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The Weather Man
Adam Anderson's emotions control the weather, creating the strange natural disasters plaguing an otherwise idyllic 2076 America. To keep people safe, the government sends Adam on The Pursuit of Happiness Project. With an unlimited budget, Adam has just one rule—he must be happy. But happiness is a heavy word.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2016
About the author
Sam Hayes
1 book2 followersSam Hayes hails from Chicago, but lives in LA, in a garage, where he writes fiction and screenplays, and occasionally acts in Spanish television commercials, though he does not speak much Spanish. It's a long story, or a short one not worth telling.
The Weather Man is Sam's debut novel, though the LAist reports that he started it "seven years ago," and has rewritten it many times. The story chronicles a man in 2076 whose emotions control the weather, and is sent on a spectacular pursuit of happiness to keep people safe. The Chicago Tribune called Sam "(Mother Nature's) culprit in the Windy City."
Sam launched his novel out of his garage bedroom with a Kickstarter, a funny video, and some guerrilla marketing that the Chicago Police Department called a "legal gray area," because they couldn't quite figure out how to fine him. You can watch his ridiculous video here on his author page.
Sam is a millennial who hopes to bring thoughtful new fiction back to millennials, a generation largely forgotten by traditional publishers. And that's what his successful Kickstarter was all about. LA magazine called it, "the most millennial move ever." And let me tell you something, because I, Sam Hayes, am writing this in the third person--it was.
You can keep up with Hayes's not-so-traditional tactics on his instagram and other social media platforms, always under the username @storiesbysam. He publishes all kinds of content for free, so that most people won't buy his book, but simply follow his Instagram, where he can feel cool and relevant while making zero dollars and zero cents.
The Weather Man is Sam's debut novel, though the LAist reports that he started it "seven years ago," and has rewritten it many times. The story chronicles a man in 2076 whose emotions control the weather, and is sent on a spectacular pursuit of happiness to keep people safe. The Chicago Tribune called Sam "(Mother Nature's) culprit in the Windy City."
Sam launched his novel out of his garage bedroom with a Kickstarter, a funny video, and some guerrilla marketing that the Chicago Police Department called a "legal gray area," because they couldn't quite figure out how to fine him. You can watch his ridiculous video here on his author page.
Sam is a millennial who hopes to bring thoughtful new fiction back to millennials, a generation largely forgotten by traditional publishers. And that's what his successful Kickstarter was all about. LA magazine called it, "the most millennial move ever." And let me tell you something, because I, Sam Hayes, am writing this in the third person--it was.
You can keep up with Hayes's not-so-traditional tactics on his instagram and other social media platforms, always under the username @storiesbysam. He publishes all kinds of content for free, so that most people won't buy his book, but simply follow his Instagram, where he can feel cool and relevant while making zero dollars and zero cents.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 18, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
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Oookkkayyy. OVERALL this book left me shooketh. I loved loved loved it. There were bits where it did feel a litttttle slow. But pish posh, it didn’t really bother me. I fell in love with both Adam and Clark..they matured so beautifully as the book went on. Especially Adam. He starts off as this cocky guy, who has it all; he believes he has happiness in the palm of his hand, but as his character grows...boy oh boy. Clark was a fantastic narrator. You got to see his character find his identity through these wild adventures. Their sarcasm left little to be desired.
The only little thing that I was kind of disappointed by was that I felt the ending was rushed. There was a lot of build up to the ending, and I wish that things would have been explained a little more, and that the author would’ve focused on fully concluding some of the subplots. But, that was it. And it wasn’t that big of a deal. The whole concept of emotions and true happiness really hit home for me, and truly touched my heart. This is one of those books that will stay with me.
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I want to thank the author for sending me a copy of his book! It’s been added to my favorites shelf ❤️ Sam Hayes, you are extremely talented.
.
Oookkkayyy. OVERALL this book left me shooketh. I loved loved loved it. There were bits where it did feel a litttttle slow. But pish posh, it didn’t really bother me. I fell in love with both Adam and Clark..they matured so beautifully as the book went on. Especially Adam. He starts off as this cocky guy, who has it all; he believes he has happiness in the palm of his hand, but as his character grows...boy oh boy. Clark was a fantastic narrator. You got to see his character find his identity through these wild adventures. Their sarcasm left little to be desired.
The only little thing that I was kind of disappointed by was that I felt the ending was rushed. There was a lot of build up to the ending, and I wish that things would have been explained a little more, and that the author would’ve focused on fully concluding some of the subplots. But, that was it. And it wasn’t that big of a deal. The whole concept of emotions and true happiness really hit home for me, and truly touched my heart. This is one of those books that will stay with me.
