Alif the Unseen

By: G. Willow Wilson

Narrated by: Sanjiv Jhaveri

Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

In an unnamed Middle Eastern security state, a young Arab-Indian hacker shields his clients — dissidents, outlaws, Islamists, and other watched groups — from surveillance and tries to stay out of trouble. He goes by Alif — the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, and a convenient handle to hide behind.

The aristocratic woman Alif loves has jilted him for a prince chosen by her parents, and his computer has just been breached by the state’s electronic security force, putting his clients and his own neck on the line. Then it turns out his lover’s new fiancé is the “Hand of God”, as they call the head of state security, and his henchmen come after Alif, driving him underground.

When Alif discovers The Thousand and One Days, the secret book of the jinn, which both he and the Hand suspect may unleash a new level of information technology, the stakes are raised and Alif must struggle for life or death, aided by forces seen and unseen.

©2012 G. Willow Wilson (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

This Sanjiv Jhaveri Guy...

Honestly, this isn't a bad story. I listened to it during my commute and sometimes while at work. IF (and this is a really big IF) you don't mind the narrarator making the most bizarre and uncharacteristic voices for some of Wilson's characters. It really took me out of the story sometimes. One of the djinn characters had the voice of some creepy rapist/pedophile. Even though he's one of the best written characters, I just couldn't handle it. Obviously written by a man, because every time the boy protagonist meets a new woman character, he is always "uncomfortable" at the way that they look him up and down. I appreciated some of the imagery, having grown up on the Arabian Peninsula myself. Accurately described social dynamics. If you can get past the weird performance, as well as all of the pseudo-mysticism (it's like he forgets about it sometimes), then you might enjoy this.

Not what I expected

Would you listen to Alif the Unseen again? Why?

I expected to enjoy this book as I am already a fan of GWW, but I was pleased with the broad scope of this story. It was fun, funny, action packed, smart, techy, fantasy, with tons of social commentary.
Lovely fun ride.

Interesting

Any additional comments?

I found this listen entertaining though not engrossing. The author presumes that things are understood without explanation. I find it questionable the abilities of the actions by those in the book. The book highlights the good though of the Muslim and Islam people, something lately misunderstood.

Fascinating Story, Learned a Few Things

Interesting story, new culture. Cool ideas about holy books, religion--Not quite L'Engle but sort of.

A great adventure

Tagged a fantasy—and rightfully so, but for those believing they don’t like fantasy I encourage you to suspend a modicum of belief in order to enjoy a wonderful adventure that informs us about culture, religion, philosophy, politics, and technology.

Disappointing

Promises to be a great story at the beginning but quickly becomes repetitive and grating. At least the insight into cultural nuances is interesting.

great look at today's world

Any additional comments?

This book is a very entertaining adventure story that also gives a great picture of some serious issues, from repression in today's Arabian peninsula to the hubris of technology geeks who think that computers can solve life's basic dilemmas.

Cute and entertaining eastern tech adventure

Entertaining, if not particularly deep techno adventure.

Interesting mix of plausible hacktivism and djinn based Middle Eastern superstition. Plausible escapism. Decent characterisation. A fun romp through the Middle East and it's censorship and it's mythology

Dragged

I appreciated the insight into Arab culture, and the non-Western perspective, but I still had a hard time getting through it. The story dragged, with far too much religious harping.

Unfufilled Promise

This book promises so much and seems to be delivering on it for some time, however, as the story move toward the ending the author seems to lose all steam and the reader is left feeling empty. I cannot recommend it.