Member Reviews
I devoured this book. Just like I would like to eat the rich.
The Future is very reminiscent of The Power. It's told by following many different people, whose lives may only overlap for a brief moment.
The setting of The Future may be in 'the future' for us, but to me it felt all too present. Three billionaires are prepping for the end of the world, and then the end of the world arrives.
This book felt like a rollercoaster; the first half was building up to the big drop and the second half was thrilling, not knowing which ways the tracks would twist next.
Despite having a huge cast, the characterisation is so strong and tangible throughout the book. Alderman manages to have a unique voice for each person, without losing focus along the way.
The book is chock full of biblical analogies and questions on who is worth saving and surviving. It was fascinating and gripping and all too real at times. A wonderful piece of work by Alderman, yet again.
This was a fun ride. Overall I enjoyed the story but felt a lack of connection to the characters. Still so excited to keep reading what this author puts out! 3.5 stars rounded down.
I chose this book because I really enjoyed the Power. The Future was even better. The characters were diverse and well-developed, I loved some, hated the others. There were multiple plot lines that diverged in the end with a plot twist I didn't see coming. I had a hard time putting this book down, and it stayed with me for a long time after.
This was overall a good book. I enjoyed the twist and the turns and the unexpected from the book. I like how it incorporates some of the things we have happening in today's society like infiltrating our lives daily with algorithms and tracking what we do online.
It was hard to keep up with what was happening. Sometimes there was not a good definition on what point in the story we were at. Could have been three months to three years and that made it very hard to understand what was going on.
This book was a hard one for me to get into. I think I just don’t mesh well with this author and it is through no fault of theirs. I think I’m just not a fan of this genre. I struggled to make it through this book and I think for the right audience it will be a great book.
I really liked this book and I would definitely recommend it, but the end didn't really hit for me. I also really liked 4/5 of The Power but the end didn't work for me. So maybe that is a me problem or maybe that is a Naomi Alderman problem, I don't know. I did think this was better than The Power so maybe her next book will kill it.
This was a quick and compelling read for me. Although I think it would technically be classified as sci-fi, all of the technology in it felt reasonably possible for a near-future world. There were a few somewhat gory parts but I think it is do-able even for those who may be a bit squeamish. The timeline also jumps around a bit, but I enjoyed the way it felt like snippets/vignettes and it felt like everything tied together at the end. I loved the Biblical allegories and the philosophical ponderings on the purpose of life. It was just enough Matrix red pill/blue pill for me. I would recommend it, but I would probably be selective about who I recommend it to.
Where do I even start? This is a science fiction thriller, if that mashup even exists. If it didn't, it does now. We are in a place like our Earth, maybe a few years ahead of us. The planet is in trouble, like ours will be soon enough. Technology is a little more advanced. There are three big tech firms dun by three ultra rich smart people. only difference for now is every new gadget seems to make the world that much worse off.
There is a small group of people, close to the billionaires in charge, who can see ways to improve the world if they are allowed to do it. The tech bros don't see the need. Those improvements won't expand the bottom line, so they say why bother. The small things the second group try are too small and would take too long. So they look for another way. This book is the story of their other way.
I liked this book. I read it in three days because I found it hard to put down. There are not that many books I can say that about. If I were still working, this book would have gotten me in trouble, reading it when I was supposed to do other things.
The advertising for the book will tease you about Martha and Lai Zhen. They are good guides for our travels in their world so much like ours but different. I especially liked the Sermon of the Fox and Rabbit. You may find that instructive if nothing else in the book stays with you. I highly recommend this book.
I was so excited to get this ARC - thank you Netgalley for this in exchange for review. Sadly, I had a very difficult time getting into this book and could not finish.
This book was a great example of "there's a book for everyone and not all are for me."
Alderman is an excellent writer with strong character and worldbuilding. I did not finish this book but will recommend it to folks who I think may enjoy it!
Thank you netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
I was unable to finish this book, I thought it had a strong start, but I never quite became engaged in the proceedings.
