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The Fear Index cover art

The Fear Index

By: Robert Harris
Narrated by: Christian Rodska
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Summary

His name is carefully guarded from the general public but within the secretive inner circles of the ultra-rich Dr Alex Hoffmann is a legend – a visionary scientist whose computer software turns everything it touches into gold. Together with his partner, an investment banker, Hoffmann has developed a revolutionary form of artificial intelligence that tracks human emotions, enabling it to predict movements in the financial markets with uncanny accuracy. His hedge fund, based in Geneva, makes billions.

But then in the early hours of the morning, while he lies asleep with his wife, a sinister intruder breaches the elaborate security of their lakeside house. So begins a waking nightmare of paranoia and violence as Hoffmann attempts, with increasing desperation, to discover who is trying to destroy him. His quest forces him to confront the deepest questions of what it is to be human. By the time night falls over Geneva, the financial markets will be in turmoil and Hoffmann's world – and ours – transformed forever.
©2011 Robert Harris (P)2011 Random House Audiobooks
Thriller & Suspense Psychological Suspense
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Critic reviews

"Robert Harris’s superb The Fear Index guaranteed to appeal to anyone who shudders when their laptop unaccountably fails to switch off." (Phillip Hensher Spectator)
"On the crime front, Robert Harris’s thriller The Fear Index combined a gripping narrative with intelligence and wild imagination." (Allan Massie Spectator)
"More modern thrills were provided by Robert Harris’s The Fear Index, a financial what-if melding artificial intelligence with hedge funds." (Justine Jordan Review, Saturday Guardian)
"The Fear Index sees Robert Harris step away from the traditional political environment of The Ghost and focus on where the real power lies: investment banking… the idea of sentient computers is always intoxicating and Harris undeniably uses it well." (Alexandra Heminsley Independent on Sunday)
"I loved Robert Harris’s thriller The Fear Index with its gripping and timely setting of collapsing financial markets and super intelligent computers." (Mariella Frostrup, Mail on Sunday)
"Taking an up-to-the-minute scenario, The Fear Index gives it the scary features of Mary Shelley’s 1818 shocker Frankenstein. Like Frankenstein, the novel is a tale of the catastrophic consequences of galvanising inanimate matter into uncontrollable life… Depicting all this with sardonic relish, Harris switches the high-tension techniques that give his thrillers their heart-pounding suspense into black comic mode. His tongue-in-cheek flesh-creeper is a virtuoso specimen." ( The Sunday Times)
“Mock-gothic variant on Frankenstein relates what happens when a computer programme goes rogue and ravages the money market. Suspense and satire combine in a book that is as up to the minute as a news flash.” ( The Sunday Times)
“Harris’s latest bestseller is a gripping, funny and timely tale of money – losing it or, more terrifyingly here, making too much of it… A high-speed plot, deft characterisation… and Harris even manages to explain what a hedge fund is.” ( The Lady)
"The Fear Index by Robert Harris is a great story set in the world of finance about markets being manipulated, how technology has changed financial markets and greed." ( Ed Milliband, New Statesman Books of the Year)
"[Robert Harris] keeps you gripped with the perfect mix of character, tension, information and background" ( Simon Reeve, S Magazine, Sunday Express)
"Harris is the master of the intelligent thriller…a gripping human drama steeped in paranoia and violence" ( Paul Pender, The Week, Scotland on Sunday)

What listeners say about The Fear Index

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Well worth a listen.

What did you like most about The Fear Index?

This book had me gripped from the beginning to the end. I've just listened to it for a second time a year or more later and yes it is as good as I remembered.
The story takes you into the financial world but is more about human nature and machines that can learn.
It would make a brilliant film as well.

What about Christian Rodska’s performance did you like?

The characters were 100% believable and easy to keep track of them whilst driving.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I Iisten to books when driving and it's long!

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Profile Image for Jonathan

Fantastic

Thrilling story, right to the end. Just what I expect from a Robert Harris book.

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Profile Image for Mrs

Idea of AI taking over the world

Liked narrator and reference to Darwin etc . The momentum built strongly as the story continued

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Profile Image for F. O. Bonney

Classic Harris

If you enjoy Robert Harris, you'll like this. It's fast-paced, and full of action and mystery. Rodska does a great job keeping up the tension. (It would make an excellent movie!)

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for M. Oakley

the fear index

To appreciate this book and its plot the reader would have to have an intimate knowledge of money markets to appreciate the nuances as the plot unfolds. To such a person it would be excellent and exciting read

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Profile Image for Psteve

Don't be put off by the financial jargon

What did you like best about this story?

The plot, especially as it's set very much in today's time so is very easy to realise how true it could all become. If you've ever worried about becoming a victim of burglary, identity theft, how much power the banks have got, CCTV nation, what computers can do, this is really the story for you. Except it won't stop you worrying...

What about Christian Rodska’s performance did you like?

Very well read, especially given the wide range of accents used

Any additional comments?

It took me a while to get into this story because there's a lot of use of financial jargon, most of it meaning nothing at all. I almost gave up on it. Then I realised, if you understand the jargon then great. If you don't, don't worry about it! Most of it is actually almost irrelevant to the plot anyway. Start again and take a relaxed approach to it. Providing you have an basic elementary understanding of why stocks are bought and sold, that's all you really need to know. In fact, it's this over reliance on financial terms that has caused me to knock it down to 4 stars.

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Profile Image for Steve Cox

Great premise, well executed, well told

What did you like most about The Fear Index?

In testing characters stretched by unusual and dramatic circumstance.

What did you like best about this story?

The depth of character of the bit part players. The much out upon wife of the main subject, the less than reliable head of company security & the persistent finance chief.

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Profile Image for Jeremy

Way to go, making the hedge fund world thrilling.

I learn't a few things along the way about the world of finance. I thought the plot line was good, and the story line kept me thinking in different directions. As a geek I really enjoyed this and maybe a sequel would be possible.
Just hope HAL and vxl4 don't merge.

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Profile Image for Randeep B.

a hedge fund story

I thought this was quite an insight for read. it covers everything from hedge fund algo trading to the psychology behind risk all woven into a plot which flows quite well I thought.

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Profile Image for GarethM

A lot of potential

Started listening to this as the Sky series interested me, but fancied an audio book rather than the TV.

The book starts off really interesting, curious, fast paced and gripping. A really good storyline, a traditional whodunnit.

But then… the “endgame” happened. Started to be rather obvious what was happening, and the ending itself was incredibly anti-climactic and weak. Really disappointed.

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