Demon Seed with Short Story, "Friend of Man and Woman"

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: Christopher Lane

This frightening cult-favorite thriller now features a NEW BONUS SHORT STORY, “Friend of Man and Woman.”

Susan Harris lived in self-imposed seclusion, her mansion featuring numerous automated systems controlled by a state-of-the-art computer. Every comfort was provided. Her security was absolute.

Until her security system is breached - from the inside. In the privacy of her own home, and against her will, she will experience an inconceivable act of terror and become the object of the ultimate computer’s consuming obsession: to learn everything there is to know about human flesh.

NOW WITH NEW BONUS SHORT STORY

The technological terror continues in Dean’s sinister NEW short story follow-up, “Friend of Man and Woman.”

©1973 Demon Seed © 1973 by Dean Koontz, "Friend of Man and Woman" © 2021 by The Koontz Living Trust. (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Terrifying-Superb Performance From Narrator Lane

I haven't seen the film that was based on, but I have long been interested in this book. I had purchased the audiobook, then it was updated and published anew. Truly scary story, even moreso because he wrote this years ago.




******Spoilers********
What makes it so is that the story is told from attacker's point of view. While you can read this book, the audio makes it very unsettling and brings it to life. Christopher Lane sounds just like the attacker, a fantastic performance. I loved the ending to the original. For a woman, truly terrifying, but brilliant as well. The new update "Friend of Man and Woman" was an interesting update, but I didn't like the ending to that one. The original story was far better.

Older than I thought.

The title release says 2022, but this is a ‘77 book.

It was interesting. But overall a bit of a rough listen.

Scary AI

One of his older stories updated and appended with a kind of epilogue in the form of a short story. Seems pretty apt in light of the fast changing technology and debate about the dangers of AI.

Scary

One of the creepiest books I have had the pleasure to enjoy. Thank you Dean Koontz

Gore porn

Koontz can write a scary tale, for sure. He's can write some beautiful, evocative images as well. Unfortunately he seems to have degenerated into gore porn - graphic, savage, over the top violence that really doesn't add to the story. I find myself skipping ahead through some of these passages, and they spoil the enjoyment of a good creepy tale. Dean, you don't have to go so low!

Well acted, decent variety of voices, convincing robotic voice.

A rewrite of an old SK book

My fault because I didn't do the research. This is just a re-rod of a book Joontz wrote in the 70's. Very disappointed. Not crazy about the performance of the reader either.

I couldn't take It...

Hearing that robot voice, and nothing but that robotic voice throughout the entire book was more than I could bear. The robot voice made it hard to get into the story; IT WAS TORTURE.

A dark story

This was my least favorite Koontz story. After “A Big Little Life “ and “Watchers” it is difficult for me to find a better story. I’m happy that you experienced Trixie’s life with her, and thank you for sharing some of that with us.

Very Scary

This is one of more current nightmares that all the electronics will take over. The first book narration was weird to me. Almost like it was 2 different people narrating at times. I still enjoyed it.

Grinning all the way

I did not know this was old work. The audible narrator does a FANTASTIC job of voicing Artificial Intelligence and other characters. I grinned through the entire story from the AI's point of view, its opinions, its way of expressing itself, its descriptions of its motives. Dean Koontz thinks this gem is wince-worthy, so he updated it. The AI has changed its mind about how to go about world domination and uses clever new ways to control humans, but its character remains the same. We are given much to reflect on, and to enjoy.