In 1513, Niccolo Machiavelli wrote the words, “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” He was speaking of the de Medicis in particular, but those four words convict leadership across the centuries. Naomi Alderman’s The Future is another novel that deals with this concept, but like The Power, she uses unlikely leaders to tell her tale. The Power flips gender norms on their heads by presenting a world where women rise to power over men. In The Future, a group of environmentalists bamboozle IT industry giants (you can easily identify Bezos, Musk, and the like) to save the environment. The problem is power hunger isn’t exclusive to men or heads of major corporations. It can corrupt women and environmentalists, too. Both novels would have benefitted from exploring this theme. The Future is a fun read, but if you want the TL;DR version, stick with The Prince.

3.75/5✨
Sci-fi. Multi-POV. LGBTQIA+. 2023 release.

In a near-future world dominated by a few powerful tech giants who control society’s every move and decision, the end of the world looms. As a group of unlikely heroes bands together to challenge this monopolized control, they uncover disturbing truths about technology, power, and the cost of progress.

The Future, a bold exploration of humanity’s relentless march forward, features complex, morally ambiguous characters that pull readers into a world that feels unsettlingly close to our own, forcing us to question the ways in which innovation shapes society—and whether we are fully prepared for the consequences.

The writing was razor-sharp, with a clear message about the potential dangers and responsibilities that come with technological advancement. However, at times, the book’s themes felt overly emphasized, with some points repeated to the point of detracting from the story’s natural flow. While the author’s message is clear and thought-provoking, the heavy-handedness in certain sections felt slightly overbearing, as if hammering the same points to ensure they’re not missed.

Overall, The Future is an ambitious, impactful novel that tackles crucial questions about our relationship with technology and the consequences of unchecked power. With compelling storytelling, despite some moments of overemphasis, the book offers a thrilling, cautionary tale for anyone curious—or concerned—about the future.

[Note: Check Trigger Warnings]

I really was excited about this one after reading Power but it fell a little short for me. I am excited for future works though!

Thank you to NetGalley and the published for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Future by Naomi Alderman is a provocative dystopian novel that imagines a world dominated by tech moguls whose control over society reaches unsettling heights. The story follows a group of characters as they navigate a reality shaped by wealth, power, and extreme technological advancements, leading to a suspenseful and thought-provoking rebellion. Known for her bold storytelling, Alderman explores themes of power, surveillance, and societal inequality, crafting a near-future that feels disturbingly plausible. It’s a gripping and fast-paced read with a satirical edge, likely to leave readers questioning the trajectory of our own tech-driven world.

I had a really hard time getting started on this one, in part because it's a very slow burn, and in part because I *thought* it was a follow up to the Power as in "sequel" and not just "same author." The world building happened so incrementally that it took forever for me to realize my mistake, and I thought I was just forgetting too much.

I appreciated the playful use of the "the future" throughout, and the underlying theme, but it was too long. I could have done without the first half of the book, and just gone on the adventure of the second.

I had a hard time getting into this one. Felt like a realllllly slow burn and I don’t do well with those. 3 stars

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a preview copy for an honest review. I really enjoyed Alderman's previous book, The Power, and I was excited to see what she came up with next. The Future is a book full of Big Ideas (a billionaire who carries a Pringles can full of tiny robots? Yes please!) and inventive scenarios, which I fully enjoyed. My only critique would be the story often felt uneven and a little disjointed. Still, I'd say it's worth a read.

The Future captured me much more than her previous book, The Power. I find myself thinking of the story frequently— the idea that billionaires could isolate themselves from bad things— whatever goes wrong in the world. Zhen is no billionaire, but she is smart with a keen sense of survival. She manages to get herself out of nearly impossible scrapes, but the stakes keep rising. It was fast-paced, suspenseful and a fun read.

This was a fun follow-up to The Power. A great read that moves quickly. I'm early awaiting the next book from this author.

This... didn't quite hit the mark for me. I was really excited to dive in after loving Alderman's previous work, but this one didn’t resonate the same way. The premise of the series remains intriguing- a world teetering on the edge of catastrophe with powerful tech moguls pulling the strings, and characters like Martha and Zhen caught in the chaos. But despite the high stakes, I found it hard to connect with the story this go around.

The pacing felt a bit uneven, and while there were moments of redemption, they didn’t always land as powerfully as would be needed to change my opinion of the work as a whole. The narrative jumps between different storylines just like The Power did, and although that added complexity, it also made it harder for me to stay invested in the characters this time. That said, there are definitely some sharp ideas in here, real thinkers about power, technology, and the future of our world. If you’re a fan of dystopian fiction with a tech twist, you might still find something to enjoy, especially if you loved The Power. It didn't land for me, but that's okay!

I lovedddd The Power by Naomi and this one was just SUCH a bummer. I DNF"d at 55% but would absolutely read something by her again.

