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Game Changer  By  cover art

Game Changer

By: Douglas E. Richards
Narrated by: Joe Hempel
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Publisher's summary

The breathtaking new technothriller from the New York Times best-selling author of Wired.

What if it were possible to upload years of knowledge into your mind in hours? To become an expert in multiple scientific fields, become an MD, or learn several languages - in a single day? The benefit to humanity would be immense. But so would the danger....

Rachel Howard is a brilliant neuroscientist trying to make this capability a reality. But when she crosses paths with Kevin Quinn, a Secret Service agent desperately trying to kill the president, she finds herself at the epicenter of an insidious plot. A plot centered on the ultimate technological game changer. An utterly disruptive scientific breakthrough with the greatest power to transform civilization the world has ever seen.

Along with breakneck action and unexpected twists, Game Changer explores the fascinating inner world of our minds and takes a stunningly unique look at how science might someday be used to make profound alterations to the human psyche - for better or worse.

"Richards is a worthy successor to Michael Crichton." (SFBook.com)

"Richards is a tremendous new talent" (Stephen Coonts) who can "keep you turning the pages all night long" (Douglas Preston).

©2016 Douglas E. Richards (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Game Changer

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Richards fills the seat of the late great Crichton

Richards fills the seat that the late Crichton left vacant

How much would the world change if people could learn a life's worth of knowledge in a few minutes? That's what Game Changer takes a look at. Unfortunately, as with all things that can change the world for the better, it can also change it for the worse. Game Changer looks at the possible misuses as it follows a Secret Service agent who attempts to kill the president because of a memory he had of the President torturing and killing his wife... but the details are fuzzy. If I go any more into the details of the story, I will spoil it for you!

Joe Hempel provides the narration for this and what wonderful job he does. Hempel was able to give voice to a fast-paced and non-stop book without even breaking stride. His accents weren't distracting and didn't take me out of the story at all, they actually added to the book more. I believe that this was Hempel's biggest book to date (both length and potential audience) and he absolutely knocks it out of the park.

Phew, I'm still coming down from this book. I just finished it a few minutes ago and I can't believe the amount of action, knowledge, and science that Richards packed into Game Changer. 15 hours is a little out of my comfort zone, but with Hempel at the helm the pages and hours just flew by. I honestly don't remember a book that I've enjoyed this much since reading books by the late Michael Crichton.

Game Changer really messed with my head. The science in it was very "oh wow, this could happen" and I found myself thinking that over and over. I think the sign of an excellent Technothriller is that "what if" feeling. If you can make me feel like this is possible, it makes the book that much better. Richards is the king of this. Every book I've read by him left me feeling a little scared for the future (in the best way possible).

I honestly can't talk much about the actual details in the book because it will ruin some surprises and twists. But, I can promise you that there isn't a dull moment. A period out of place. Or a sentence that was un-needed. In my opinion, Richards is the new king of Technothrillers. Taking a spot that was left vacant by Crichton.

If you found this review helpful, please vote for it. If you want to see more like this, please check out BriansBookBlog DOT com.

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26 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

The ideas are at once plausible and frightening

Long time trusted secret service agent Kevin Quinn suddenly decides to murder the President.  When his plot fails, he becomes the most wanted man in America.  Worst of all, everything he has ever known, everyone he has ever trusted is in doubt.  Even his own memory can’t be trusted.  On the run and out of ideas, he must discover the deeper plot that can alter men’s minds at will.

The action is pretty steady as Quinn follows leads and discovers the brilliant scientist who can help him explain his altered memory.  His training and skills keep him alive more than a few times.   Intertwined within the action is the philosophical question about how much technology is too much; should man do a thing just because he can.  It is possible technology will allow mankind to implant knowledge directly into the mind, bypassing tedious years of study.  But what if the information is false or biased?

Game Changer asks some very important questions about technology and what happens when science goes too far.  It wraps it in an action based thriller, sometimes digressing into the philosophical arguments slowing the plot somewhat.  It is a matter of taste.  If the listener is interested in the overarching ideas, it will be worth the time; if just interested in the action, it may become distracting.  It is a tight balance that most listeners should find entertaining while learning a little something about neuroscience and future technology.

Joe Hempel performs the story with his ample skill.  His voice is a pleasure to listen to while he moves the story forward.  The character voices are easily discernible and the accents are believable and not too heavy to interfere with the narration.  An excellent performance that matches the story well.

