The Humans

A Novel

By: Matt Haig

Narrated by: Mark Meadows

Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

The critically acclaimed author of The Radleys shares a clever, heartwarming, and darkly insightful novel about an alien who comes to Earth to save humans from themselves.

When an extraterrestrial visitor arrives on Earth, his first impressions of the human species are less than positive. Taking the form of Professor Andrew Martin, a leading mathematician at Cambridge University, the visitor wants to complete his task and go back home, to the planet he comes from, and a utopian society of immortality and infinite knowledge.

He is disgusted by the way humans look, what they eat, the wars they witness on the news, and totally baffled by such concepts of love and family. But as time goes on, he starts to realize there may be more to this weird species than he has been led to believe. He drinks wine, reads Emily Dickinson, listens to Talking Heads, and begins to bond with the family he lives with, in disguise. In picking up the pieces of the professor's shattered personal life, the narrator sees hope and redemption in the humans' imperfections and begins to question the very mission that brought him there. A mission that involves not only thwarting human progress... but murder.

Praised by The New York Times as "a novelist of great seriousness and talent" author Matt Haig delivers an unlikely story about human nature and the joy found in the very messiness of life on Earth. The Humans is a funny, compulsively readable tale that playfully and movingly explores the ultimate subject - ourselves.

©2013 Matt Haig (P)2013 Simon & Schuster Audio

Fun Plus Depth

I enjoyed this imaginative, fast-paced novel in which an alien takes over the body of a British mathematician and develops feelings for and complicated relationships with the man's wife and son. It's a lot of fun as the alien learns about life on Earth, makes wry, sometimes painfully truthful observations about human beings, and starts to appreciate our world. It got a bit preachy at the end, but over all this is a really entertaining novel with depth.

Also, the narrator gave a lively, well acted performance.

Invasion of the body snatchers

Who is this man wears another’s face, or is a man at all. Quite enjoyed the father son relationship of this novel got me. Got me thinking of my own relationship with my father is rather alien.

Phenomenal.

A story seamlessly well-matched by a compelling narrator. I cannot emphasize in words how much I would recommend this book to every human.

Takes a bit to get into but worth it.

It took me a bit of time to get into the book, but once you understand the characters, you get really invested into the story. The peaks and valleys in the plot were great and the ending was fantastic. It may not be for everyone, but if it's for you, it'll be amazing.

Insightful

A combination of science fiction, philosophy and psychiatry. I kept trying to determine a diagnosis for Andrew. I would believe the alien story for awhile and then I would find myself believing he was mentally ill. I laughed, I cried and I learned. I loved this book !!

Intriguing story; good performance

Mark Meadows gives another pleasant performance. Haig creates another intriguing and inventive story (Having read How to Stop Time) that has poignancy and comedy. Haig’s writing is clear and easy to read.

A fun and touching look at humanity

Haig's The Humans starts as an alien visitation story but quickly bubbles into a deep and touching, humorous look at what it means to human and to question our place in society, Earth, and the mathematically emense cosmos.

An Enjoyable Listen For a Human 👽

The narrator’s voice is pleasant. The story is unique and it reflects on “being human” in a charming way that was heart warming even when it was a little tragic. I listen to books while working from home and if they are not engaging or the narration is in anyway irritating it’s hard to focus and consume the book. This one was great. Checked all the boxes for me.

great narration

At some parts you'll laugh out loud.
very clever. Perfect voice for "Andrew Martin".
Such abstract thinking the author had to consider. wonderful concepts to explore . Well done

The Humans

Written by Matt Haig, narrated by Mark Meadows, about eight hours in length in unabridged audiobook format, released in July 2013 by Simon & Schuster Audio.

Plot. An alien life form is dispatched to earth to eliminate anyone with knowledge of a particular math formula/solution. One as serious as, oh ... say E = mc2. The alien world takes over the body of a human male, the math professor who has solved this cosmic altering puzzle. He's to kill his wife, kid, and anyone who is remotely thought to know the big secret - problem? He gradually begins to understand that humans aren't so bad.

Liked. An enjoyable hypothesis brought to life in the story - it is a very fun SciFi. You'll have no problem following the story. Some insightful philosophical views of the human condition.

Not so hot. The author's fascination with the alien character arriving naked is a silly, childish grind to get through, and almost from the mind of a twelve-year-old boy. Ridiculous enough that the initial hour of listening almost had me return the book. A wasted hour+ that could have been conveyed within five minutes. Stick with it, it gets better.

Narration by Matt Meadows is great, no issues.