The Future by Naomi Alderman Summary, Characters and Themes

The Future (2023), penned by Naomi Alderman, is a speculative sci-fi novel set in a post-apocalyptic world where technology titans have vanished, and society teeters on the edge of chaos. It explores the intersection of technological dominance, corporate greed, and humanity’s desperate attempts to survive. 

Through multiple perspectives, Alderman delves into questions of power, control, and the environmental cost of modernity. With a narrative that spans intrigue, rebellion, and personal sacrifice, The Future offers a gripping and cautionary tale about where unchecked corporate influence might lead us.

Summary

In the first part of The Future, an ambiguous catastrophe devastates the world, sparking chaos. The heads of three major tech companies—Lenk Sketlish of Fantail, Zimri Nommik of Anvil, and Ellen Bywater of Medlar—vanish, reportedly sheltering in luxurious, secret bunkers. These corporate moguls, protected by their wealth, aim to escape the global turmoil unscathed, while the rest of humanity faces a grim future.

Part two shifts to Lai Zhen, a survivalist expert in Singapore, where she visits the massive Seasons Time Mall to explore the latest survival gear. Her calm shopping trip takes a violent turn when a gunman opens fire, seemingly targeting her. 

Zhen suspects the attack is linked to the Enochites, a religious group she offended during an interview with Martha Einkorn, Lenk Sketlish’s assistant. 

Zhen recalls an intense yet brief romantic entanglement with Martha months earlier. Amid the chaos, a mysterious program called AUGR activates on Zhen’s device, helping her survive the attack. 

She ponders whether this is the “gift” Martha had cryptically hinted at before they parted ways.

The third part reveals that Martha is known on an online survivalist forum as OneCorn, where she discusses her troubled past with the Enochite community led by her father. 

Through her posts, she reflects on urban decay and the divide between those seeking security and those embracing self-reliance. 

On the same forum, Albert Dabrowski, a former Medlar CEO, goes by ArturoMegadog. Bitter and disillusioned by corporate corruption—especially after Fantail’s hostile takeover crushed his husband’s business—Albert forms an unlikely bond with Martha. 

Together, they hatch a plan involving Selah Nommik, the dissatisfied wife of Anvil’s CEO, and Badger Bywater, Ellen’s daughter. 

This group of conspirators sets out to sabotage the tech giants, but the resulting chaos is more severe than they anticipated, entangling the world in further turmoil.

In part four, Zhen seeks help from her hacker friend Marius to understand the true purpose of AUGR. 

They break into Nommik’s bunker to reset the program, inadvertently destroying the bunker and learning about an imminent apocalypse. AUGR directs Zhen to meet with a mysterious driver who will guide her toward safety.

Part five finds Zhen on a desolate island after a dramatic fall, protected by advanced survival gear. She discovers the tech CEOs are stranded on the same island, isolated after a viral pandemic wiped out millions. 

Suspicion and paranoia fuel violent confrontations among the CEOs. Zhen chooses to remain hidden, faking her death to avoid further danger.

In part six, it is revealed that Martha and her allies orchestrated the faux-apocalypse. Their takeover of the tech companies has allowed them to implement environmentally friendly policies. 

Martha eventually discovers Zhen’s role in disabling communications to keep the CEOs marooned. Despite past betrayals, Zhen forgives Martha, and the two rekindle their relationship.

The final twist jumps a century forward, with a fugitive evading capture, hoping to thwart a newly risen authoritarian regime. The narrator hints that the struggle for a better future is a never-ending cycle.

Characters

Lai Zhen

Lai Zhen is a survivalist expert and one of the central characters in The Future. Her life revolves around preparing for worst-case scenarios, which makes her a person who seeks control in a world of unpredictability.

Zhen’s skill set becomes essential when navigating the challenges she faces, both in a technologically complex and physically dangerous world. The attack on her at the Seasons Time Mall sets her on a journey that forces her to confront more than just survival but the intricate layers of technological manipulation.

