🎲 Book Review: Randomize by Andy Weir (Kindle Edition, Forward Collection)
A clever, tech-driven heist story set in a quantum future—Andy Weir blends science fiction with casino intrigue in this fast-paced short that explores randomness, security, and human ingenuity.
🧠 Overview
Published in September 2019 as part of Amazon’s Forward Collection, Randomize is a 28-page speculative fiction short story by Andy Weir, best known for The Martian. The story is set in a near-future Las Vegas, where quantum computing has revolutionized casino security—making traditional scams nearly impossible. But when a brilliant couple finds a way to exploit quantum entanglement, the house may finally lose.
The narrative centers on an IT manager at the Babylon Casino who installs a quantum random number generator to secure keno machines. What follows is a high-stakes game of deception, science, and moral compromise.
🎰 Key Themes & Highlights
- 🧬 Quantum computing: Explores how quantum tech could disrupt industries reliant on randomness, like gambling
- 🕵️ Heist mechanics: The story unfolds like a tech thriller, with a clever plan to manipulate quantum entanglement for profit
- 💡 Ethical ambiguity: Raises questions about fairness, innovation, and the cost of winning
- 💬 Weir’s signature style: Blends real-world science with accessible dialogue and dry humor
“The new quantum computer system is foolproof. But someone on the inside is no fool.” — Goodreads summary
💬 Reader Reception
- ⭐ Goodreads rating: 3.53/5 from over 32,000 ratings
- 📖 Readers enjoy the story’s conceptual originality and tech-savvy premise
- 🧾 Some felt the characters lacked depth and the ending was rushed or unrealistic
- 💬 “A good look into the thought process of gambling and an interesting character study… but the resolution felt a bit off.” — Henry J Schmale’s review
⚠️ Considerations
- 📄 Short format: At under 30 pages, it’s a quick read—best approached as a speculative vignette
- 🧠 Tech-heavy language: May be challenging for readers unfamiliar with quantum concepts
- 📚 Mixed reception: Some readers found it less engaging than other entries in the Forward Collection
🏁 Final Verdict
Randomize is a smart and inventive short story that imagines how quantum computing could reshape the gambling industry—and how human ambition might still find a way to cheat the system. While not as emotionally resonant as Weir’s longer works, it’s a fun, cerebral read for fans of tech-driven fiction and speculative ethics.
