WWW: Wonder

By: Robert J. Sawyer

Narrated by: Jessica Almasy, Marc Vietor, Oliver Wyman, Anthony Haden Salerno, Robert J. Sawyer - introduction

Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

"A writer of boundless confidence and bold scientific extrapolation" (New York Times) concludes his mindbending trilogy.

Webmind - the vast consciousness that spontaneously emerged from the infrastructure of the World Wide Web - has proven its worth to humanity by aiding in everything from curing cancer to easing international tensions. But the brass at the Pentagon see Webmind as a threat that needs to be eliminated. Caitlin Decter - the once-blind 16-year-old math genius who discovered, and bonded with, Webmind - wants desperately to protect her friend. And if she doesn't act, everything - Webmind included - may come crashing down.

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

Listen to the rest of the WWW Trilogy.

©2011 Robert J. Sawyer (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Sawyer shows mastery in his ability to move between complex scientific concepts and genuine and realistic characters....Wonder...is fast-paced and immediately engaging." (The Globe and Mail)

"The shining star of this near-perfect production is Jessica Almasy as the sweet teenager who introduces WebMind to the world. Her equal is Marc Vietor, the voice selected by the machine because of his brilliant work reading audiobooks. (Good inside joke there.) This story, the audiobook equivalent of a page-turner, challenges the listener to pick a side: human or machine. The answer is surprising." (Audiofile)

An Amazing Trilogy with Amazing Performers

I absolutely loved all 3 books, and I loved the voice acting. I found Caitlin's voice actress simply perfect. I listened to the series in quick succession, and even the last book kept me interested right up to the last sentence.

All in all, great sci-fi

This book ends strong!

Keeping up the same well written storyline as books 1 and 2, book 3 delivers and manages to close all loose ends before ending on just about the most thorough jump forward for Webmind you could imagine for a very complete end.

Strong Finish

After reading Watch it is hard to believe a book could even begin to compare, but this book brings it home.

Side note: I like that this book tackles controversial/hard to talk about subjects like Atheism, Unitarianism, Autism, Democracy, etc ... but if you don't you'll be a little put off. I however, loved the book even more for bringing these topics to the forefront. I did however, feel like it was used as filler and not a necessity for the book to thrive, but none-the-less, kudos for tackling the topics and weaving them into the story line.

Wonder

Sawyer is original, exciting, and good at creating new plausibilities often in a contemporary setting. A bloody good story teller who unashamedly and genuinely tackles the pivotal issues that have and will define what it means to be a conscious human being living on a planet teeming with other life forms. Great trilogy and definitely worth the five stars

This Trilogy is Great Fun

The third book, WWW:Wonder, didn't grab my interest as thoroughly and quickly as the first two books. Even so, it was still a fun book with great twists. By the time I was half-way through, I was listening as often as I could manage. I enjoyed the characters, the narrators, the plot, all well done. I hope the publisher comes out with a set so I can give it as a gift. The entire series was well worth the read.

Good read

Ooops - I wrote this for another book...but to paraphrase: It was nice to listen to a book that didn't make technology into the devil. A good and easy book to listen to while driving.

Gave me alot to think about . . .

Caution: Spoilers
I enjoyed this story more than the middle book, as there was more concentration on Webmind and less on Caitlin and her boyfriend. But why ever did Sawyer have her send the photo to her boyfriend? How was that relevant or necessary to the story?
The ending gave me much to think about and to discuss. Would I want a "friendly" internet entity choosing my country's form of government or deciding what code of morality I should live by? Most definitely, no, not even if it went along with my own set of beliefs. Sawyer took an interesting turn at the end, not what I would have expected, and yet, it was a worthwhile listen. I would recommend the series, if this topic interests you.

Excellent, Novel, Amazing.

This is one of the most memorable books/series I have ever read. I am always on the lookout for anything by Sawyer. His first book on this was my intro to him and I was awed.

Get them all.

A compelling argument for the origin-point and consequences of self-actualized A.I. -- Set in the ultra-near future-- Like, no kidding, next week "near future" --This story meshes golden-age style theorizing-- think Asimov-- with modern social consciousness-- think Doctorow-- and gets a very tailored and interesting result. A trifle slow to start in the first book, but once he gets going, Sawyer introduces more new ideas per-page than most contemporary sci-fi plot-lines. And he does it without fantastic or incredible elements-- outside of the perfect timing and collusion of real, albeit extremely rare, phenomena.
Now, I like explosions and ancient alien races a whole lot, just like most fans of this genre-- and this book doesn't go there. Instead of fantastic adventure outside of time and galaxy, we are plunged into the fantastic adventure that is our current lifestyle in advanced countries around the world. Sawyer could be offered a TED fellowship after this. I only have one critique about the story telling--it's just that---well, listening to teenage girls swooning over boys is a lot to ask, and not something I seek out. However, the sappy, love-struck, giddiness provides an emotional counterpoint that serves as a vehicle for several powerfully original suppositions about the consequences of social media. So...I guess it's a wash.
In short: A great story for idea junkies like me, not so great for hardcore fans of space-opera/ray-gun type science fiction. To the author: Thanks man! I wouldn't have learned about "confabulation" without you!

One for the Ages

If your looking for a feel good sci fi series, that has excellent, believable, and relatable characters... look no further then the WWW series. I've read this series several times over the years and it never fails to lift my spirits.

This is my first time listening to the audio book version, and i have to say, it blew my mind. I've listened to a number of audio books in the past, but this is the first time i've listened to one with so many voice actors. they truly bring this story and it's characters to life.

Don't take my word for it thought... go listen to it for yourself. i guarantee you won't be disappointed.