Flashforward

By: Robert J. Sawyer

Narrated by: Mark Deakins

Length: 10 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

A scientific experiment begins, and as the button is pressed, the unexpected occurs: everyone in the world goes to sleep for a few moments while everyone's consciousness is catapulted more than 20 years into the future. At the end of those moments, when the world reawakens, all human life is transformed by foreknowledge.

©1999 Robert J. Sawyer (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This first-rate, philosophical journey, a terrific example of idea-driven SF, should have wide appeal." ( Publishers Weekly)

I preferred the TV series

Interesting read/listen. The book was good, but I can't help favoring the TV adaptation.

Disappointing

I got this because I loved the show with Joseph Fienes and wanted to know how it ended. This is nothing like the TV show. It definitely feels like it was written for a scientist by a scientist.

good

enjoyed the book gripping . forces you to think how people give importance to unimportant things

Dwindles into nothing

What did you like best about Flashforward? What did you like least?

I liked the beginning...didn't really care for the end. It started out interesting, then it felt as though he didn't know where to go with what he had created.

Which scene was your favorite?

Sadly, the most memorable scene to me was the schoolyard....NO Spoiler...

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

With a GOOD screenwriter taking the reins, perhaps.

Better than the TV show but disappointing end.

Over the top ending tainted an otherwise very entertaining story much better than the short lived TV series.

Overall pretty good.

If you like Michael Crichton’s work then you’ll like this. It has some parts that are pretty science heavy, but other than these blocks it’s straight forward. Very interesting. Nothing like that cheesy show from the 2000’s.

Missed opportunity

Potential but fell a bit flat. Narration was also a bit lackluster. Good premise however

Too much science too little story

Well written and interesting ‘Flash Forward’ is heavy on science but light on substance. After seeing the TV series I was really excited to read this book. I wanted to hear more about people’s visions and their views of the future but reader is limited to a very small number of visions and some additional visions which relate to those of the main characters. The mystery surrounding Theo and his murder is interesting but not enough to overcome the constant flow of science to make this a truly great story.

Mr Deakins does a great job with the narration getting all of the accents and foreign pronunciations spot on.

The Stars say it all!!

I enjoyed this book just as much, if not more than, I enjoyed Calculating God, by the same great author!

I will definitely be looking to listen or read his other books, and perhaps Hominid will be my next title of choice!

Interesting science, but flat characters

What made the experience of listening to Flashforward the most enjoyable?

The author clearly has a good grasp of science, and has an interesting premise. And some of the characters, as sketched, are interesting.

What was most disappointing about Robert J. Sawyer’s story?

However, some of the characterizations are very thin, and even the actions/motivations of main characters are not fully believable, which detracts a good bit from the story. In addition, Lloyd's final vision and its realization were completely over-the-top. The book would have been better if it had ended earlier and not included that addendum.

Any additional comments?

Still, the "Flashforward" premise is interesting. I would love to see it picked up an elaborated upon by authors more adept at handling characterization - there's a lot there to work with. (And I understand there's a tv show that did that, but I would prefer a story collection.)