2.5 stars.

I think my enjoyment of this book was significantly hindered by an atrocious ARC kindle copy. Tip to publishers, if the ARC is so bad it ruins the book, maybe it's best not to offer them at all. I don't know if this was just me.

The ARC included the usual spelling mistakes etc, but also, blank black boxes in the middle of the text, random formatting for 'internet forum' posts, line breaks in the middle of sentences, and just a general mess. I'm interested to see what the physical copy looks like, because potentially the format could be quite fun, but it absolutely doesn't work on kindle.

Otherwise, the book started very slowly, and was slightly too long. A lot of the repetition could be cut. I liked the premise, it was a bit preachy and heavy handed in places, but entertaining enough. I disliked the lack of timeline, because it was hard to place different events in context. I'd say give this book a chance if you liked The Power, but it was ruined for me.

Having enjoyed Naomi Alderman's The Power, I was keen to read The Future especially given the topic of climate change and a possible worldwide pandemic that could cause essentially the apocalypse. It was an interesting study of what the ultra rich may do or plan for in the event of a world ending catastrophe, however ultimately I found it quite slow and a lot of the book was focused on techy expositions or bible parallels. Although I did enjoy the doomsday preppers online community (however as this was an advanced copy of the book, for me reason what I assume should be images only displayed as blank boxes on my kindle.- I feel perhaps I've therefore missed some of the nuance in those chapters). There is a bit of a twist in the last quarter of the book and for me this is when the story became quite a lot more interesting. Very believable and thought provoking but the writing style and pace wasn't quite for me.

Having really enjoyed Naomi Alderman's precious books I was keen to read The Future. I found it slow to get into at the start but I stuck with it and, as the various storylines began to weave together, it became a much more engaging read. The ideas around money, power, our impact on the world and each other threw up some interesting ideas. Some of the characters needed more time to breathe but it is already quite a long read so I can see how that would be difficult. (Copy received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

I have so many thoughts on this book! .The style is quite similar to The Power which I like. This is a dystopian tale telling the story of the end of a humanity blighted and manipulated by tech millionaires, whilst at the same time religious fervour (via the Enochites) grows.

For a while I found the timeline confusing, and as someone who hasn’t used chat boards I was a bit lost by some of the interactions (plus a kindle version probably didn’t help).

I LOVED the Biblical references AND the content was really thought provoking - it certainly lingers long after putting the book down.

On balance, I think this is a book to read, digest, and reflect…and then watch some of the scary Netflix programmes about the control and influence the social media companies have and the dangers of AI.

Despite never being quite sure about The Power, I decided to give The Future a try anyway. I can absolutely see why this is a fascinating read for people. It's timely in tapping into climate anxiety and Aldermna has a great sense of worldbuilding. It's complex, unnerving and has much to say about the mega wealthy's response to a global catastrophe. While I think it's doing something thought-provoking, I think Alderman's style just isn't for me. Not really a critique on her writing, it simply doesn't make me want to keep coming back. I'll be interesting to see how personal taste factors into opinion on this one, but it's sure to find a deeply engaged audience.

Naomi Alderman is the queen of the readable high-concept novel, straddling thriller and speculative fiction. The Future is a dystopian look at something which I think we're all currently worried about: climate change. This is a scary pageturner with a terrific cast of characters that's really a lot of fun. No doubt The Future will follow The Power to the small screen

I'll own up, I have The Power by Alderman, its been on my TBR a long old time waiting to be read. In that time its been adapted to screen by Amazon so of course I cut corners and watched it instead and it is AMAZING. So I WILL read The Power... eventually, but in the meantime I snagged The Future on Netgalley hoping for some more cutting social commentary.

There's a great balance in character diversity that feels naturally included, we're introduced to several characters (who may as well be Bezos, Musk, Zuckerberg and their counterparts) but The Future mostly revolves around Lai Zhen, a famous youtube survivalist who falls hard and fast for Martha, the powerful woman behind the worlds leading CEO.

Lai Zhen was frustrating. My mother often says I'm intelligent but lack any common sense, this is how I felt about Lai Zhen. Alderman made her paranoid and intelligent, a perfect mix for a survivalist, so then why was she so easily suckered by one woman? Honestly, it was written as if Martha was the only other lesbian available on earth and the power dynamic between her and Lai Zhen just made it a little icky for me. I'd have appreciated some more time with the other MCs.
I did very much enjoy the friendship between Lai Zhen and Marius, his no nonsense attitude was refreshing and I appreciated the AI explanation in his class teachings, perfect for a less tech minded girl like myself.

A large portion of the novel is mixed media format involving an online forum of doomsday preppers responding to a religious discussion of 'Fox and Rabbit' aka farmers vs hunter-gatherers and interpretations of Old Testament Sodom. I found these threads sometimes difficult to follow and although they were thought provoking they tended to slow the pace a little.

