WWW: Watch

By: Robert J. Sawyer

Narrated by: Jessica Almasy, Marc Vietor, Oliver Wyman, Jennifer Van Dyck, Robert J. Sawyer

Length: 12 hrs

Publisher's summary

Webmind is an emerging consciousness that has befriended Caitlin Decter and grown eager to learn about her world. But Webmind has also come to the attention of WATCH - the secret government agency that monitors the Internet for any threat to the United States - and they're fully aware of Caitlin's involvement in its awakening. WATCH is convinced that Webmind represents a risk to national security and wants it purged from cyberspace. But Caitlin believes in Webmind's capacity for compassion - and she will do anything and everything necessary to protect her friend.

BONUS AUDIO: Includes an exclusive introduction by author Robert J. Sawyer.

©2010 Robert J. Sawyer (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Nominee - Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Audiobook, 2011

"Original and intriguing. Sawyer makes complex sci-fi understandable and thoroughly entertaining." (Romantic Times BOOKReviews)

"Watch is a helluva fun read and an excellent science fiction book." (SF Signal)

"Cast members complement one another and are effective in differentiating the various characters and story threads. They drive forward the momentum of the plot and flesh out the novel’s distinct personalities." (AudioFile)

Much Better than the Prequel

It's no great secret that Caitlin and other researchers posit that Web Mind is composed from internet packets whose Time-To-Live (TTL) counters never reach zero. Because they never reach zero, they hang around on the web forever. These packets behave like cellular automata. At a high-level, this means Web Mind is rather fragile.

It is, however, a secret from a division of the National Security Agency called the Web Assessment Threat Containment Headquarters (WATCH). As the name implies, WATCH monitors the web for potential threats. They first become aware of Web Mind through its interception of the signals sent by the implant in Caitlin's eye. WATCH can't decode the data without writing a program to implement some very complex algorithms. They need to figure out how Web Mind is created to form a plan to eliminate it.

We also see Web Mind's existence become public. It communicates instantaneously with everyone who contacts it, and helps find missing people, prevent suicide, etc.

very interesting story,

I was especially drawn in by the performance. a good story, but there were language issues I was very upset about. I almost stopped listening because of this. other than that the book was very interesting and I had to finish it and see what happened.

really enjoying this series.

very much enjoyed this book and audio books presentation of this book. hope the final book is as good.

TRIGGER WARNING: SUICIDE of Non-main character

SUICIDE by a character introduced just for this graphic scene, Chapter 18

Also themes of the despair for the inherent evil of humanity.

This is my 3rd or 4th listening of this beloved trilogy. I do not remember Book 2: Watch being this bleak. Today, I remember the punch after punch to the gut scenes only as they unfold. It did not occur to me until just now, after all these listenings over the years, that I really should have noted this brutal scene for my future self. But I can flag it for others. THIS BOOK IS WORTH THE PAYOFF. You just have to remember to hold out your hope for a little longer. This is all going somewhere very worthy of the journey.

I hope in the end you can share with me that these books as a complete story hold up a shining example of the hope humanity has despite the horrors we continue to inflict.

If not, if your trauma is so fresh that you break down during or at the end of this scene and can’t find a your way through the crisis within a minute, please stop reading. Set this story aside for when you can convince yourself that hope can and does exist.

Be kind to yourself. You can do this. You just don’t have to go down this path. I like stories with the big message, that despite the horrors humans are capable of, we are equally capable of astonishing good. It keeps me trudging. And remembering that I can, and should, still smile.

Amazing

The first book in this series was pretty good, this book however, is simply put, amazing. I have not been so moved by fiction in a very long time. As for the audio production, it is top notch, a great cast of readers somewhat dramatize the story and give it additional life. This story is one to share with everyone, I urge anyone reading this to give it a try. I have downloaded a good deal of audiobooks, and this is the only one I ever bothered to write a review of.

Disappointing middle part of WWW trilogy

Robert J. Sawyer second part of his sci-fi WWW trilogy continues the story of WebMind - a spontaneous emergence of conscious AI-like mind on the Web. The intelligence and later consciousness grown out of cellular automata created by "lost" packages of data on the net. I must say, that I was very positive year ago, when I read the first volume. Unfortunately, the second volume does not stand up to the challenge of convincing description or plot related to Artificial Intelligence. The WebMind becomes too human-like mind with too many naive dialogs and scenes. The introduction of top secret government watchdog agency, which, after the discovery of the intelligence tries to kill/stop it, is in the aura of today's sci-fi genre (oh these bad guys from Avatar...) - and is, unfortunately very superficial. The author even did not try to elaborate on the nature of the danger for the officials from the emerging AI.

The only plot that is fine, is that mysterious one about Hobo, the intelligent chimpanzee/bonobo crossbreed. In same sense, these plot - that points us to the future, third volume, was the for me like a lifebuoy during the reading.

The book ends with extremely naive invocations to peace, humanity and beauty. Come on - that was not what I expected...

Finally, let me say at least one good thing - it is real page turner or ear defender (if you happen to listen to it as I did :-)).

More on sopekmir blog in sci-fi category.

Good enough to pass the time

It's an interesting story idea and story line through the entire triology.
One just has to root root root for the genius girl who sees again and is brilliant and for the kind machine.
The ending just runs out of energy. The end is all sap and no spice.

Good and better

Although one or two scenes might be a little disturbing, and I say this knowing some will buy the AB just reading that, the book is very well written and the performance excellent!

Possibly the best out of the three

This is my second time listening to all these books. And although the ending to the trilogy is amazing and well executed this book is my favorite. "Into the future... Together"

Great second book in the series

Robert J story or is becoming one of my favorite authors in science fiction. The concept of an emerging artificial super intelligence were handled thoughtfully. Lots of details which was fun to set your mind thinking about possibilities. For some reason I have not been a fan of his endings and the last chapter as with other of his books gets a bit preachy. However it wasn't enough to diminish the enjoyment of the entirety of the book.