.
I want to thank the author for sending me a copy of his book! It’s been added to my favorites shelf ❤️ Sam Hayes, you are extremely talented.
January 4, 2017
A Wonderful Introductory Novel
The Weather Man is a great first effort by Sam Hayes. In Weatherman Hayes has created all-too-human characters struggling to find meaning in a dystopian and hyper-technological society. The writing is fresh and engaging and the story is compelling.
The Weather Man is a great first effort by Sam Hayes. In Weatherman Hayes has created all-too-human characters struggling to find meaning in a dystopian and hyper-technological society. The writing is fresh and engaging and the story is compelling.
December 17, 2017
I was intrigued by the book's plot, but ultimately disappointed by the read.
Although the novel was full of energy, I yearned for a deeper resolution at it's conclusion. The author certainly explored the idea of happiness, but I was confused with the reader's take-away.
When I love a book, I love its creativity and its take-away, whether that's a meaning, a message, or a new perspective on life. This book doesn't quite deliver for me on either front. Creatively, magical lightning strikes and weather control are borrowed ideas that didn't have enough unique spin on them for me (think X-Men, Thor, Men in Black 2, Harry Potter...). And as for the take-away, I'm not sure what it is. Is it that it's tough to be truly happy, and you have to do the hard work and deal with life's sadness? If so, I think most people understand that, hence the global impact of religions, therapy, and self-help books - each a tool to help us live a more meaningful and happy life. Maybe I'm searching to hard for meaning here; perhaps this is just an interesting story.
The writing is at times awkward. For instance, the phrasing here: "I stumbled down long, sterile hallways, as harsh and brightly lit as logic." The simile doesn't quite make sense to me. How is "logic/reason/a system of principles" lit as a light-bulb, and brightly so? Also, there were a few too many typos and missing words than I can forgive.
Although the novel was full of energy, I yearned for a deeper resolution at it's conclusion. The author certainly explored the idea of happiness, but I was confused with the reader's take-away.
When I love a book, I love its creativity and its take-away, whether that's a meaning, a message, or a new perspective on life. This book doesn't quite deliver for me on either front. Creatively, magical lightning strikes and weather control are borrowed ideas that didn't have enough unique spin on them for me (think X-Men, Thor, Men in Black 2, Harry Potter...). And as for the take-away, I'm not sure what it is. Is it that it's tough to be truly happy, and you have to do the hard work and deal with life's sadness? If so, I think most people understand that, hence the global impact of religions, therapy, and self-help books - each a tool to help us live a more meaningful and happy life. Maybe I'm searching to hard for meaning here; perhaps this is just an interesting story.
The writing is at times awkward. For instance, the phrasing here: "I stumbled down long, sterile hallways, as harsh and brightly lit as logic." The simile doesn't quite make sense to me. How is "logic/reason/a system of principles" lit as a light-bulb, and brightly so? Also, there were a few too many typos and missing words than I can forgive.
November 15, 2017
“Maybe this was how it felt - happiness.” ❤️⛈
•
In The Weather Man by Sam Hayes, Adam Anderson isn’t your typical weatherman.
•
Set in the 2070s, the access to technology is at one’s fingertips. Every morning, people wake up to Adam Anderson talking about the weather. Adam has become a celebrity in the eyes of the nation. Yet, it’s not long before the happiness of others become dependent on Adam’s happiness. This is because Adam Anderson’s emotions control the weather.
•
In this exciting, fun, and emotionally provocative read, Sam Hayes does a brilliant job mingling creative and relatable characters with a futuristic/dystopian backdrop. Sam Hayes will take you on an exciting journey along with Adam Anderson and the ups and downs of his emotions ... and with a few sinkholes and thunderstorms!
•
What an awesome read. I think The Weather Man is such a creative concept. Adam’s emotions control the weather and cause havoc within his world. Yet, my favorite part is that Sam Hayes really asks his readers to dig deeper. Is Adam a slave to his happiness? Are we? The world that Hayes has built in The Weather Man, allows his reader to put themselves in Adam Anderson’s shoes and ask, “what would we give for our own happiness?”
•
In The Weather Man by Sam Hayes, Adam Anderson isn’t your typical weatherman.
•
Set in the 2070s, the access to technology is at one’s fingertips. Every morning, people wake up to Adam Anderson talking about the weather. Adam has become a celebrity in the eyes of the nation. Yet, it’s not long before the happiness of others become dependent on Adam’s happiness. This is because Adam Anderson’s emotions control the weather.