Alderman is great at looking closer at what we accept of the world around us. The Future digs deep into data gathering and privacy policies in our technology in a way that truly made me shudder. The power and influence that can be wielded worldwide by a handful of billionaires through investments, suggestive algorithms and minute adjustments to our online activities is something we should all be more attuned to.

The Future looks at what could be achieved for the many by the few who control the biggest tech companies, and that in itself is terrifying.
The technological advancements are fictional but not entirely unbelievable, Alderman nudges us to reflect on what the priorities of the rich and powerful could be vs what they are (*cough cough* space race).

Naomi Alderman writes such great tales, unnerving but believable (and that makes them much more unsettling). Having read her previous book, I knew that I would be in for a treat and this little beauty did not disappoint.

The Future – as the richest people on the planet have discovered – is where the money is.
The Future is a few billionaires leading the world to destruction while safeguarding their own survival with secret lavish bunkers.
The Future is private weather, technological prophecy and highly deniable weapons.
The Future is a handful of friends—the daughter of a cult leader, a non-binary hacker, an ousted Silicon Valley visionary, the concerned wife of a dangerous CEO, and an internet-famous survivalist—hatching a daring plan. It could be the greatest heist ever. Or the cataclysmic end of civilization.


This book is quite scary. It’s a book with a strong message, one we should probably take notice of. It’s well written and paced but it took me a few pages before I got what was happening. In places it’s very disjointed and difficult to follow but the message is clear. It’s certainly thought provoking and there are strong similarities to the world we live in now. Huge corporations having great power over our lives. Social media influencers having a huge following for no real good apart from their own gain. Lots of other similarities but certainly something to think about.

Set in the near future, Naomi Alderman's remarkable bleak dystopian novel is profoundly thought provoking and philosophical, although to be quite frank, it seems to be more contemporary, with its razor sharp picture of the issues afflicting our world today, widespread pollution, the growing and worrying disparity between the haves and have nots and the shocking impact of climate change. It begins with an environmental conference attended by 3 tech billionaires, CEOs Lenk Sketlish of Fantail social network, Zemri Nommik of Anvil, and Ellen Bywater of Medlar Technologies, each of whom you could probably identify with ease whom they represent from our real world.

Each of them get notification of a coming apocalypse, pushing them to put into action their secret plan to fly out, heading to the security of their secret bunkers. All of which sounds all too frighteningly believable. When it comes to the world edging towards the brink, none of the hands of the powerful tech billionaires are clean as they prioritise enriching themselves at the expense of the world and people. The internet and social media is manipulated, AI algorithms ensure tense emotive divisions in society, and globally, corporate interests trump those of locals, leading to disintegrating communities and society. Posting on a survivalist forum, Lai Zhen has experience of technological survival, we learn of a cult, the Echonites, ancient and biblical texts, The Fox and The Rabbit, and opposition coming from Martha Einkorn, Selah, and Badger, all unhappy at the path the world is heading in.

Whilst this is a brilliant read, it is a flawed novel, there are pacing issues, insufficient depth in many of the characterisations, the plotting is chaotic as the narrative meanders all over the place, it could have benefited from better organisation and tightened overall thinking for a more coherent whole. Having said all this, this is still a smart must read, it hones in on fundamental issues that affect all of us, there is no escaping them, which face the world today, and I particularly appreciated some of the twists, the debates and the discussions. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the pubisher for an ARC.

“The Future” by Naomi Alderman is a riveting dystopian, futuristic spy-thriller novel that strikingly mirrors the world we're living in, and then pushes it to new, unexpected frontiers.

The themes of power, corruption, and the evolving conception of ownership, underpin the gripping narrative. Alderman’s latest work is engrossingly gripping from start to finish, with an aptly woven plot that keeps readers engaged with an enticing blend of suspense and revelation.

The narrative revolves around three Silicon Valley millionaires whose manipulative grip on social media platforms leads to catastrophic results, fostering a world of division, war, and unstable governments. I found it a thrilling and somewhat, terrifyingly reminder of how realistic the depiction of how these pillars of power affect the world at large.

Lai Zhen is a fascinating anti-hero (I liked her character very much), her story unmistakably weaving through the multiple points of views presented. Her narrative poses intriguing philosophical questions, drawing links to Ayn Rand's works and the reality of Silicon Valley.

The storytelling comes alive in the haunting world Alderman creates (she is so good!! It took me back to The Power, Alderman didn't disappoint me), with desolate islands, a plague popularly known as the Pigeon Flu, and wildlife preserves which doubles as the playgrounds for the elite. The interplay of these elements illuminates grim insights about our current socio-political landscape.

