Kill Decision

By: Daniel Suarez

Narrated by: Jeff Gurner

Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

The shocking techno-thriller that cements Daniel Suarez's status as the heir to Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy - a terrifying, breathtaking, and all-too-plausible vision of the world's near future.

Unmanned weaponized drones already exist: they're widely used by America in our war efforts in the Middle East. In Kill Decision, best-selling author Daniel Suarez takes that fact and the real science behind it one step further, with frightening results.

Linda McKinney is a myrmecologist, a scientist who studies the social structure of ants. Her academic career has left her entirely unprepared for the day her sophisticated research is conscripted by unknown forces to help run an unmanned - and thanks to her research, automated - drone army. Odin is the secretive Special Ops soldier with a unique insight into the faceless enemy who has begun to attack the American homeland with drones programmed to seek, identify, and execute targets without human intervention.

Together, McKinney and Odin must slow this advance long enough for the world to recognize its destructive power, because for thousands of years the "kill decision" during battle has remained in the hands of humans - and off-loading that responsibility to machines will bring unintended, possibly irreversible, consequences.

But as forces even McKinney and Odin don't understand begin to gather, and death rains down from above, it may already be too late to save humankind from destruction at the hands of our own technology.

©2012 Daniel Suarez (P)2012 Penguin Audio

it was okay

it was a little predictable, lacked motivation of protagonist, not his best work. finishing the book felt more like an obligation than something I was looking forward to.

Almost but not quite

If you could sum up Kill Decision in three words, what would they be?

Entertaining, thought provoking, unrefined

Who was your favorite character and why?

The leader of the SW team developing the "situation recognition software", early in the book. He was an interesting character, and I was a bit disappointed with the team's abrupt and unfortunate demise.

What does Jeff Gurner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Pronounciation of foreign languages, which sounded very convincing (until I heard his Swedish, being Norwegian myself ;) ) Gurner did a very good job over all, but he can tone down the female voices a little bit.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not really, the book's major flaw is its inability to get me involved with the characters. Even at the end, I wouldn't really have cared that much about McKinney or Odin being killed, which is a bad sign. Their love story wasn't very convincing either.

Any additional comments?

I liked the book's premise, and very much enjoy a techno thriller. However, I find a bit to be lacking in Suarez' writing (language as well as character development). That said, I am very eager to "read" Daemon and Suarez' other book, and hope they will be available in my area soon.

Great story!

Really loving Suarez, his technology detail and writing keep you captivated and wanting to turn the next page or listen to Jeff Read it.

I want more.

Odin is a total badass. Such a modern thriller, loved all the high tech.

Fun Light Page Turner

What did you like best about Kill Decision? What did you like least?

Suarez basically writes contemporary political thrillers that use cutting edge computer and military technology as the engine for page-turning action adventure. In the case of kill decision, its the prospect of autonomous drones with swarming behavior. No deep characters or compelling speculation here (one of the 2 main characters here is annoyingly simple). But lots of fun techno-action. I preferred his "Daemon" and would recommend it as a better place to start with Suarez.

One tiny nit to pick...

Would you consider the audio edition of Kill Decision to be better than the print version?

When a parachute is deployed, the passenger does not shoot up. Only in relation to another free-faller does it appear so.

Now then -- back to the book. To me as credible as can be, and Jeff's reading -- unsurpassable.

This Pun Should Make You Drone

Hopefully I got your attention with the lighthearted headline, but my actual point was to again commend Daniel Suarez for writing another engaging story. Kill Decision is much more of a techno-thriller than his previous works Daemon & Freedom(TM) (which I've come to find out from interviews were actually written as a single book and then separated on advice from the publisher). The plot here is more concise, and doesn't have some of the plot lines that start good and disappear through the narrative. Here its very focused on the subject at hand and the unlikely protagonist who is indirectly responsible for the ensuing crisis.

I'm sure you've discovered, so it shouldn't be a spoiler, that this book focuses on Drone technology. I've you've watched any of the coverage of US involvement in Middle East conflict, the use of reconnaissance and target drones may already be a familiar topic. Currently, these drones are controlled and monitored by soldiers outside the area of engagement, sometimes literally in bunkers on the other side of the world. Kill Decision takes this real-world technology and projects it forward into a plausible future.

What if there were huge advances in this technology? To what lengths would the government and industry go to protect this technology and maintain secrecy about it? What place do natural systems play in the field of artificial intelligence and what are the consequences of doing so? Does the interdependence of the military and technology industries make for a safer or more threatening world? These are among the many questions the book approaches in a fast-paced action thriller format that will make you want to consume the entire story in a single sitting.

The production is extremely good and Jeff Garner is an outstanding presenter. He is also the voice of Daemon and Freedom(TM) among many other great Audible titles, and his ability to make characters, both male and female, as well as ones with specific ethnic backgrounds seem vibrant and believable. Strong performers, like Jeff, are one of the most compelling reasons to engage in the audiobook format.

I enjoyed this, and hope you do as well.

Another epic story

Daniel Saurez does it again. After reading (well, listening) to Daemon and FreedomTM I was excited to see what else Daniel could come up with, and let me tell you - I was not a bit disappointed.

The story begins in what is reality today, and take it from there. The future described in the book is not (unfortunately) far-fetched, just a natural evolution of current technology. The characters was brought to life and it was like you learned to know them a bit at the end of the story.

Daniel has a nag for bringing a semi-happy situation to a complete disaster in a few line of pose, keeping you on the edge of your seat (I usually listen while working or commuting). I can't recommend this book high enough, and if you liked Daemon and FreedomTM I am certain that you will love this one.

Highly Timely Material

Would you listen to Kill Decision again? Why?

Yes. The Author is too close to the signs of times in development of drone operations. This is pertinent information people aspiring to make significant decisions of our future war fighting resources need to know and prepare to face; in force and by the OPFOR.

What did you like best about this story?

Like a Clancy novel, the action is fast and well constructed. And, also as like Tom Clancy, this man is writing out of our current and near future play books in his weave story. The deep river is another animal all together.

Which character – as performed by Jeff Gurner – was your favorite?

The ravens - I've looked back over my life and see interactions I've had with their species in entirely new light. I intend to cultivate future relationships.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but too long and too much valuable information for one sitting. Heck of a good road book if I was recommending to a long distance traveller.

Any additional comments?

Suarez just gets better and better. If you haven't read his two previous offerings here on Audible, get them.

another great experience

I've read most of Suarez and this one doesn't disappoint in the techno thriller space. The ending was a tiny bit anticlimactic, I could have taken a giant 'drones annihilate city' battle type thing, but.. maybe in the follow-up.

Jeff Gurner is a master. The accents for each character got a tiny bit loose by the end of the book but after that many hours who can blame him??