Change Agent

By: Daniel Suarez

Narrated by: Jeff Gurner

Length: 15 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's Summary

New York Times best-selling author Daniel Suarez delivers an exhilarating sci-fi thriller exploring a potential future where CRISPR genetic editing allows the human species to control evolution itself.

On a crowded train platform, Interpol agent Kenneth Durand feels the sting of a needle - and his transformation begins....

In 2045 Kenneth Durand leads Interpol's most effective team against genetic crime, hunting down black market labs that perform "vanity edits" on human embryos for a price. These illegal procedures augment embryos in ways that are rapidly accelerating human evolution - preying on human-trafficking victims to experiment and advance their technology.

With the worlds of genetic crime and human trafficking converging, Durand and his fellow Interpol agents discover that one figure looms behind it all: Marcus Demang Wyckes, leader of a powerful and sophisticated cartel known as the Huli jing.

But the Huli jing have identified Durand, too. After being forcibly dosed with a radical new change agent, Durand wakes from a coma weeks later to find he's been genetically transformed into someone else - his most wanted suspect: Wyckes.

Now a fugitive, pursued through the genetic underworld by his former colleagues and the police, Durand is determined to restore his original DNA by locating the source of the mysterious - and highly valuable - change agent. But Durand hasn't anticipated just how difficult locating his enemy will be. With the technology to genetically edit the living, Wyckes and his Huli jing could be anyone and everyone - and they have plans to undermine identity itself.

©2017 Daniel Suarez (P)2016 Penguin Audio

A terrifying look into our future

I really enjoyed Daemon by Daniel Suarez so when I saw that Change Agent was coming out, I had to get it. I pre-ordered it from Audible (something I rarely do) and the day that it arrived I was lucky that I was just about to finish the last book I started.

Change Agent is a story about Kenneth Durand an Interpol agent who is mysteriously changed into someone that he is not. Not just a small change either, but a full change. So much so that he quickly realizes that he is a wanted man and that this will forever change the way that the police will be able to solve crimes.

There are two authors that I read that remind me of Michael Crichton. Douglas E Richards and Daniel Suarez. Suarez is able to weave what is going on today with what he thinks will come in the future and it's terrifying. I work in a technology firm and he's not wrong with what he's thinking. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of what was written in Change Agent comes true at one time or another.

Durand as a character allowed the reader to follow along with someone as their own opinions of people and things they fought for so long was changing. Kenneth grew many times throughout Change Agent and really became one of the more dynamic characters I've read in a long time.

The overall story was one of the best I've read this year. It kept me wondering throughout and I honestly couldn't put this book down. I kept saying "one more chapter" late into the night. Each chapter brought me closer to the end, but I promise that this book will have a hold on my mind for a while.

A fast-paced technothriller on par with every Crichton novel I've ever read, maybe even a little more terrifying. Suarez took things that are real today and showed us what could happen in the future if we're not careful.

Great premise, setup...disappointing finish

I was very excited about the concepts being portrayed in this book and have been a fan of the author for awhile. However, after some great setup the plot simply meanders from place to place and secondary characters have little to no development enough to care about anyone's fate. The climax of the book felt like a rush to the finish with the protagonist, being presented with an enormous moral and utilitarian dilemma, still acting on his own superficial self interests. A disappointing and predictable end to a book with a very cutting edge concept.

Really disappointed

I loved Daemon, Freedom and Kill Decision but this one just didn't work for me. I did not find the Durand character likable or believable and really didn't care what happened to him. I found myself switching to music on the drive home after chapters ended.

Still wrapping my head around it...

I'm a huge fan of Suarez previous work, and his set of Daemon and Freedom TM is my favorite story. That being said, I must say I never got attached to the main character in this book. He is a bit of a bleeding heart, who I personally would never see eye to eye with... but I'm leaving that out of my criticism here, being that's a personal taste thing.
It's the tactical errors he makes I'm mostly bothered by. I can't divulge without giving up plot points, but I will say he places himself in some precarious positions through sheer stupidity, and blind faith.
I would have enjoyed a little more development from the partner's (Yi) investigative side.
With the bleeding heart male figure, and women who lead by force, and the main characters metamorphosis resembling a very 'active' Hollywood Star currently making movies at a feverish pace (you smell what I'm cookin?) it Feels as if it were written for the big screen, which I'm hoping for Suarez sake that happens. He absolutely deserves it. I just wish someone would make a big budget version of Daemon for the big screen instead.

The weakest story from famed Daemon author

What did you like best about Change Agent? What did you like least?

Change Agent had the same technical style has the other books from Mr. Suarez. He gives you just enough of world building details without boring you. The problem is unlike his other books, there aren't enough huge battles (practically none at the climax). There are also too many characters in this story and most of them don't play much of a role to the story.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Probably Daemon or Freedom TM just so I can forget about this mediocre work.