This book was trippy and weird and wonderful and fascinating. I loved the discussion of AI and the one percent and how we are meant to navigate the end of the world. I was caught by surprise by a few of the plot twists, and really found myself rooting for a couple of the characters. I think my favorite aspect was the Reddit style interface that came up occasionally and was the most philosophical parts of the book.
Wildly imaginative! Wonderful characters. Interesting plot. Vivid descriptions. Simply a GREAT read!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
Alderman stands the dystopian formula on its head by twisting it into a utopian-like future. Elated to finally read something that deals with our current social and environmental crises and ends with hope. Perfect first read of the year.
Another great book by an excellent author!! I was drawn to this title after reading The Power, several years ago.
This author has a great way of pulling the reader into the story. I love reading dystopian stories and was drawn to the fast-paced futuristic novel.
If you enjoyed The Power, this will not disappoint.
I liked Naomi Alderman as a writer and this book is not an exception. I think that this book was an interesting look at the possible future and what could be.. Great book for a the right person.
For an honest review, I received an ARC.
What does the world hold? How does technology influence and impact our future and the progress we make? Do we progress as a whole or as a small elite group?
This book is sci-fi/future technology. If you don't like this genre, it is definitely not for you. While it is not my go-to genre, I am always amazed at the imagination of authors who create these future ideas.
Many highly successful, extremely smart and a little socially awkward tech individuals how control the main tech companies in the world come together to created technology to survive. But are they doing it for them or for the good of the whole.
There are many characters and many stories intertwined and it is difficult to discuss any of them without giving something away.
This is the 2nd book of this author I have read and I will continue to read others if they are created!
This is one of my favorite authors and I was so excited to read this but it was so boring and not at all what I was expecting. The ending was really interesting though and shocking.
Naomi Alderman comes out swinging in her sophomore dystopian novel The Future in which the end of the world is imminent. This time around Alderman it feels is commenting on the haves and have nots when it comes to how they approach apocalyptic problems.
I enjoyed the ride that this novel took me on and the narrator did a fantastic job keeping my attention. I will say the payoff at the end when the twist was revealed didn’t quite make up for all the mental gymnastics that I had to follow to get there. Some of my favorite parts were the conversations had in the forums, these moments were definitely the high points for me. Overall, a solid dystopian tale that will make you think.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for access to this title in exchange for an honest review.
Naomi Alderman’s highly anticipated follow-up to The Power does not disappoint. The Future takes on the evils of technology, social media, and the selfishness destroying our planet. Reading this book took me longer than expected, because I was constantly pausing to highlight passages and ponder the philosophies expressed.
Lenk Sketlish, Zimri Nommik, and Ellen Bywater run the world’s biggest technology companies (comparable to Facebook, Amazon, and Apple). None of them are concerned with potential apocalyptic scenarios. They have all built bunkers and are prepared to ride out whatever catastrophe comes, then emerge to create a new world order.
Lai Zhen is a survivalist and famous for her online video demonstrations. She meets Martha Einkorn, Lenk’s assistant, at a conference. Martha grew up in a survivalist cult founded and led by her father. Through Martha, Zhen obtains proprietary software that alerts her to an impending catastrophic event. Ultimately, Zhen is transported to a remote island where the three tech CEOs have hunkered down to wait out the apocalypse.
Alderman uses this scenario to explore the connection between humanity and the environment. As humans evolved from nomadic hunter-gatherers to rooted agricultural communities, both humanity and the environment suffered. Those who are connected to the earth and are in the habit of adapting to its changes, stand a greater chance of survival in a cataclysmic event.
The Future addresses our greatest fears of and frustrations with technology - algorithms designed to increase division and conflict, businesses profiting from personal data, the monetization of hate. Alderman also captures the despair of the populace, the belief that repairing this broken world is impossible.
But there is hope, too. A demonstration of how a million little changes can add up to make a significant impact. The belief that it’s not too late to save the earth and save ourselves.