The Gray Picture of Dorian

An Artificial Intelligence Techno Thriller Sci-Fi Short Story

By: Nick Thacker

Narrated by: Robert Meek

Dorian is a vain programmer who just wants to be left alone to write his masterpiece. He's a jaded AI developer with a family who wants nothing to do with him, working for a stagnant tech company.

In his spare time, he's also working on a secret project, combining the latest areas of research from his company into one forward-thinking prototype that he knows will change the world.

But it must start with changing his own world.

©2015 Nick Thacker (P)2015 Nick Thacker

Great Short Story!

This was a really enjoyable short book. It reminded me of The Twilight Zone series, which is a good thing. Definitely recommend!!

It was just ok...but good for the price

Somewhat predictable, but had some entertainment value commiserate with the cost. It was easy to see how the story would conclude, so I wouldn't call it a "thriller" as much as a nice "short story."

Great story...

Start of a very interesting book/series. Can't wait! I really like the dynamic of being in his head.

Sometimes the title is the hardest part

The Gray Picture of Dorian: An Artificial Intelligence Techno-Thriller Sci-Fi Short Story, my twenty-first (short) read/listen from author Nick Thacker. When I reviewed earlier Thacker thriller books I commented that his writings were reminiscent of author James Rollins. This Sci-Fi book is more like his normal style. No spoiler's here, though I will say that with Thacker's track record I can't wait to read his next book! I was been given an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reading & reviewing it. Robert Meek’s narration adds to the book's enjoyment. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

Unlikable characters and a predictable ending

This short story is described as a techno thriller, but I didn’t find it very exciting. I liked the play on the Oscar Wilde story, but the ending felt predictable. The characters are selfish and not at all endearing. Wilde’s characters weren’t nice people either, but at least his Dorian had charm and style. Even in a short story, I want to care what happens to the characters, and in this case, I just didn’t. The AI D-RIAN did have a quirky sense of humor I enjoyed though.

The narration was provided by Robert Meek. His performance was well paced and easy to understand, but I thought he sounded a bit too robotic at times. That worked well for D-RIAN’s voice, but I wonder if I might have related to Dorian better if he’d had a more emotive voice.

If you have a dark sense of humor and enjoy contemporary reinterpretations of classic literature, this might be worth a read.

I was given a free copy of this audiobook by the author and volunteered to provide an honest review.

Nicely done short story

These short stories are great when you do not want to get into listening 8 to 12 hour to a reading.
The performance was great.
I have it a four on the story because if was a bit predictable how it would end with a little twist.

The Robot and his Master?

A quirky, slightly creepy and wildly entertaining story about a self-absorbed AI programmer and the robot he builds to complete his more "menial" tasks.
Not sure this one's Asimov compliant, but it's definitely a great story.

Thinking outside one’s box

Dorian a vain programmer, and wants to isolate himself, to write or what he wants to do. Trouble is he thinks only of his world. A good audio of someone who should be thinking outside his world and box. Given audio which held the interest, for my voluntary review and my honest opinion

Lame Reimagining of the Original

This short story is a play on the original Picture of Dorian Gray. The only way this resembles the original is in name only. This Dorian is an AI programmer, an unlikeable fellow with a wife and kids. Dorian in the classics was a loner, which gave his story more of an emotional bent. This Dorian can't do his job well or care for his family. He continues to perfect his AI. You can guess where this is going. The family ruins it for me. The AI does have a sense of humor. Not original or even interesting.

Opt for something better. Try the Confessions of Dorian Gray series. They are short listens that imagine Dorian Gray as a real person living throughout the centuries, that Wilde based his book on. Sharp, witty writing and an excellent cast make it far better than this. They pack more of a punch. Happy listening.