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Machines Like Me
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
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Machines Like Me
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Publisher's Summary
New from Ian McEwan, Booker Prize-winner and international best-selling author of Atonement and The Children Act
Machines Like Me occurs in an alternative 1980s London. Britain has lost the Falklands War, Margaret Thatcher battles Tony Benn for power, and Alan Turing achieves a breakthrough in artificial intelligence.
In a world not quite like this one, two lovers will be tested beyond their understanding. Charlie, drifting through life and dodging full-time employment, is in love with Miranda, a bright student who lives with a terrible secret. When Charlie comes into money, he buys Adam, one of the first batch of synthetic humans. With Miranda's assistance, he co-designs Adam's personality. This near-perfect human is beautiful, strong, and clever - a love triangle soon forms. These three beings will confront a profound moral dilemma.
Ian McEwan's subversive and entertaining new novel poses fundamental questions: What makes us human? Our outward deeds or our inner lives? Could a machine understand the human heart? This provocative and thrilling tale warns against the power to invent things beyond our control.
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What listeners say about Machines Like Me
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Annie MacLeod
- 2020-01-27
So engaging a story about a machine!
The story that supports the ‘sci-fi’ parts is so engaging, the characters so well developed you forget the genre completely.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Bill R. Waddell
- 2019-07-25
I don't know - I am not sure how to rate
I couldn't stop listening, and I thought I was enjoying it, but I am not sure. The revisionist history was distracting and not really relevant. I am not sure why the author decided to put all the work and detail into changing history.
The presence of the android / robot (I don't think I am spoiling anything) is very interesting and has some great story lines. Humans interaction with robots and the quandary of not fully understanding where life begins and ends is fascinating.
Overall, I guess it was better than okay, but not great.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2023-02-03
Gobsmacked
Thoroughly engrossing story and the narrator was perfect.I have always enjoyed reading Ian McEwens books and was spell bound to hear this book read to me.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- susanna Rosebush
- 2019-08-10
Justice vs morality?
I like Ian McEwan, and this book was very good. I almost think it tried to tackle too many issues at once though... artificial intelligence, justice vs truth, what is humanity at it’s core? What is vengence worth? Sometimes it felt like the narrator was reading a laundry list of things which are different in Mr McEwan’s altered reality world... the narrator ‘s voice could get a bit grating. I didn’t relate that well to the main character, though maybe that was the point? Aimless, drifting without much ambition or commitment to anything... kind of creepy, actually. Overall very good, makes for great discussion.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Catherine
- 2019-06-21
Just OK
I was really intrigued by the ideas behind this one. I had heard a CBC interview with the author and as this subject matter was outside my norms I ordered the audio version.
I just found the characters did not develop for me plus the story seemed not to flow. I liked the audio reading and would still recommend you try it.
I might well choose another of his books to get a deeper sense for his writing.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Peter Venables
- 2019-09-23
Fails in execution
I was drawn to this book by the premise of an engaging narrative about AI gone wrong in an alternative history. What I got was kind of lazy and mostly boring account that depicted unlikable characters. The plot was not terrible but, again, failed in believability at times. Finally, the narration, while competent, didn't match the character's voice in age or composure limiting the credibility of the story further.
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1 person found this helpful