Her relationship with Martha Einkorn reveals Zhen’s emotional complexity, particularly in terms of her ability to form attachments while staying guarded. Zhen’s interactions with AUGR represent her grappling with advanced technology, indicating a broader critique of how individuals interface with the corporate-controlled tech landscape.

Her final journey to Admiral Huntsy Island, where she meets the tech CEOs, and her decision to destroy their communication systems, shows her alignment with a greater cause—protecting the environment and humanity. By the novel’s end, her actions are revealed to be integral to Martha’s plan, making her both a pawn and a key player in the reformation of the world.

Martha Einkorn

Martha is a complex character, initially introduced as the assistant to Lenk Sketlish, the CEO of Fantail. Her dual identity as OneCorn on the Name The Day survivalist forum hints at her deeper motivations and dissatisfaction with the corporate world.

Martha’s backstory as a former Enochite adds depth to her character, showing her disillusionment with both organized religion and unchecked corporate power. Her brief affair with Lai Zhen suggests an emotional vulnerability beneath her strategic exterior.

Martha’s role evolves throughout the novel as she orchestrates a faux apocalypse alongside her unlikely collaborators. Her ascension to CEO of Fantail represents a critical turning point where she assumes control over the very institutions she once undermined.

The revelation that she engineered the entire disaster to seize control of the companies for the greater good positions Martha as both a Machiavellian figure and a reluctant revolutionary. Despite her manipulations, Martha remains human, as seen in her relationship with Zhen, which culminates in forgiveness and reunion.

This duality of ruthless strategist and emotional individual makes Martha one of the most layered characters in the novel.

Lenk Sketlish

Lenk Sketlish, the CEO of Fantail, is a symbol of corporate excess and arrogance. His belief that his wealth and influence can insulate him from the world’s disasters exemplifies the detachment and hubris of the ultra-elite.

Lenk is largely absent throughout the novel, spending much of the time in his secure bunker, only to reappear on Admiral Huntsy Island. 

His dependency on technology and his belief that someone will rescue him reflect the broader critique of the overreliance on corporate structures and innovation.

His ultimate downfall, with Zhen witnessing his faked death, marks the collapse of his illusion of control. 

Lenk’s character highlights the disconnection between corporate leaders and the rest of humanity, showing how wealth and privilege can blind individuals to the consequences of their actions on the world.

Zimri Nommik

Zimri Nommik, the CEO of Anvil, is another emblem of corporate power, whose life mirrors that of the other tech moguls. His relationship with his wife, Selah, is strained, with Selah ultimately aligning herself with Martha’s rebellion.

Zimri, like Lenk, believes that his wealth and the technological empire he controls will shield him from any apocalypse, showcasing his arrogance and isolation. The tension between Zimri and Selah underscores the emotional cost of living in these hyper-capitalist structures, where relationships become transactional and distant.

Zimri’s fate, like Lenk’s, serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked corporate power and the illusion of invulnerability it creates.

Selah Nommik

Selah Nommik, the disaffected wife of Zimri Nommik, represents the internal opposition to corporate dominance from within the system. Initially a bystander to her husband’s empire, she becomes a crucial part of Martha’s plan to destabilize the tech giants.

Her role in the rebellion is symbolic of the possibility of change from within, showing that even those closest to power can turn against it. 

Selah’s introduction of Martha to Badger Bywater further strengthens the alliance, demonstrating her capacity to influence and act decisively when it matters.

Her character highlights the emotional and moral toll of living in a world where corporate control extends into every facet of life. 

Her eventual alliance with the rebellion reflects her personal awakening and need for meaningful action.

Badger Bywater

Badger Bywater, the daughter of Medlar’s CEO Ellen Bywater, is a rebellious figure who joins Martha’s cause to dismantle the very corporate structure she was born into. Her character represents the younger generation’s disillusionment with the old guard and its destructive tendencies.

