
Staff Reviews
This book is 1984 meets Douglas Adams, with enough satire to keep you laughing as you read, even as you eye your electronic devices suspiciously. Follows a scrap metal collector that refuses to scrap any of the neurotic AI’s that come his way, an android running for president, and a family struggling to follow the usual rhythms of life in a world where everything- even maintaining relationships- can be left to machines.
— From What Adri is ReadingDescription
About the Author
Marc-Uwe Kling is a German author and songwriter. Qualityland spent months on the German bestseller lists, has sold more than half a million copies to date internationally, and is currently in production as an HBO series. Kling lives in Berlin.
Praise For…
"Eerily prescient and peppered with near-future projections (including the cryogenic resurrection of Jennifer Aniston), Qualityland reads like the best Black Mirror episode as written by Kurt Vonnegut. Kling delivers scythe-sharp satire, steering us through a hysterical dystopian adventure of technological determinism, all while skewering consumer culture, politics, free will, and making me rethink my relationship with my Roomba. Witty, wise, and terrifyingly funny, Qualityland is a genius gem and an absolute must read. I laughed my phone off."—p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica}span.s1 {font-kerning: none}Kira Jane Buxton, author of Hollow Kingdom
"Kling's dialogue is witty and sharp, the relationship between Peter and the droids is handled with a great deal of humour and warmth, and more often than not Kling lands his jokes--Qualityland is incredibly funny--a rare feat for a science fiction novel."—p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'}Locus
"A hilarious romp through an absurd hypercapitalist dystopia...This is spot-on satire."—Publishers Weekly
"The times we live in demand a satire as sharp and unrelenting as QUALITYLAND. The funniest parts will make you cringe. But rather than merely beat the reader over the head with doom and gloom, this novel goes further, showing the value of endurance and even hope in an age of emptiness."—p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'}Robert Repino, author of D'Arc and Mort(e)
"How much you enjoy this is in direct proportion to how much trouble you think we're all in. Sleep tight."—Kirkus
"Kling's sharp observations target the economy, the law, xenophobia, relationships, security, and government, sparing few and exposing with delightful brutality how close QualityLand is to reality."—Booklist
"The plot unfolds in a way that surprises, which is quite refreshing when dealing with storylines which create a cautionary tale about corporate overreach."—p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'}The Nerd Daily