Game Changer has plenty of action to keep most listeners interested.  While it does slow in spots as the characters explain the science, it isn’t difficult to understand, written in a way most people should easily grasp.  The ideas are at once plausible and frightening.  Humankind may one day be planting memories in our brains.  The ultimate question then is, what is reality?  An interesting listen that should appeal to a broad audience.

Audiobook was purchased for review by ABR.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

So Much Potential Not Acheived

This book is OK, pretty well written with an interesting scientific premise. The book puts the science back into science fiction, something sorely missing in many so-called science fiction novels. If anything, there is a bit too much science, creating long sandbars of information that may strain your attention. The book starts out very strong, but fails to maintain that momentum. To paraphrase Elvis,it needed a lot less talk and a lot more action. The glaring flaw is the main male character's seemingly never-ending praise and adoration for the main female character, which is repetitive to an "all right, already" degree. We get it - she's ultra-smart, creative, resourceful, wonderful, etc. etc. etc. - I could itemise many more examples of this overkill. Too bad, as it reduces any interest in both of the characters and the plot.
Joe Hempel was excellent with the delivery of the story and made an average book good to listen to

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not very impressive

Game Changer is rather typical of books by Douglas E Richards in that it is set in the relatively near future and it takes an aspect of quasi-scientific thought to the point of implementation. As a thriller this novel is pretty good. It is very excessively wordy to the point of causing the listener to become bored. As a 9 hour rather than 15 hour audiobook it likely would have earned 4 stars.

The topic of the novel is matrix style learning and how it could be misused (if the concept works at all). Matrix learning is a theory that by sending messages directly into the brain it may be possible to take a neophyte in a complex topic and make him/her a world class expert in a matter of minutes.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very interesting....

What I love the most about following narrators is that you get to pick up something you might not do otherwise. I've never read any of Douglas E Richards books before. So this is a first.

I always enjoy Joe as a narrator and his effort here was well worth listening to. A must listen to anyone who already loves Douglas as a writer.

So, in regards to the story. It was very interesting. The research that will have gone into this must be months and months. And we only get to realise this towards the ending. wow. There were parts of the book that I admit were a little too heavy with the science science for me. Although I love Science Fiction, and learning all about what we can do and might do in the future, is amazing, but some of this possibly because it all seemed like facts and real figures etc well it was hard work for my brain... Don't get me wrong it really did hold my interest and in many ways that made me think.

Perhaps in some spots the author got so involved in the science that he kinda forgot this was a story. I've no doubts they were all truthful and innovative sections, to what might happen etc. But they were hard to listen to and digest for me as a normal listening person.

What else held my interest was the characters, from the get go, the thought of killing the president is horrifying, but then we get to learn the reasons why... learning about the drugs, the women, everything. The neuroscience behind it all is fascinating and woven into this story very well.

Quinn and Rachael what an amazing unusual friendship and working relationship they had, I really cared for both of them.

As for some of the others. (names I can't spell or pronounce.) drive the terror/thriller side for us. I don't pertain to understand, but again it seemed very truthful to the world in this day and age, with the constant threats from other countries and religions.

All in all, a good listen. If Joe narrates anymore from the author I might consider them, :)

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Awful.

Been downloading for 10 plus years. Worst I have ever done. Made it to the 4th chapter and became ill. Most nonsensical thing I have heard.

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Fascinating listen

interested in the latest science about memory , and learning, and fly drones? great educational listen.

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7 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Great Book, the begining almost saw me give up

Without the details, you will begin reading this book thinking this crap is more far fetched than the Fast and Furious movies. Don't give up. The middle turns you into a Google researcher... cause you're mind will be telling you No Way!! ... The ending, kinda back into Fast and the Furious. After the story the Author talks about the book. I really appreciated the content and reasons how he started writing such a book. It will send you back to Google. After that you will just sit with unease as the story and elements become more plausible in your mind of todays world. At least that's how I remember it :)

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Fascinating and different

This was a well told story that some would think was partially science fiction. But as the author explained, it's based in truth and probably not too far from becoming reality. I found it compelling and highly recommend it.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Mind control

An attempt on the president's life. Things are not what they seem. An interesting play on the "matrix" theme.

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4 people found this helpful