The Curtain

A Novel

De: Patrick Ord

Narrado por: R.C. Bray

Next generation companies don't just cater to existing markets, they create new ones - and they pay Henry Maddox top dollar to show them how. Maddox uses sophisticated marketing strategies to break apart large markets into smaller, more profitable, consumption hungry ones. Combined with modern data mining (known as big data), these techniques allow companies to not only profit from consumers, but control them.

But when Henry is forced to face how his techniques affect real people, he realizes he has inadvertently given corporations the power to destroy society for their own ends. The Curtain explores the effect that increasingly sophisticated data manipulation has on our communities, families, and daily lives.

In an age of digital distractions, who remembers the transcendent morality that has made past civilizations prosper? When corporations have the technology and motive to pull people apart, what keeps us together?

©2013 Patrick Ord (P)2013 Patrick Ord

Excellent book!

Admittedly, I only listened to this book because I am a huge fan of R.C. Bray, I mean who isn't, but this story was truly captivating. Having spent the last decade of my life in Psychological Operations for the US military, this book could have been nonfiction. The tactics and practices that PSYOP'ers are restricted from using against US citizens are the very same used by marketing firms across the globe. They are insanely effective, and this book demonstrates that in many ways. It's shocking to me how few reviews this book has received and considering the year that it was published the technology used has only improved to make their jobs easier. This book might not change your behavior, but hopefully it at least makes you think a little bit more about the topic.

Eye-Opening Info Delivered Through Engaging Story

This book was very illuminating. The author did a wonderful job explaining the extent to which companies go to, today, in order to collect data about us. The story's well crafted and the characters really helped me to understand the marketing basis for collecting that data. The characters in the story asked and answered all of the same questions that I was thinking and would've liked to ask, myself. This book also made me aware of the somewhat questionable moral practices & strategies employed by many companies, today. I was appalled to learn that our data can, and often is, used to thoroughly manipulate us - not only our thoughts and behaviors, as consumers, but as individuals, as well. I'd never really given much thought to how, when, or where, the specific, and seemingly innocuous data, would or could, actually be collected, analyzed, or used. This book opened my eyes to all of this, by creatively weaving together the information, an engaging story, and down-to-earth characters that I came to identify with and care about.
I also absolutely loved the story's narration, done by the incomparable, RC Bray. His narration really added a lot to the whole experience.

Thought provoking and educational thriller

What did you love best about The Curtain?

I found the book to be an extremely well written first novel and I congratulate Mr. Ord on his accomplishment. I particularly enjoyed The Curtain because it was educational and serves as a warning beacon to families everywhere.

The Curtain is really an expose on the social fracturing perpetrated on the basic unit of society, the family, by big business. This fracturing is engineered through the exploitation of data accumulated through seemingly innocuous formats such as social networking and gaming.

Mr. Ord points out that it is really to the benefit of business to have dysfunctional families. For example, he points out that a home that is ravaged by divorce results in 2 consumer households instead of one, both of which require more goods and services than before...thus businesses win when the family crumbles.As I progressed through The Curtain, I found myself thinking to myself, "I hope this isn't really happening in today's world". I believe that it really is.

The Curtain is a socially timely book. With all the political scandals that are occurring regarding invasion of privacy and controversies surrounding data mining, I found The Curtain to be very relevant in today's world. The Curtain does offer some suggestions on how the consumer (and families) can fight back. Read the book to find out what those things are!

The Curtain was a refreshing read because of its lack of vulgarity. This is a principle driven book, The ideas that act as an impetus to the main character's actions run counter-culture to the "what's in it for me" mentality of today's society. Patrick Ord made many points through his characters that left me thinking long after I finished the book. Because of this book I am a more informed consumer and will alter my online habits accordingly.

Great book!

Very interesting and very though provoking. I enjoyed the entire thing. It is well written and has a great message.

Couldn't finish it

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A different story line, and a different narrator who could keep the characters straight.

What could Patrick Ord have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Less lecturing about marketing practices, and less preaching about religion

Would you be willing to try another one of R. C. Bray’s performances?

No

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

None.

Any additional comments?

I felt like it was trying to be like Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead." It failed miserably.

If you want a brainwash disguised as a book

Could have been good. Instead it preaches and brainwashes.

If you're not hardcore conservative, do yourself a favor and skip this one