I much enjoyed the references to classics like Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, they were expertly embedded into Zhen’s character arc, reflecting her inner strength and resilience. It painted a portrait of misery, survival, and changing fortunes within a dystopian setting.

Throughout the book, Alderman brilliantly unpacks the concept of ownership and its transformation, in a world tainted by greed and the hunger for power. Her examination of the ever-present fear governing human affairs builds a chilling, yet profoundly real backdrop to the narrative.

Most significantly (unexpected, in fact) the ending left me on a hopeful note. After enormous turmoil, there's a shift from polarisation towards understanding and acceptance, the narrative echoing the idea that change is inevitable and human survival rests on our ability to adapt and evolve through kindness in our core values.

"The Future" is a thought-provoking novel that I would equate to a joyride. It is as unsettling as it is compelling. I daresay its dystopian landscapes, rich characters, and powerful narrative construct make it a must-read for both fans of the genre and newcomers alike.

It's a story that stays with you, reminding us of the power of resilience in an ever-changing world, and of the fundamental truth that nothing is permanently settled or perfect. Alderman indeed proves to us, once again, why she is a master of her craft.

An apocalyptic event is approaching. Survivalists are preparing, and the world’s billionaires and leading tech CEOs are heading for their lavish secret bunkers.

I’m not really sure what to make of this book. I enjoyed the characters and elements of the story, particularly when following Zhen and Marius, but it fell into some pits while making the point that the people behind huge tech companies and their huge wealth are contributing to and creating situations that are detrimental to the world as a whole. It’s ambitious to attempt to incorporate an engaging fictional story within this worldview, and there were moments where the plot got a bit lost behind the social commentary. However, it did always get back on track and there are some really interesting philosophical discussions within the story.

It did pick up and improve a lot in the last quarter, where the story focussed on current events and exactly how things had unravelled in the way they did (that’s very vague but no spoilers!). I have to say I really enjoyed the ‘twist’ and the ending.

This is my first time reading Naomi Alderman, though I do have a copy of The Power which I am now looking forward to reading more than I was before reading The Future.

Like everything in life that is important, there are frustrations.

I absolutely loved the concept behind this book, and there are some really important things to recognise about our real lives. Yes, the world is probably hurtling toward imminent destruction. Yes, social media is not the greatest. Yes, our data is being farmed. Probably, the idea that fermentation was one of the reasons Foxes became Rabbits - this whole thought process about Rabbits and Foxes was my favourite thing about the whole book. Yes, there must be more that we can do to change our trajectory.

However, the awful character names and the slightly disjointed narrative, made it really difficult to get into. It took me two attempts. Also I’m not convinced that electric cars are the future, or at least not the current iteration.

Once I got started though, I was hooked and this turned into one of my favourite books of the year. It was compelling and thrilling and entertaining.

For me, Naomi Alderman's previous book, "The Power" is a better read than "The Future". There are elements in "The Future" that are interesting for sure, but it was somehow a little predictable and the characters too one-dimensional The Musk/Bezos/Zuckerberg/Tech Bro religious cult juxtaposition lacked the novelty and impact created in "The Power". Naomi Alderman is still a writer to watch though. Special thank you to 4th Estate and William Collins and NetGalley for a no obligation advance review copy.

I had high hopes for this, however it was quite disappointing. It was very disjointed, keeps going off into stories from the bible about Lot and the destruction of Sodom in detail, plus spent so long on the philosophies of the Enoch cult that you feel like the story is just a platform for someone to soapbox. When the story did get going it was OK, but kept going off on these tangents, so so all momentum was lost.

Set a few decades in the future from now, three big tech companies wield all the power in the world and appear not to care about the damage they are doing to the planet. Bring in three people close to those at the top of the big companies plus a survivalist journalist, mix them up together and hope they can sort out the world.
I struggle to understand quite how things can turn around from just these three companies (big as they are supposed to be). What about governments, politicians, oil and gas companies, religious leaders and everyone else who has a vested interest. So I felt the main thrust of the text was a bit simplistic.
I also failed to understand quite what the biblical type interspersions were trying to achieve. I found them dull and at first skim read them and then ignored them.
As far as the character were concerned most of them were a little caricature-like -quirky captains of tech who don't have time for lesser mortals etc etc - and the only one with a little more padding was Lai Zhen who came across as reasonably human.
I found the style of writing wasn't for me either. The chopping around with time wasn't well signalled and each time I got stuck into a section of the story it was all change again.
But mostly, I think, I feel short changed as the book was described as fantasy, whereas I'd have put it firmly in the sci-fi camp and probably would not have selected it on those grounds. Still, there were parts that I enjoyed. The final quarter of the book set on the island and the last couple of plot twists were enjoyable and I didn't see them coming.
If only it could be so easy to to sort out the world...
With thanks to Netgalley, 4th Estate and William Collins for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

'The Future' by Naomi Alderman is set in an indeterminate future where three big tech companies have taken over most functions of society. Innocuous communication devices gather and use data, algorithms are tweaked so people stay on the right side of pessimism and fear, and governments are heavily influenced. Through falling for Martha (the second in command at one of the tech companies) Lai Zhen, a social media survivalist gets drawn in to the billionaires plans to find a way to live happily through an apocalypse that will be of their making.

