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Factoring Humanity

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About this listen

In the near future, a signal is detected coming from the Alpha Centauri system. Mysterious, unintelligible data streams in for ten years. Heather Davis, a professor in the University of Toronto psychology department, has devoted her career to deciphering the message. Her estranged husband, Kyle, is working on the development of artificial intelligence systems and new computer technology utilizing quantum effects to produce a near-infinite number of calculations simultaneously.

When Heather achieves a breakthrough, the message reveals a startling new technology that rips the barriers of space and time, holding the promise of a new stage of human evolution. In concert with Kyle's discoveries of the nature of consciousness, the key to limitless exploration - or the end of the human race - appears close at hand.Sawyer has created a gripping thriller, a pulse-pounding tour of the farthest reaches of technology. Factoring Humanity is a 1999 Hugo Award Nominee for Best Novel.

©2003 Robert J. Sawyer (P)2012 Audible, Inc. Science Fiction Technology Fiction Artificial Intelligence Computer Science

Critic reviews

"[T]his is exciting, readable science fiction that will take you where no one has gone before - and you'll never forget the ending." (Amazon.com review)
"An intelligent and absorbing double-stranded narrative." ( Kirkus)
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Wow, what a truly brilliant read. This book really had me thinking, what with quantum mechanics, parallel universes, mind reading, artificial intelligence and first contact with aliens it covered so much and was a total page turner. Robert J Sawyer is a truly fantastic writer, but in this book he really is outstanding. Probably ranks as one of my favourite reads of all times.

The Most Thought Provoking Book I've Read in Ages

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The concepts used and explored in this book have the potential to be really awesome. But it has left me feeling like someone tried to mix to many ingredients in one shake, leaving it brown. With so many factors to try to make a point, one is bound to leave some of them unresolved. I’m left with questions and with the shape of a better ending in my mind, than in the actual book.

High potential, but slightly dissapointing

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Similar to Carl Sagan's Contact, but better. A lite mathst but definitely not too difficult to follow.

Favourite Sawyer Book

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