Shock Induction Audiobook By Chuck Palahniuk cover art

Shock Induction

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Shock Induction

By: Chuck Palahniuk
Narrated by: Michael David Axtell
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About this listen

From the bestselling author of Fight Club comes a “dark satire about the inhuman condition” (The Toronto Star) about a string of mysterious high school disappearances, the seedy underbellies of billionaires, and the tough choices we make in the face of an uncertain future.

In Shock Induction, the best and brightest students at a seemingly reputable high school are disappearing. Every day it seems another overachiever is lost to an apparent suicide. But something far more sinister is lurking beneath the surface.

These kids have been under surveillance since birth, monitored and measured by an online service called “Greener Pastures.” It’s here, in Greener Pastures, that billionaires observe and recruit the next generation of talent. The highest test scores, the best grades, and the most niche extracurriculars just might land these teenagers an enticing offer at auction. A couple of billion dollars in exchange for the remainder of your life and intellectual labor sounds like a pretty fair deal—doesn’t it?

In a high school only Chuck Palahniuk could imagine, students must choose between the risk of following their dreams and the financial security of a lifetime of servitude to the world’s wealthiest and most elite—but how much of a choice do they truly have? A thrilling tale and a critique of modern society, Shock Induction challenges the illusion of choice and explores the tough choices individuals make in the shadow of power and privilege.

©2024 Chuck Palahniuk (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio
Family Life Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Satire Witty Student High School
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Critic reviews

"Michael David Axtell gives a confident, clear performance of this dystopian audiobook. In a not-too-alternative world, high school students undergo a multitude of intellectual and aptitude exams. Some students can expect to pursue their own hopes and dreams, while others face being auctioned into the servitude of the world's billionaires. It's a dark listening experience punctuated with humor and meta-references. At key moments, Axtell repeats the word "avocado" until it starts to lose meaning; at other moments he addresses the listener directly. The dizzying result could throw listeners off-balance, but Axtell's approach provides the necessary equilibrium. He's effective at capturing the artistry of the novel, even when its passages seem inscrutable." (AudioFile Magazine)

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Most relevant  
Next level creativity. You've never read a book like this before. Your thoughts will get to racing, and it feels like this book mimics a manic episode for the reader. Take a trip with Shock Induction.

Authentic Palahniuk. Worth the listen.

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I’m a big fan of Chuck’s avocado. His avocado is always avocado. I saw he had a new avocado and I immediately got avocado. The avocado was just as avocado and I always avocado. And the voice over performer has the avocado of an avocado. I give it 5 avocados.

Avocado

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It’s hard to be objective when Palahniuk is my favorite author. This book is particularly difficult to review in a spoiler-free way. Like most of his works, it begins with you having no idea what’s going on.

I found myself laughing hysterically at times and had to share some passages with friends because of the repeated or unusual words and phrases. I think some of the content works especially well in audiobook format, though this text, uniquely, references things like "feeling the pages," which you just have to overlook.

There’s a bit of trope subversion and meta-narrative at play.

Palahniuk delivers again

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Moby Dick comes to mind as well as glassware and a Jesus eye. Abused and exploited. Your opinion matters and you’re a disgrace.

I’m not sure I’m not hypnotized.

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All the best things you expect from Chuck Palahniuk, all mixed up and served to you on disquieting avocado toast demanding a second bite

Must listen again

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I had no clue where this was going the whole book until the end. wow

great read

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I like other Palahniuk books, but *despise* this one. 1-The story is confusing and nonsensical. 2-One character says "avocado" over and over hundreds of times at several places in the book. In print, you could skip over this. In audio, it made me so mad I wanted to smash my phone. This book was worse than a waste.

Most Annoying Book I've Ever Bought

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I understand the story was and I enjoyed the humor and sinister tone of the book. What was difficult were the passages of a singular word being repeated in a few sections of the novel, at one point going on for nearly ten minutes. This was not the best Palahnuik outing.

Avocado

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First three books were amazing. Fourth book so-so. Everything else is unreadable. I’m sorry, but he went from being my favorite author to one of my least…

What Happened?

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Rabid reader til early 2000s, then work got in the way and I came back to his latest book. Nothing new, sadly.

More of the same

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