Alderman's writing is stunning. She is able to conjure up a future that is believable and technology solutions that (as far as I know) do not currently exist, but easily could do. Alongside this, she also describes a religious sect and uses the story of Lot in the bible as the spine to hang the novel. This adds a huge amount of depth without being preachy. Lai Zhen's character is very well drawn, but so were the other characters in the story. For me, Alderman is at the top of her game in terms of dystopian and utopian writing. I imagine this novel will be a huge success (including becoming a TV series or film) and I would highly recommend it.

I think I might have had higher expectations, but the blurb sounds way more interesting than the book is. Maybe others will enjoy the book, I couldn't.

The Future is a story of power, money, technology and how those things can be wielded both for good and bad.

Naomi Alderman is brilliant at writing worlds that simultaneously feel shockingly futuristic and plausibly not so distant at the same time. The Future is full of allegory and social commentary, whilst remaining fun and fast-paced. This was a fascinating read, with so many threads to it that there was always something going on. Hints and clues are weaved throughout to slowly reveal what's actually going on, but there is always a sense of mystery. It's the sort of story that gives you lots to think and talk about, and motivates you to keep reading to find the answers.

Recommended to fans of speculative and dystopian fiction.

Our story starts in the near future, as the world continues to move gradually but determinedly towards apocalypse. Our protagonists are several people close to 3 big tech CEOs, as well as a survivalist blogger. The plot includes and covers all the buzz words: social media and social engineering, AI, global warming, big tech, survivalism, etc.

I can see why some (many?) people might like the book. It has a very heavy moralistic overtone, stemming from visceral critique of the polarising effect of social media on public opinion, and how AI algorithms are contributing to potential impending global catastrophes. Our protagonists are multi layered and complex, with sophisticated value systems. Interestingly, three of four are LGBTQ. I also liked the questions that the book raises, though many probably emerge as a side effect of what the book is trying to say, vs being core to the story itself. The plot has elements of a political thriller as well as a love story, and is able to captivate a reader's attention over time. The underlying pacing is quite good, ensuring that despite the length the book is essentially an easy read.

I struggled with the book, nonetheless. I disliked the simplicity in the moral argumentation, and the assumption that a solution to most (if not all) humanity's problems can be found in addressing certain perverse incentives at the core of the growing influence of big-tech. What about religion? politics? history? other less-than-holy elements of the modern capitalist system (oil and gas companies, agriculture conglomerates, chemicals manufacturers, etc)? On a related note, I also struggled with the message that the book was delivering. What is the extent of evil that is excuses a "greater good"? Apparently, the answer is relatively simple, and the solution to our problems is not addressing their root causes, but rather actively taking advantage of them to manipulate and shift things in a different direction. Is it morally acceptable to use the system for a perceived good rather than change the system? Who has the right to decide what is good for people? Is benign dictatorship essentially better than an evil one, and who determines where one finishes and the other begins?

Other than that, the thing I disliked most was the predictability of the plot. While I can perhaps see how someone might see twists and turns, I could see all of them, and it didn't even feel to be around the corner. The thing that made it so predictable for me is the 100% congruence between the plot twists and the moralistic overtone (and undertone) of the book. So, following the simple moral path it is quite clear and to see where it leads. Nothing particularly wrong in this, but the book made it feel like the author expected me to be surprised and fall off my chair, whereas I found it to be tiring and boring.

I struggled also with the caricature-like aspects of the the capitalist system, as portrayed in the book, as well as the characters of the three CEOs at the centre of the plot. It's either the author did not truly understand how business works (or big tech, for that matter), or chose to dumb it down consciously for the reader. Either is offensive.

Form-wise, I found the long biblical diatribes tiresome and far less relevant than the plot warranted. It was not super clear how they added to the story, and I found them to be hammering the issue home after it was already a done deal. This reminded me of some of the last bits of Atlas Shrugged.

I am happy to recommend it to anyone who is looking for a simple "eco-thriller", with the moral ambiguity of Atlas Shrugged. Parts of the book felt like leftist conspiracy theories and fear mongering (and I say this while essentially agreeing with a lot of what the author is saying). If you're aligned with these values it almost feels like intellectual onanism (like libertarians reading Ayn Rand). If you're not aligned with these values you will find the book infuriating. If you're in the broadly defined middle, you will find the book mostly silly, but might enjoy it you can overlook the moralism.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of the book in return for an honest review.