Interesting plot, but I had trouble getting past the dialogue. Warnings - Language ( )

An interesting near-future concept that sadly lacks in execution. The notion of a feed that lives inside your head and keeps you so connected to information that there's no longer a need to think for yourself - not about politics or health or personal taste - is a good one. It doesn't feel all that far off from a world constantly wired to the internet, where one needed learn things because one can always google them.

Unfortunately, this promising base is never really developed. There's very little story to speak of, and although I think what is there is meant to be powerful, it left me cold because I found every character unrelatable, frustrating, and one dimensional.

Worse, the world itself comes off as a caricature rather than a true critique or even satire. It's shallow, and the implications of the feed - and what it might mean for humanity - aren't really explored. There's a lot of telling - given to us by an alternately preachy and whiny girl - and very little showing. What is shown appears to be there primarily for shock value.

Oh, look how far our society has fallen/can fall/probably will fall!

I want some thoughtfulness with my dystopia. I want to see that the author has really thought his premise through and considered the consequences. And most of all, I want it to be explored via interesting, engaging characters and story. Sadly, Feed had neither. ( )

The story made me picture what could happen in the future if technology continues to take over. Some language issues, sexual situations and the topic of death may not be suitable for all ages. ( )

Holy wow, this was an awesome audiobook.

(Summary paraphrased from jacket copy) Titus is a teenager whose ability to read, write, and even think for himself has been almost completely obliterated by his "feed", a transmitter implanted directly into his brain. But then Titus meets Violet, a girl who cares about what's happening to the world and challenges everything Titus and his friends hold dear. A girl who decides to fight the feed.

So, besides being a completely awesome and intense and well-written book, this is one of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to. Narrator David Aaron Baker gives each character a distinct voice and he totally gets the cadence of teen speech. The production is great, too. There's a slight echo effect to indicate when characters are "chatting" each other (talking using the feed instead of their voice) and the story is periodically interrupted by commercials just like you're listening to the actual feed.

Highly HIGHLY recommended for high schoolers and adults. (Fair warning: there is a fair amount of foul language.) ( )

Like your sci-fi with a hefty dash of satire? Then this one is right up your alley.

No one reads anymore and School(TM) is all about learning how to use the feed more effectively. Commercials and internet are wired directly to your brain. Corporations monitor your every thought and desire and compile huge databases on your likes and interests, the better to sell you stuff. The feed also lets you chat--like a telepathic IM.

The story starts on the way to the moon, where Titus and his friends visit for spring break. In the midst of his friends' moronic fooling around, Titus feels vaguely lonely and dissatisfied, but doesn't really have the words to express how he is feeling. And then he sees Violet, a beautiful girl who is different from anyone else he knows. She actually fights the feed, in an effort to think for herself.

The scariest thing about Anderson's vision of the future? Our consumer culture and the state of technology is not really so far away.

Violet joins the group and they go to a club. While there, they are "hacked" by a protester and their feeds are disrupted. Everyone else recovers quickly, but Violet starts to experience random glitches as her feed hardware malfunctions. ( )