Interface

By: Neal Stephenson, J. Frederick George

Narrated by: Oliver Wyman

Length: 25 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine)

From his triumphant debut with Snow Crash to the stunning success of his latest novel, Quicksilver, Neal Stephenson has quickly become the voice of a generation.

In this now-classic thriller, he and fellow author J. Frederick George tell a shocking tale with an all-too plausible premise. There's no way William A. Cozzano can lose the upcoming presidential election. He's a likable midwestern governor with one insidious advantage - an advantage provided by a shadowy group of backers. A biochip implanted in his head hardwires him to a computerized polling system. The mood of the electorate is channeled directly into his brain. Forget issues. Forget policy. Cozzano is more than the perfect candidate. He's a special effect.

©2005 Neal Stephenson & J. Frederick George (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Nominee - Best Thriller/Suspense Audiobook, 2011

"As he deftly conveys the authors' chilling dramatization of the national political process, Wyman's voice sounds fresh and contemporary but seasoned with enough maturity to render him a believable newscaster. The authors' and narrator's storytelling skills mesh perfectly in a thriller of the sort that keeps one sitting in the driveway long after arriving home." ( AudioFile)

Absolutely 100% relevant to the 2020 election

Brilliantly conceived and written. Hilarious & insightful fiction mocking the real world. Of course it is a parody but it is eerie how much truth it conveys. In 1994, how could he predict that a brain-dead candidate would be running for president?

Written in 1994 and *way* ahead of its time...

And the narrator has some serious tallent. Don't start if you have anything to do :)

Once again, Neal Stephenson nails it!!

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

Great presentation! Narrator did a super job...

What about Oliver Wyman’s performance did you like?

His presentation of all the characters

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

Yes!

Any additional comments?

Another awesome and detail focused story. Neal takes several dissparate story lines and moves them gracefully together as the story is told!!!

Great Story for Our Time

Given the state of the USA, this is a interesting and insightful book. Highly recommended .

A bit dated but good

A bit dated ( with regards to both technology and politics) but an entertaining story nonetheless.

Clever and somewhat anachronistic

The story of using emotional profiles of the American people to elect the president. It relies on clever technology that gives instantaneous feedback on people's responses and allows it too be used to stimulate the candidates mind. The characters are well drawn. There are several unexpected twists.
There was a similar story written on the sixties that primed a candidate with selective data from each electoral district as he campaigned there. I don't recall three end of that book.
Interface was published at the dawn of the she of public Access to the internet. Smartphones were barely imagined.
Stephenson wrote the book with his uncle. They created a thought provoking book. The didn't imagined the 2020 invasion of the capital.

Didn't bother to pronounce Tuscola corrctly.

This real town is a setting in this book. The author narrator and director didn't bother to look up the correct pronunciation of Tuscola. The emphasis is on 'Tusc'. There is a language pronunciation line that runs north and south and runs through Champaign. 'Per'u is another example. The book otherwise may be fine. A personal problem for me. And Stephenson is a great author.

Best narrator ever

Even if "Interface" didn't provide such a good story, Oliver Wyman's narration would justify the purchase. I don't think that any other actor has such a wide range of voices -- from soft feminine to gravely gruff -- and such a wide range of accents -- from west Texas to East Indian. He gives such a good narration of this book that I am considering buying other novels that he has performed, site-unseen, so-to-speak. The story itself satisfies, as well. Even though it was published 'way back in 1994, it does not feel too dated ... which says a lot for the plot concept. I am just discovering Neal Stephenson -- thanks to Audible -- and now I'm wondering how I missed him all these years. He writes intelligent thrillers -- kind of like Michael Crichton used to do -- and seems to know a lot about a plethora of topics and places, interweaving them all together into an exhilarating fabric. "Interface" postulates a somewhat scary hypothesis about manipulating politicians through electronic brain implants. The technology involved to do so certainly exists now, making the reader wonder if this kind of conspiracy may actually be happening .... I don't think that any thriller-lover would regret purchasing this audiobook.

Entertaining enough to recommend

But, just don't read it after something like "All The King's Men" like I did. What a bad idea. There is no comparison regarding plot or writing.

But assuming you transition to Interface more wisely than I did, it could be very entertaining for you, especially if you are a Neal Stephenson fan. This is my first Stephenson book. I don't know how much J. Frederick George collaborated, nor have I read any books by him.

I am not sure I will read another Stephenson. The plot of this book undermined itself. I am not sure if the author really kept control over where this book was going. Between the editor's review and the first of the book I really thought it was going to be a lot more intense and and more...oh, maybe a bit more Manchurian Candidate-like. It was nothing of the kind. But I am not sure the book knew it was not going there when it started.

Maybe the collaboration of the two authors contributed to the slightly schizophrenic feel to the plot. If I try another Stephenson book it will be just him and I will remain open-minded til then.
In the meantime take the recommendation of other Stephenson fans and be aware while Wyman was not the best narrator, he is not a deal-breaker.

Oliver Wyman is hands down the best

this narrator made this book, his control and range of voice is astounding. the story was solid as well