Badger’s involvement in the rebellion is significant because it shows that even those positioned to inherit the corporate throne can reject it in favor of more ethical alternatives. 

Her relationship with the other characters, especially Martha, reflects a shared desire to undo the damage done by the corporations, making her an important player in the fight for systemic change.

Albert Dabrowski

Albert Dabrowski, the ousted CEO of Medlar and Martha’s unlikely ally, is a character driven by personal grief and ethical outrage. 

He blames the unethical practices of the corporate world for his husband’s death, which fuels his hatred toward the remaining CEOs and their empires.

His collaboration with Martha is born out of mutual disillusionment, as he seeks to disrupt the companies from which he was expelled. Albert’s character demonstrates the moral cost of corporate greed, as his transformation from CEO to rebel signifies a personal and ideological journey.

His friendship with Martha deepens as they both realize they share a common goal of dismantling the corrupt corporate structure and rebuilding a better world.

Ellen Bywater

Ellen Bywater, the CEO of Medlar and mother of Badger, is the third key player among the tech CEOs. Like Lenk and Zimri, Ellen believes in the ability of wealth and technology to protect her from the chaos of the outside world.

Her detachment from the consequences of her company’s actions illustrates the critique of corporate leaders who remain insulated from the suffering their actions cause. 

Ellen’s role, though less prominent than Lenk’s or Zimri’s, is still critical to the novel’s exploration of the disconnection between those in power and the world they control.

Her daughter’s rebellion against her symbolizes the generational rift and the potential for change within entrenched systems.

Marius

Marius, the hacker and professor who assists Zhen, represents the subversive intellectual force in the novel. 

His expertise in technology makes him a valuable ally in the fight against the corporate giants, and his willingness to take risks for the greater good highlights his moral conviction.

Marius serves as a foil to the corporate tech leaders, showing that technological knowledge can be wielded for purposes beyond profit and control. 

His role in reactivating AUGR and aiding Zhen in her mission is crucial to the novel’s plot, and his character embodies the tension between technological empowerment and oppression.

Themes

The Dystopian Manipulation of Apocalyptic Narratives as a Mechanism for Power and Control

One of the central themes of The Future revolves around the way apocalyptic narratives are constructed and manipulated by powerful entities to maintain or seize control. In the novel, the global catastrophe is engineered, not a result of natural disaster or inevitable societal collapse, but a deliberate act of corporate manipulation.

This faux apocalypse, led by Martha and her cohort, highlights the fragility of global systems that can be destabilized by those who control technology. The CEOs’ retreat into their fortified bunkers during the supposed apocalypse is a reflection of their belief that wealth and power can shield them from the consequences of such devastation.

Their isolation is not only physical but ideological, as they continue to assume that control and dominance will ensure their survival. The deliberate orchestration of this apocalypse underscores a critique of the corporate world’s grip on reality itself, demonstrating how the line between fiction and reality blurs when power is in the hands of a select few.

The novel positions this manipulation as a kind of technological nihilism, where apocalyptic visions are a form of corporate insurance rather than a potential calamity to be averted. By controlling the narrative of disaster, those in power perpetuate the cycle of dependency on their structures while using fear and chaos to maintain authority over those who survive on the fringes.

The Intersection of Technology, Corporate Hegemony, and Human Identity

The novel presents a complex exploration of how human identity and agency are shaped by the intertwined forces of technology and corporate hegemony. In a world dominated by tech giants like Fantail, Anvil, and Medlar, personal autonomy becomes elusive, as technologies like AUGR dictate survival and control human actions in times of crisis.

Lai Zhen’s experience with AUGR exemplifies how the individual is both empowered and imprisoned by these technologies. Technology in The Future is not merely a neutral tool but an extension of corporate ideology. It is weaponized for both personal and societal control.

The corporations are depicted as more than economic entities; they are existential forces that shape the environment, culture, and even morality. The sheer interconnectedness of these companies means their downfall disrupts the very fabric of society, exposing how humans have allowed their identities to become subsumed by technological dependence.