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

Mr. Gurner always brings a solid performance to everything I have heard, including Change Agent. He was held back by the lack action sequences in the book and couldn't really make it as interesting as previous novels from Mr. Suarez.

Do you think Change Agent needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No. The story ties up pretty well at the end, to the disappointment of most readers, I'm afraid.

Any additional comments?

Deathless meat will be a thing.

I loved all his other works

I loved everything else Suarez has written. And the elements are here but it just does not come together. A lot of long dialogs describing an scene or item. Also he uses the concierge/pageant/show room floor method of story telling way too many times.

Impressive Scientific Knowledge

Once I began I couldn't stop listening. I finished the entire book in two sittings interrupted only by my daily dose of sleep. Both the story and the performance were superb. The author's familiarity with various ethnicities was greatly appreciated. Mr Suarez succeeded in converting me into a science fiction fan, a genre I was previously averse to due to my reading a couple of scientifically poor science fiction novels. BTW I heard about the author for the first time through an interview with Mr. Leo Laporte on his Triangulation podcast.

Biological Techno Thriller

This book is a bit of a departure for Daniel Suarez but it is in keeping with his other techno-thriller novels. All of his novels are significant excursions into an extrapolation of a current cutting edge technology. His other novels rely heavily upon Information Technology and computers to tell their story. This novel deals with an even more threatening technology, that of genetics. Some listeners may be alienated by this leap from bits and bytes to DNA and RNA but in the end the same tense action and taught plot are on display. I heartily recommend this novel as do I all of the books by Suarez.

Jeff Gurner gives a stand out performance. He is one of the best narrators in the business.

P.S. for those Genetics geeks out there you may be interested in the technology that is behind this novel. My list of recommended books for aspiring geneticists and ethicists:

INHERITANCE by Sharon Moalem
THE EDGE OF EVOLUTION by Michael Behe
UNDERSTANDING GENETICS by David Sadava
THE SPORTS GENE by David Epstein
THE VIRAL STORM by Nathan Wolfe
THE GENE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY by Siddhartha Mukherjee
THE DOUBLE HELIX by James D. Watson

Good book, not enough thrill though

took a bit to get into, but was worth it in the end. if you try to compare it to his other books, don't.

Another fast paced Suarez techno thriller

If you've liked other Suarez books, you'll probably like this one, his other books have been futuristic but take place in our timeline, this one takes place in 2045 in the black market of gene editing. I've read all his other published books and really liked this one.

cool theme shallow plot and characters

it could have been great, had all the right ingredients. It's world setting was interesting too but characters and story was unoriginal and full of needless clichés.Seemed obviously aimed at American block buster movie fame at the expense of the originality. The decent dramatisation kept me going.

Cheezy-sleazy Happy End

After reading other books by Suarez I was expecting similar performance. This one is below the ground. Beginning is interesting, but half way through the book you can tell how it'll all finish. And such a cheezy happy-end - suitable for easy-read-fifty-shades-of-grey novellas.

Great story but narration was monotone

As usual it was a very good story and a very interesting listen. I love Daniel Suarez's books, but unfortunately the narration sounded like someone reading a car manual.

Rambling

I really enjoyed 'kill decision' so I was hoping for something similar, this didn't do it for me.
- I didn't feel like the story was developing, more that a bunch of stuff happened, some of which was inconsequential.
- It felt more science fantasy than near future, I felt like there was gene editing applications that had been squeezed into the story because it was cool rather than it being likely or because it was thought provoking and made for interesting plot points.
- The plot was a bit holey and the characters don't always make logical decisions.
- The accents are so bad! I felt bad for the narrator because there are a lot of accents in this book. A minor character has a disastrous French accent.

Live in the future today

Daniel Suarez story and Jeff Gurner voice it is perfect mixture to take you to the future. If you liked any of the other books by Daniel Suarez you gone love this one. Great story which stretch your mind and shows in detail how technology of the future will change the world we know it.

Another great Suarez techno thriller.

I could see this becoming a movie. The pace of the story would suit the medium.

Cool story bro.

Enjoyed this one. Didn't feel flat any point and well paced from start to end.

Really enjoyed the casual futuristic view. seemed relatable

thought provoking

Jeff Gurner's performance is fantastic. He makes the story really come to life. A typical Suarez book. Good

good but

it was good. the narrator was amazing. but the story is long winded and drags out to many things. The build up to the end was long a d then the actual ending seemed rushed.

Daniel Suarez does it again

Another great vision of the near future. Totally believable, a great read. Tech near future sci fi at its best.