•
In this exciting, fun, and emotionally provocative read, Sam Hayes does a brilliant job mingling creative and relatable characters with a futuristic/dystopian backdrop. Sam Hayes will take you on an exciting journey along with Adam Anderson and the ups and downs of his emotions ... and with a few sinkholes and thunderstorms!
•
What an awesome read. I think The Weather Man is such a creative concept. Adam’s emotions control the weather and cause havoc within his world. Yet, my favorite part is that Sam Hayes really asks his readers to dig deeper. Is Adam a slave to his happiness? Are we? The world that Hayes has built in The Weather Man, allows his reader to put themselves in Adam Anderson’s shoes and ask, “what would we give for our own happiness?”
July 24, 2018
OMG !!! Must Read !!!
Such a great read. This book had me going in ALL the directions. I was reading this with a book club so it was so painful not to read it all at once. I can’t wait to read what Sam writes next.
Such a great read. This book had me going in ALL the directions. I was reading this with a book club so it was so painful not to read it all at once. I can’t wait to read what Sam writes next.
May 9, 2017
Wonderful debut novel. Looking forward to what's next from this author.
August 18, 2017
The Weather Man was a great read full of relatable characters, unexpected plot twists, and many emotions. Would recommend to readers of all genres!
January 15, 2019
Enjoyed this book. Was a really fun read!
December 30, 2021
Not for me - but I recognize it’s a good book! Don’t let this rating dissuade you if you like future / sci fi books!
January 6, 2017
A very original story which was well written and a lot of fun to read.
January 25, 2018
First thing I have to say, is that Sam has been so kind to send me a copy of his book, but his kindness hasn’t influenced my review in any way. I’m going to tell you all what I really think of this book.
Imagine that you can change the weather according to your own emotional flow. Would it be amazing or scary?
Knowing that if you get angry the weather would become a terrible and dangerous thing, you would naturally force yourself to be happy.
In this book Sam Hayes shows us the characters of an innovative plot, all so human, all so fragile and involved in the hard things of life. The setting is a future and dystopian world, that has so much technology and a crazy society.
Adam controls the weather according to his emotions, and people feel happy, or sad, or angry, according to his feelings.
I’ve felt every word of this book so deeply. I think that, as a debut novel, Sam couldn’t have done better.
A twisty plot? Check.
Deep message for the reader? Check.
Innovative way of explaining the concept of our connection with technology? Check.
I really love how Hayes has faced a matter that involves every single person who’s part of this modern society. How happiness can be an ephemeral thing and how life tends to be hard, to face us with adversities and challenges. How we can be so unhappy even if we are surrounded by privileges.
I give Sam Hayes’ The Weather Man a 4.5 out of 5 stars, because it has reminded me to always seek for happiness in the simple things and to be happy with what I have.
Imagine that you can change the weather according to your own emotional flow. Would it be amazing or scary?
Knowing that if you get angry the weather would become a terrible and dangerous thing, you would naturally force yourself to be happy.
In this book Sam Hayes shows us the characters of an innovative plot, all so human, all so fragile and involved in the hard things of life. The setting is a future and dystopian world, that has so much technology and a crazy society.
Adam controls the weather according to his emotions, and people feel happy, or sad, or angry, according to his feelings.
I’ve felt every word of this book so deeply. I think that, as a debut novel, Sam couldn’t have done better.
A twisty plot? Check.
Deep message for the reader? Check.
Innovative way of explaining the concept of our connection with technology? Check.
I really love how Hayes has faced a matter that involves every single person who’s part of this modern society. How happiness can be an ephemeral thing and how life tends to be hard, to face us with adversities and challenges. How we can be so unhappy even if we are surrounded by privileges.
I give Sam Hayes’ The Weather Man a 4.5 out of 5 stars, because it has reminded me to always seek for happiness in the simple things and to be happy with what I have.
July 24, 2018
Interesting read. The characters are those you either like or hate from the moment they enter the story.
Brings an interesting vision of the future of humankind, and the little details about the future help to build the world this story happens.
The theme of the use of technology as an attempt to control mother nature is something that although it is set in the future, is something that is happening today.
Unfortunately, the final part of the free feels very rushed, leaving the reader with the feeling that a part of the story is missing, and some questions are not answered.
As a first novel, it's a great job.
Brings an interesting vision of the future of humankind, and the little details about the future help to build the world this story happens.
The theme of the use of technology as an attempt to control mother nature is something that although it is set in the future, is something that is happening today.
Unfortunately, the final part of the free feels very rushed, leaving the reader with the feeling that a part of the story is missing, and some questions are not answered.
As a first novel, it's a great job.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews