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The Future

By: Naomi Alderman
Narrated by: Guinevere Turner, Natalie Naudus, Jeremy Bobb, Santino Fontana, Graham Halstead, Lorelei King, Fred Sanders
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Summary

‘Gripping’ MARGARET ATWOOD

'A fabulous, witty writer on the digital world’ SUNDAY TIMES

'A little Atwood, a little Gibson, all Alderman, it’s brilliant and I loved it' LAUREN BEUKES

The latest novel from the Women’s Prize-winning, bestselling author of The Power, The Future is a white-knuckle tour de force and dazzling exploration of the world we have made and where we are going.

Lai Zhen is about to die. As an Internet-famous survivalist, she’s spent her life prepping for the end of the world. But now, desperate and cornered in a mall in Singapore, she’s mad she might go out not knowing what the hell is going on. If she makes it out alive, what kind of a future will be waiting for her?

Across the world, Martha Einkorn works the room at a gathering of mega-rich companies hell-bent securing a future just for them. Covert weapons, private weather, technological prophecy, when Martha fled her father’s compound she may have left the cult behind, but if the apocalyptic warnings of his fox and rabbit sermon are starting to come true, how much future is actually left?

Martha and Zhen’s worlds are about to collide. While a few billionaires assured of their own safety lead the world to destruction, Martha’s relentless drive and Zhen’s insatiable curiosity could lead to something beautiful … or the cataclysmic end of civilization.

‘A rollicking, fun-packed thriller’ ALASTAIR REYNOLDS

©2023 Naomi Alderman (P)2023 Simon and Schuster Audio
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What listeners say about The Future

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable ruse, plausible, informed, entertaining

Nicely paced performance, which helps follow the story, and a funny, entertaining, exciting story, all the way to the end.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What a roller coaster- loved the story!

Well there were times I was thinking ‘where this is going’ but by the end I was delighted with the story and how it was told. Another fabulous book.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting, amusing and clever twists

Really interesting story that developed at a good pace, placed in a very believable near future. Both thought provoking and entertaining.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Amazing vision of the near future

Amazing vision of the near future. So clever with some amazing twists that i didn’t see coming.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Gagged

loved this so much, it had the same exciting vibes as the power, kind of like the power's sister. Great characters, good plot, racy at times, loved it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A MUST ! 100%

Awesome loved it. Poignant terrifying and reassuring all in one. Characters relatable, and a genuine uplifting novel- which I nearly put done due to the potential for a doom and gloom… which clearly I am holding from . I totally loved it and may even replay!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Try To Look Past the Billionaires & See the Plot

Heart-warming tale of our world “gone suddenly sane”. I read this in part because Naomi Alderman was appearing at the Edinburgh Book Festival. She was great, interviewed by Nicola Sturgeon. But Naomi seems to live in a world subtly different from mine. In my world the big technology entrepreneurs leave behind them a mountainous midden of technology that’s never quite been finished. In Naomi’s world all the apps, smart-weapons, platforms, AIs and interfaces actually do what they’re meant to, in a useful way: how implausible. Also in Naomi’s world the self-destructive direction of humanity’s journey can be course-corrected by technology geeks, and nobody tries to stop them. In my, less happy, more relatable world a thick layer of populist politicians, lying corporates & rioters would prevent this. First I read 3/4 of the book; the wish-fulfilling luxury & billionaire life-styles put me off. Then I heard the author interviewed & realised there is some real weight to the novel. While finishing the book I paid more attention to the ideas & the plot. Actually good - satisfying. Plenty to say & says it quite well.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

An inciteful and brilliant read.

wow, just wow. Naomi Alderman has smashed it out of the park again. simple brilliant.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Unsure about this one . . .

I did enjoy this, but the movement of the story occasionally back in time to earlier points I found distracting. I didn't have any character I particularly liked, and the story came across as rather preachy at times. The ending was not satisfying and although I agree real life doesn't have an ending, I prefer stories that do!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I just wish it could be true!

Great characters, twists and turns, a love story, technology used for good and evil. The author draws interesting parallels between the cults of technology and of religion. I absolutely loved this book and I only wish it could come true.

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