Dorian
Linden J. DeBie
Resource Publications (2024)
ISBN: 979-8385204649
Reviewed by Rachel Meghan for Reader Views (07/2026)
Sometimes fiction is just a Trojan Horse to a novel that isn’t afraid to ask bigger, life-altering questions. While the story may be enticing, something like a unique character study or a Faustian journey can also be an entry-point to philosophy as a subject, by way of the character it explores. Such is Dorian, a new novella by Linden J. DeBie, which introduces itself as a modern homage to Oscar Wilde’s classic novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, but ends up being an epic that invites readers to think big.
The titular character in Dorian is quite the interesting man. Narcissist would be the word that I would use, someone who uses people and leaves them behind in favor of self-development. What this looks like for Dorian is the quest for eternal youth, to laugh in the face of God with diatribes on philosophy, while simultaneously being lauded as a super genius, a heavy-hitter and highly respected member of the tech world. The book, written by DeBie, who is a Doctor of Philosophy, is a deep-dive into Dorian’s mind and life, going from woman to woman, family to family, leaving them behind without a trace for what he deems to be bigger and better things. But a brilliant mind can’t keep you warm at night, and Dorian unfortunately has to learn that for himself.
I have a particular special interest in stories like this, psychological profiles of a less-than-savory character that leaves me with more questions than answers. It brings to mind the work of Bret Easton Ellis, and Dorian can easily be compared to characters like Patrick Bateman of American Psycho. The conversations on philosophy are interesting to read, especially if you are into reading theory, but they are ultimately tangents to the plot at large. However, they do paint a picture of who Dorian is, and in due course make sense in the narrative.
Linden J. DeBie’s Dorian was an enjoyable novel, one I couldn’t put down and read in one sitting. Like Wilde’s novel, it was extravagant in its prose and unique in its commentary on the quest for eternal life. As we all know, however, nothing is eternal, and because of that, the ending of this book really packs a punch. An intellectual, big-brained novel, but an addictive one as well.
At a Glance: A literary psychological novella inspired by classic Gothic fiction. A brilliant tech visionary pursues immortality while sacrificing human connection, prompting questions about identity, ambition, morality, and the limits of intellect. Literary fiction with philosophical themes and morally complex characters.
Best for Readers Who Enjoy: literary psychological fiction, philosophical fiction, modern Gothic, morally complex protagonists, antiheroes, existential themes, books about immortality, character-driven fiction, intellectual fiction, dark literary drama