This dependence reflects the broader anxieties about how technology can override human agency, dictating choices under the guise of utility or safety. Zhen’s arc with AUGR explores the tension between trusting technology to save oneself and the growing suspicion that it may be a method of corporate surveillance and manipulation.

Subverting Traditional Narratives of Heroism and Rebellion in a Post-Apocalyptic Setting

In The Future, the traditional roles of heroism and rebellion are subverted through characters like Martha and her group, who orchestrate the faux apocalypse not as villains but as complex, morally ambiguous figures. The novel complicates the usual dynamics of rebellion by positioning the architects of disaster as well-intentioned disruptors rather than malevolent forces.

Martha and her colleagues do not destroy the world out of greed but to create a space where real systemic change for the environment and society can be made. Their plot, while destructive, is driven by a vision of a more equitable and sustainable future, offering a sharp critique of the hollow morality that often accompanies technological utopianism.

In a world where the very structure of society has become oppressive, their extreme methods become the only path to reform, questioning the ethics of violence and disruption in the pursuit of a better world. The narrative does not offer easy answers about their actions but instead forces the reader to grapple with the uncomfortable truth that profound change often requires profound destruction.

This theme intersects with the idea that rebellion is often co-opted or stifled by the very systems it seeks to dismantle. The survivalist web forum, “Name The Day,” is not simply a space for rebellion; it is also a microcosm of society’s contradictions, where even those who claim to resist technological dominance are still deeply embedded in its infrastructures.

The Collapse of Corporate Power as a Mirror of Environmental Degradation and Ecological Crisis

Throughout the novel, corporate control is inextricably linked to environmental degradation, and the collapse of these corporate giants mirrors the larger ecological crisis that has ravaged the planet. The novel’s speculative future world is one where humanity’s exploitation of both nature and technology reaches a breaking point, with the environment and society equally shaped by the unchecked ambitions of the few.

The CEOs’ isolation on Admiral Huntsy Island is a metaphor for how their privilege has insulated them from the real-world consequences of their companies’ actions. While the rest of the world suffers the effects of environmental collapse, they remain in a sterile, artificial haven—until, of course, their isolation becomes a prison.

This forced isolation and their growing paranoia represent the ultimate failure of their belief that technological advancement can shield them from natural disaster and societal upheaval. Martha and her group’s eventual control of the corporations allows them to shift the focus toward positive environmental change, but the cost is immense.

This reflects the novel’s central question: Can meaningful environmental reform happen within the structures of power that created the crisis, or does such reform require the complete dismantling of these systems?

The Interplay of Surveillance, Privacy, and Power in a Technological Dystopia

The Future delves deeply into the themes of surveillance and privacy, particularly how these intersect with power. The pervasive presence of technologies like AUGR illustrates the extent to which individuals are constantly monitored, their data harvested, and their actions shaped by algorithms designed by powerful corporations.

Even in the midst of an apocalyptic event, these surveillance technologies persist, highlighting the impossibility of escaping corporate oversight. Zhen’s interactions with AUGR reveal the double-edged nature of such systems: while they provide security and survival in moments of crisis, they also serve as tools for manipulation, curtailing freedom under the guise of assistance.

The novel raises critical questions about the nature of autonomy in a world where surveillance has become inescapable. It critiques the complicity of society in allowing such systems to proliferate, suggesting that humanity has willingly traded privacy for convenience, only to find itself at the mercy of the very structures it helped to build.

This theme extends to the ultimate imprisonment of the CEOs, whose once-vaunted technologies—designed to ensure control—have become the bars of their own prison. The destruction of their communication systems not only isolates them physically but symbolizes the failure of their own surveillance networks, which have turned against them.

In this way, the novel interrogates the limits of power in a world where technology reigns supreme, questioning the extent to which control can be maintained when even the most secure systems are vulnerable to subversion.