The Fear Index

By: Robert Harris

Narrated by: Christian Rodska

His name is carefully guarded from the general public but within the secretive inner circles of the ultra-rich Dr Alex Hoffmann is a legend – a visionary scientist whose computer software turns everything it touches into gold. Together with his partner, an investment banker, Hoffmann has developed a revolutionary form of artificial intelligence that tracks human emotions, enabling it to predict movements in the financial markets with uncanny accuracy. His hedge fund, based in Geneva, makes billions.

But then in the early hours of the morning, while he lies asleep with his wife, a sinister intruder breaches the elaborate security of their lakeside house. So begins a waking nightmare of paranoia and violence as Hoffmann attempts, with increasing desperation, to discover who is trying to destroy him. His quest forces him to confront the deepest questions of what it is to be human. By the time night falls over Geneva, the financial markets will be in turmoil and Hoffmann's world – and ours – transformed forever.

©2011 Robert Harris (P)2011 Random House Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Robert Harris’s superb The Fear Index guaranteed to appeal to anyone who shudders when their laptop unaccountably fails to switch off." (Phillip Hensher Spectator)

"On the crime front, Robert Harris’s thriller The Fear Index combined a gripping narrative with intelligence and wild imagination." (Allan Massie Spectator)

"More modern thrills were provided by Robert Harris’s The Fear Index, a financial what-if melding artificial intelligence with hedge funds." (Justine Jordan Review, Saturday Guardian)

"The Fear Index sees Robert Harris step away from the traditional political environment of The Ghost and focus on where the real power lies: investment banking… the idea of sentient computers is always intoxicating and Harris undeniably uses it well." ( Alexandra Heminsley Independent on Sunday)

"I loved Robert Harris’s thriller The Fear Index with its gripping and timely setting of collapsing financial markets and super intelligent computers." ( Mariella Frostrup, Mail on Sunday)

“Mock-gothic variant on Frankenstein relates what happens when a computer programme goes rogue and ravages the money market. Suspense and satire combine in a book that is as up to the minute as a news flash.” ( The Sunday Times)

“Harris’s latest bestseller is a gripping, funny and timely tale of money – losing it or, more terrifyingly here, making too much of it… A high-speed plot, deft characterisation… and Harris even manages to explain what a hedge fund is.” ( The Lady)

Brilliant voices on a good story

Fun, easy to digest thriller with twists and turns. The big winner in this is the performance- particularly the accents. They bring forward the style and nature of each of the characters

Topical tale, well told.

The overall theme of a financial crisis and hedge funds doing whatever they can to make a dollar is very appropriate in todays markets.
The story is both a mystery/thriller and slightly sci-fi, however I found the mystery part fairly predictable.
The writing, characters and narration were very good, which makes this one well worth the credit.

Truly disturbing story

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Most certainly, because one had to know if he was going mad or was correct about what was going on. Would he succeed?

What does Christian Rodska bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Pace, consistency, colour to the characters

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

Yes, but impossible to do.

Any additional comments?

highly recommended.

For IT pros a totally unrealistic plot

Good story overall but i would have liked it better if the plot did not turn out so totally unrealistic.
The narrator reads like a robot which did not help

F