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The Fear Index

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The Fear Index

By: Robert Harris
Narrated by: Christian Rodska
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About this listen

'Harris is a master of pace and entertainment' Observer

'Could scarcely be more of the moment' The Times

Nothing spreads like fear . . .

In the secretive inner circle of the ultra-rich, Alex Hoffmann is a legend.

He has developed an algorithm for playing the financial markets that generates billions of pounds - and feeds on panic.

When one day his system is threatened by a terrifying intruder who breaches the elaborate security of his lakeside home, his life becomes a waking nightmare of violence and paranoia.

But who is trying to destroy him? And is it already too late?

'There are moments when this book feels so up to date it could have been written next week . . . spookily exciting' Express

 Crime Thrillers Psychological Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Exciting Scary Technology

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Critic reviews

The Fear Index could scarcely be more of the moment
In The Fear Index , the latest thriller by Robert Harris, now heading for the Christmas bestseller lists, a brainbox hedge fund manager with little in the way of interpersonal skills discovers that his computer-driven trading system has flown out of control and threatens to send the world's stock markets into a tailspin. Anyone familiar with Mary Shelley's Dr Frankenstein will recognise the genre of the oddball genius consumed by his own creation - populist fiction at its best.
I would recommend The Fear Index, the new novel by Robert Harris that delves into the world of modern finance. The writing is as elegant as ever
Robert Harris is renowned for his historical novels, although his eighth offering, The Fear Index, could hardly be more contemporary and relevant . . . Harris writes with a deceptively languid elegance, so that the novel straddles not only the crime and sci-fi genres but also that of literary fiction. A satisfying read on a number of levels, it is strongest as a character study of a man who discovers, pace Hemingway, the true meaning of the phrase "grace under pressure".
Robert Harris's eighth novel is a timely blockbuster of a thriller that takes the global financial meltdown as its backdrop, with nods to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein . . . An assuredly intelligent and deftly-paced novel, the fear of the protagonist is increasingly palpable as he's buffeted by genuinely unexpected spine-chilling twists. Perhaps the greatest thriller writer around, Harris has delivered his best work yet. A modern classic.
VIXAL-4 succeeds partly by keeping a close eye on the news and clearly so does Harris: the plot ingeniously combines a number of recent phenomena (financial, political, online, artistic) covered by journalism . . . Grippingly dramatising the workings of the economy (I understood for the first time how hedge funds work), The Fear Index is in another sense, an economic novel, not merely in its condensed time-scheme but its sparing wordage.
Robert Harris's thriller covers a single day in Dr Hoffman's life - May 6, 2010 (the date of the last British general election) - when it all goes wrong, or rather, which is more frightening, when it all goes dramatically, unstoppably right . . . The Fear Index is a frightening book, of course, as, with its title, it intends. Harris has an excellent sense of pace, and understands as much about fear in literature as Hoffman does in markets.
There are moments when this book feels so up to date it could have been written next week . . . Not only is Harris a brilliant yarn spinner he also makes the mysteries of what hedge funds do and what short-selling means entirely understandable and spookily exciting.
All stars
Most relevant
I've enjoyed a number of Robert Harris' books and in the Fear Index he hasn't lost his touch in creating an engaging thriller that keeps you listening. Hedge funds being no more than betting on the stock market is certainly a topical backdrop to an inventive, if at times implausible, story. Sci-fi meets crime fiction.

I could have done without the grafting on of supposed parallels with Darwin's evolutionary principles that often seemed forced.

Christian Rodska is an admirable narrator.

Engaging story: could do without the Darwin

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This book makes the software and financial industries seem very exciting, 'Rogue Trader' meets the 'Terminator', although the technical side is unbelievable. Robert Harris has been publicising this book in the UK press by playing on people's fear of computers and the unknown, he needs to remember that this is just fiction and Skynet has not come online yet.

If you enjoyed this book you will like both 'Daemon' and 'Freedom TM' by Daniel Suarez (although the European publisher, Penguin will not let us have the audio book that US readers have on Audible).

Good read, remember this is fiction.

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It's a good idea for a book for sure and in a way there aren't enough books like this - clever novels written by someone who knows how to write and who understands the world of hedge funds and what people get up to at the exotic murky end of the finance sector. lots of well observed and clever things. I can't put my finger on it but in the end something was missing so it falls short of great. Either it's in the way it's read out or more fundamentally in the depth of the characters.

interesting

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Big Harris fan and have listened to virtually every audible book, however left this one alone because of some of the negative reviews. However I have to to say I enjoyed it immensely. Rodska as always is superb with wonderful and believable voice characterisations and the novel is topical and cracks along at great pace with bags of suspense.

Compulsive Harris

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More relevant than ever and as always with Harris you care about the characters.

Very enjoyable.

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