The Future

De: Naomi Alderman

Narrado por: Guinevere Turner, Natalie Naudus, Jeremy Bobb, Santino Fontana, Graham Halstead, Lorelei King, Fred Sanders, Naomi Alderman

The bestselling, award-winning author of The Power delivers a dazzling tour de force where a handful of friends plot a daring heist to save the world from the tech giants whose greed threatens life as we know it.

When Martha Einkorn fled her father’s isolated compound in Oregon, she never expected to find herself working for a powerful social media mogul hell-bent on controlling everything. Now, she’s surrounded by mega-rich companies designing private weather, predictive analytics, and covert weaponry, while spouting technological prophecy. Martha may have left the cult, but if the apocalyptic warnings in her father’s fox and rabbit sermon—once a parable to her—are starting to come true, how much future is actually left?

Across the world, in a mall in Singapore, Lai Zhen, an internet-famous survivalist, flees from an assassin. She’s cornered, desperate, and—worst of all—might die without ever knowing what’s going on. Suddenly, a remarkable piece of software appears on her phone telling her exactly how to escape. Who made it? What is it really for? And if those behind it can save her from danger, what do they want from her, and what else do they know about the future?

Martha and Zhen’s worlds are about to collide. An explosive chain of events is set in motion. While a few billionaires assured of their own safety lead the world to destruction, Martha’s relentless drive and Zhen’s insatiable curiosity could lead to something beautiful or the cataclysmic end of civilization.

By turns “playful, incisive, horribly relevant, and surprisingly hopeful” (Lauren Beukes, New York Times bestselling author of The Shining Girls), The Future unfolds at breakneck speed, highlighting how power corrupts the few who have it and what it means to stand up to them. The future is coming. The Future is here.

©2023 Naomi Alderman (P)2023 Simon & Schuster Audio

Interesting Except for the Sex

I don’t care to hear descriptions about sexual longing or intercourse in my SciFi it’s unnecessary and gross.

The battle and the balance

Overall I enjoyed this novel. It was a more involved then I thought it would and I had to go back re-listen to a few chapters just to make sure I was following the story line. The battle between the fox and rabbit was a good analogy for how humans handle the balance between the past, present and future. The nature vs. nurture debate is also in my opinion a big past of the story line.

The character development was a refreshing change to the typical boy meets girl. It shows the changing of the times and I’m all for it. All in all this was worth the time. I may go back and read the actual book to see if I can find any other hidden meanings. 

A complete package; excellent sci-fi, distinct characters, thorough plot, seemless narration.

Plausible though enticingly exaggerated future technology AND social problems make for exciting possibilities in this author's apocalyptic creation. How did the publishers get such a great cast of narrators and keep them so seamlessly fit together as a whole pleasant to listen to audio book?

The author kept me interested in the people and the tech science. She made me believe that I knew what was going on but surprised me again and again.

Conservatives and liberals will find themselves in the social implications of where a world like ours could go in this plausible fantasy.

A tough but good read

I heard about this book on NPR in an interview with the author and was compelled by her notions of utopia, that they are not a destination, but a constant striving to do better and watch out for the people who have been left out before. While the story does contain hopeful elements, there’s a lot of suffering to endure to get there. Glad I read/listened to it, not sure if I feel better or worse about the world at large afterwards though.

Engaging social commentary

Engaging social commentary that causes the reader to face our use of technology - its benefits, its threats to our social structure, our role in its manipulation.

Amazing

Well written, great story and perfect narrators. Amazing book that everyone should read! Especially tech ceos

Comes around in the end

Seems a bit lost somewhere in the middle but hang tight it comes around in the end. Really makes you think about our world and what it would take to “fix” it. What are we willing to give up to get there and would it last or make a difference long term?

Entertaining and thought provoking

I really enjoyed the story. At times it is a bit preachy about what humans are doing to the earth - so if that offends you, may want to pass. But I was entertained by the story and characters.

Even better than The Power

Great story, interesting, deeper themes than most sci-fi, and occasionally truly funny. I’ve loved Naomi Alderman since she was d working with Zombies, Run! This was a real treat.

Plot twist

I loved The Power but almost gave up on this book because I just cannot handle more dystopia since the pandemic. Then there’s a plot twist, then another. All artfully done, poignant without being saccharine. Doesn’t end with toxic positivity, nor does it end with despair. Perfect. Also hilarious that it’s available on Amazon and Audible. IYKYK