It was too good - I had to stop listening

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

No. It's so well written that it made me depressed about the future of humanity.

Who was your favorite character and why?

None

Which character – as performed by Glen McCready – was your favourite?

He was superb but, as a result, he made the story more painful.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, the scene when the office was welcoming a new member of staff. It chilled me to the bone and I knew the characters were going to be too horrible to stand listening to.

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1 person found this helpful

One of his worst

Not really futuristic and not much happens in the book. It feels as though BE came up with couple lines and then had to drag them out to make a book. Having said that it still keeps you listening.

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Time to think

This book embodies the nightmare society we are on route to becoming... With social and ecological ignorance growing to mammoth proportions we should be giving this to senior students across the nation... Be forewarned fast-laners

A fabulous addition to any eclectic library a read that can suit so many minds..

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2 people found this helpful

1984 wannabe

this book is gross. it is intentionally so, which would be fine if the book balanced out more.
but the cleverness and light moments aren't enough to push back the misery and vulgarity.
well read.

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Disturbingly Possible

Ben Elton conjures a post apocalyptic world set not to far in the future that is disturbingly sinister and fed into my paranoia of what we may be subject to if our current trajectory remains on this course. I found it thought provoking and worrisome if I'm honest.

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really gripping dystopian tale

I managed to get through this in about a day - absolutely loved it! an interesting take on the influence of social media and growing desire for fame

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Brilliant but scarily poignant!

Extremely entertaining and thought provoking! Although it was written several years back, the events of 2016 have made this book seem more relevant than ever. 1984 for the 21st century!

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gripping fiction novel about blind faith.

my first Ben Elton and probably won't be my last. gripping fiction novel about blind faith

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depressingly plausible dystopian future-Britain

Ben Elton has a talent for seeing past the surface of things to the reality lurking beneath. In "Dead Famous" he showed us how little reality there is in Reality TV. In "Chart Throb" he exposed how the outcomes of TV talent shows are manipulated. In "Blind Faith" he shows us where we may get to if current trends in attitudes towards privacy, intellect, and the dominance of passionate opinion over factual analysis continue.

I've found previous Ben Elton books to be fun as well as insightful. He uses wit, humour and careful observation to make me smile at the gaps between the world as it is presented to us and the reality that he uncovers.

"Blind Faith" is not like that. "Blind Faith" is so in your face and so horribly plausible that it make "1984" and "Fahrenheit 451" feel like light-hearted romps. Watching the plot unfold made me feel as if I were rubbernecking on a car wreck: the nice part of me wanted to look away but the reptile wrapped around my hindbrain was fascinated by the reality of the disaster.

"Blind Faith" is set in a post-flood near-future London, where the people are packed together so tightly there is only room to shuffle, not enough to walk. Social media are always on in your living room. Privacy is regarded as the kind of deviant behaviour only pedo pervert would need. Cherry-popping videos are part of everyone's online bio, laws are set by mass vote, a populist, live it large church guides all decisions, reading is illegal and vaccinations are seen as a lack of faith in God.

In the midst of all this, an ordinary man, trying to do his best and being overwhelmed.

This is a memorable book but it is not a comfortable read. The text began to make me feel as hemmed in as the characters in the novel and as overwhelmed as our hero. Ben Elton offers no comfort and no solutions, just a brutal warning.

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8 people found this helpful

Slightly grumpy but entertaining

Where does Blind Faith rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

A diverting enough book

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

A humorous dystopian fable. An odd mix. Part 1984, which was clunkingly refererenced meets Hello magazine.

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

Could do. Elton is a pacey writer

Any additional comments?

I like Ben Elton's writing. This is not his best work but it is his usual style.of humorous and observational with some grotesque thrown in. The story has a few nice plot twists and some.of the characterisation is.strong but overall most of.the.antagonists are.one.dimensional. Had a bit of a.screen play feel to it. Overall a good listen but not Elton's best but still good. Very well paced. Thank Samsung for the weird punctuation of this review!

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4 people found this helpful