Anyone

A Novel

By: Charles Soule

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Charles Soule brings his signature knowledge—and wariness—of technology to his sophomore novel set in a realistic future about a brilliant female scientist who creates a technology that allows for the transfer of human consciousness between bodies, and the transformations this process wreaks upon the world.

Inside a barn in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a scientist searching for an Alzheimer’s cure throws a switch—and finds herself mysteriously transported into her husband’s body. What begins as a botched experiment will change her life—and the world—forever…

Over two decades later, all across the planet, “flash” technology allows individuals the ability to transfer their consciousness into other bodies for specified periods, paid, registered and legal. Society has been utterly transformed by the process, from travel to warfare to entertainment; “Be anyone with Anyone” the tagline of the company offering this ultimate out-of-body experience. But beyond the reach of the law and government regulators is a sordid black market called the darkshare, where desperate “vessels” anonymously rent out their bodies, no questions asked for any purpose - sex, drugs, crime... or worse.

Anyone masterfully interweaves the present-day story of the discovery and development of the flash with the gritty tale of one woman’s crusade to put an end to the darkness it has brought to the world twenty-five years after its creation. Like Blade Runner crossed with Get Out, Charles Soule’s thought-provoking work of speculative fiction takes us to a world where identity, morality, and technology collide.

Overall great despite iffy ending

I really enjoyed this overall except the ending in the last five minutes which kind of came out of nowhere and was implausible as it required a massive amount of plot induced stupidity by the bad guys who up til then had been very smart.

One intriguing thing is the main protagonist never truly felt like the good guy while the main bad guy wasn't wholly evil either as a lot of the time I was siding with the bad guys motives, if not their methods, over the protagonists motives.

Awesome

Loved it! Very engaging and entertaining. I didn't know what expect but the way the story was delivered was great

wonderful

what a ride! a great story, awesome character development and that ending! another great one from Charles Soule! Definitely read this

dumb premise

Ms. Zeller whispers the entire book. this isn't NPR, just talk normally. horribly unsatisfying ending too.

Starts off great turns awful for last 3/4

Started off with a great story then turned awfull! Became a preaching muddled mess that ignored story for the authors political views, in my opinion.