems become deeply embedded in our lives.
One of the book’s strongest elements is its exploration of authenticity. Tommy’s predicament forces readers to consider whether an achievement is genuinely ours when technology supplies abilities we could not otherwise demonstrate. Is enhancement simply another tool, like an instrument or a computer, or does it become something fundamentally different when it begins to shape our choices and personality? These questions extend beyond music to writing, art, professional achievement, and virtually every field in which AI is becoming influential.
The supporting characters help ground these ideas in personal relationships. Connie, Rick, and Dylan each bring different perspectives to the band’s predicament, and their relationships with Tommy give the larger technological conflict emotional stakes. Their shared struggle ultimately becomes a fight not merely for survival but for the right to remain imperfect, unpredictable, and human.
Montano also brings energy and humor to the story, particularly through the band’s dialogue and irreverent exchanges. The contrast between the rough, messy world of working musicians and the increasingly controlled environment created by advanced technology adds an entertaining dimension to the darker themes. The novel does not limit itself to a conventional tale of technological menace; it also considers the possibility that genuine human connection and creative imperfection may be more valuable than artificial perfection.
The book’s main weakness is that its ambitions sometimes exceed its narrative restraint. As the story progresses, the plot expands dramatically from a musician’s personal crisis into a global struggle involving artificial intelligence, behavioral control, government power, and the future of humanity. This escalation gives the novel considerable scope, but readers who prefer tightly focused character development may find that the larger conspiracy occasionally overwhelms the intimate story that initially makes Tommy compelling. Some of the dialogue and humor are deliberately crude, and the novel’s frequent emphasis on technological control can make its central message feel repetitive.
The ending takes an especially interesting turn. After the catastrophic events of the larger story, Tommy returns to what appears to be ordinary life, leaving readers to question the boundary between reality and his experience. This conclusion reinforces the novel’s concerns about perception, technology, and the fragility of human identity, although its ambiguity may not satisfy readers who prefer every major question to be resolved.
Ultimately, Smarter is a thought-provoking science-fiction novel that uses an entertaining premise to explore serious questions about the price of technological progress. Readers interested in artificial intelligence, dystopian fiction, music, and the struggle to preserve individuality in an increasingly automated world will find plenty to consider. Its greatest strength is not its prediction of what technology might do, but its reminder that the ability to do something perfectly does not necessarily make it worthwhile.
Recommended for readers who enjoy ambitious, technology-driven fiction that combines suspense, social commentary, and questions about what makes us human.
Smarter by Dave Montano is an imaginative and provocative exploration of a future that may be closer than we think. While the sprawling plot and occasional repetition may not appeal to every reader, the novel raises timely questions about creativity, autonomy, and the danger of surrendering too much of ourselves in exchange for effortless perfection. It leaves readers with a question worth pondering: if technology can make us smarter, more talented, and more efficient, how do we ensure that we remain ourselves?
Goodreads Review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/9038317691