I would say that this took me a bit to find my footing with this book and it did not grab me from the start. BUT I am so glad that I stuck with it. I really loved The Power and that is why I gave this book the benefit of the doubt at the beginning. I wound up really thrilled with sticking with the book and felt that it ending in a super satisfying way.

Like her previous book, The Power, this book frightens me a little. It hits close to home thinking that the billionaires and movers and shakers could be creating our futures. Fans of the author's previous work will enjoy this title.

I saw Naomi Alderman discuss this book at the Portland Book Festival a few days before it was released, & the conversation really had me wishing I'd read the ARC by then! The moderator closed with his sincerest hopes for the deaths of all arch-capitalists, which got a huge laugh, & now that I've read the book, it's even funnier & more on point.

I have always been one of those people that says they don't like sci-fi, but I need to shut my mouth because you now what I do love? Speculative fiction. Which is basically just sci-fi without space travel. This novel is speculative fiction set slightly into the future, & it is a chillingly plausible future in which true global power has been consolidated into the hands of a few mega-billionaires that control our lives through tech: our phones, the distribution & consumption of goods, our data, our travel, even our weather. These people are incredibly wealthy & believe they have a fallback plan for every possible catastrophe that could take down humanity...which makes them rather capricious with the power they wield over the rest of us.

This book has it all: survivalists, cults, people fighting on internet messageboards, secret identities, lesbian love stories, bunkers, actually surprising twists & reveals that I did not see coming, religious zealots, mutual aid, & more. The story moves fast, there are some fantastic moments of levity, & even though many characters are connected in really surprising ways, the reveals feel earned & organic. The only reason it's not a full five stars for me personally is because the book does have thriller vibes. It doesn't have that more elegiac, contemplative writing quality that I tend to prefer. But for a reader that is looking for a snappy plot & a damn good time with big anti-capitalist themes, I really can't recommend this enough!

The Future is scary in the sense that it takes place this decade and includes problems our world faces today. While none of the characters are truly likable, the story is gripping. The weaving in of the Genesis discourse on survival is genius and the discussions on morality, sociology and climate activism are stimulating. My main issue personally was with the ending. For a story with such high stakes, the end was wrapped up in such a neat little bow. I need a bit more fallout and a less easy fix.

I would like to thank Simon & Schuster for providing a digital copy of this novel via NetGalley. The Future by Naomi Alderman is tough to pin down as far a genre is concerned. It is a mashup of different genres centering around a future Earth on the verge of an apocalypse. It does a good job at being satirical while making serious points in its exploration of how large corporations would react to an apocalypse scenario. The novel alternates between several characters and is organized into several parts. Ultimately, this novel delivers. The pace is effective throughout, keeping the reader engrossed in both the plot and what the novel has to say.

I definitely found myself pondering the state of our world while reading this page turner! It was a great combo of survival prep and doomsday apocalypse scenarios . I did find myself wandering at times when the plot slowed down, and other times I couldn't stop reading. I loved the surprises at the end! Overall a great read and very enjoyable.

This didn’t do much for me - it was okay but I didn’t love it or feel excited to read it. The pace was a little off and that always makes a huge difference for me

Naomi Alderman's The Future captivated me from the start, offering a profound exploration of a society transformed by technology, Set in a near-future landscape, the novel explores ethical, social, and personal ramifications of our increasingly digital world. The author's storytelling and character development made this speculative fiction both a compelling read and a poignant commentary on contemporary issues.

What truly resonated with me were the five distinct characters, each representing a different facet of society's relationship with technology.

Maddie - an ambitious tech entrepreneur, personifies the promise and peril of unrestrained innovation.
Helen - an investigative journalist who offers a critical eye on the often-overlooked consequences of technological progress.
Karl - a tech executive, and Leo, a disillusioned programmer, provide an insider perspective on the ethical complexities faced by those within the industry.
Rachel - an impassioned social activist who voices concerns and resistance of those marginalized by technological advancements

I appreciated how the author weaved these characters' stories together, creating this tapestry of sorts that reflects the multifaceted impact of technology on modern society. The novel's pacing was well-balenced, allowing me to fully engage with the character's personal struggles and triumphs while questioning the broader societal implications.

Alderman poses challenging questions about privacy, control, and the ethical use of technology, inviting readers like me to reflect on our own views and the direction in which our world is heading.

This book is a timely and thought-provoking novel that resonated deeply with me. It's definitely a stand-out in the realm of speculative fiction.

I was surprised many times while reading this book especially once I finally figured out what was really going on. The end of the world and three billionaires to have their tickets to safety. What would happen to the rest of the world? This books looks at the evils and selfishness of the current state of the world that is essentially destroying the plant and offers a bit of hope. I think my favorite parts were reading Martha and Lia Zhen's stories. I do think the middle dragged a little too long and some information seemed repetitive. Overall, I enjoyed the book.