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

Another Fantastic book from Daniel Suarez

Would you listen to Kill Decision again? Why?

Yes. I really enjoy technology based books and Daniel Suarez is the best author out there combining thriller plot lines with tech.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The doctor from the rain forest. She suprised me many times in the book.

What about Jeff Gurner’s performance did you like?

He did well developing each of the characters in the book and bring them to life.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was fascinated and at times scared about where the technology of drone warfare might take us.

Any additional comments?

Daniel Suarez is the best tech author out there combining thriller plot lines with deep technology setting it in our current times. If you enjoy this book try his first two books also they are fantastic. I look forward to his next book coming out he has not disappointed yet.

Page Turner

It was an engaging story very hard to stop listening to it. You wanted to know what was gonna happen next.

Great Thriller, Fantastic Narration

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

Military techno thriller

What was one of the most memorable moments of Kill Decision?

The first attack by the micro hunter-killer drones.

Have you listened to any of Jeff Gurner’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

One of his best, which is a very high bar.

Any additional comments?

If you like this Suarez's previous novels you will like this one. And if you like this genre I also think you will like this. It was a believable and interesting plot, interesting science (swarming AI as a weapon), technology, politics, and military action. It has some surprises and moves along at a good pace.

I really liked Jeff Gurner's narration. His voice characterizations were skillful and believable. In one part he does a guy with a Jewish accent speaking Chinese! Brilliant. His reading was perfect for this novel.

I enjoyed the story, but...

Not better than Daemon/Freedom those stories set the bar high. This story was a strong outing from Daniel Suarez

Excellent like all of Suarez' work.

Great thriller, great characters. I was never bored listening to this fantastic book. I would also recommend all of his other work especially Daemon. This was not a paid review.

If you liked Daemon, you will like this one

Would you listen to Kill Decision again? Why?

I am not at all a sci-fi reader, but I do like the works of Daniel Suarez, because it all feels like it could be really happening in the near future.

drfoxtrotter

What made the experience of listening to Kill Decision the most enjoyable?

Jeff Gerner is superb as the narrator

What did you like best about this story?

action packed with many twists & turns & the ending leaves open a follow up story

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

He is absolutely terrific. The best yet

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

no

great story and characters

make it a series...Odin needs to come back with more adventures. the story was fast paced and interesting.

Loved it

I love Daniel's books and I love drones. Perfect match. I enjoyed the characters and the story. I would highly recommend it.

Pretty good

I got 'Kill Decision' because I thoroughly enjoyed Daniel Suarez's 'Daemon' and 'Freedom' novels. And I have to say, it wasn't bad. It just didn't reach the same bar that had been set by those earlier reads.

How was it different? I'd have to say this read more like a Tom Clancy novel. And while I like Tom Clancy novels and have read quite a few, none would get more than 4 stars from my purely subjective and humble point of view.

My only objections, albeit slight objections, were....1) I feel the author indulged in a bit of cliche with the characters and premise (I'm talking in particular about the diverse yet melded, battle-worn special ops team led by a guy with a quirky affinity for ravens) and 2) the sci fi component didn't knock my socks off. I can't go into more detail about that sci fi component without spoiling something for potential readers, unfortunately - but I'm sure another source like amazon or wikipedia can elaborate if you don't mind knowing in advance.

All in all, if you share my tastes and had a choice between listening to this or nothing, I'd say it's worth it. But if there are other 5 star options available, keep this one on the back burner.