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Lunch » Tags » Fiction » Reviews » Daemon by Daniel Suarez

Daemon by Daniel Suarez

1 rating: 4.0

Daemon by Daniel Suarez - General Fiction - Technology Thriller

Product Description Already an underground sensation, a high-tech thriller for the wireless age that explores the unthinkable consequences of a computer program running without human control—a daemon—designed to dismantle society and bring … see full wiki

Tags: Book, Technology, Fiction

Author: Daniel Suarez

Genre: Thriller

Publisher: Dutton Adult (January 8, 2009)

Date Published: (January 8, 2009)

1 review about Daemon by Daniel Suarez

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High Tech Yes....But Mostly For Online Gamers

Feb 8, 2009

by Schtinky

Rating:

Michael A. Sobol PhD, CTO of Cyberstorm Entertainment, died at 34 of brain cancer. He was the mastermind behind such online games as On The Rhine and The Gate. Not long after his death, Cyberstorm programmer Joseph Pavlos dies a horrible death while riding his bike, then programmer Chopra Singh is electrocuted entering the server room. Two deaths within hours of each other lead Detective Sergeant Pete Sebeck to believe they are homicides.

Sebeck and the Thousand Oaks police force team up with the FBI, after computer contractor Jon Ross finds a rogue program running on the servers in Singh's network. Converging on Sobol's house, they find a significant technological fortress, supposedly guarding the daemon program running amok across the internet. Agent Roy "Tripwire" Merritt is injured in the destruction of Sobol's house, and many are killed including Sebeck's friend Agent Larson, when a driverless Hummer attacks the units set up outside the house.

Surprisingly, Pete Sebeck is arrested for the deaths, the daemon is declared a hoax, and Sebeck winds out fast-tracked onto Death Row. Jon Ross disappears, leaving no trace of his identity but stays in contact with Sebeck and the NSA. Mix in some characters like Anji Anderson, an ex Lifestyles reporter who's deepest desire was to be a "real" journalist ... and the daemon gives her that wish. Brian Gragg dabbled in illegal activities on the internet in between playing online games, and is recruited by the daemon to become a faction leader. Doctor Natalie Phillips, assigned by the NSA to track down and eliminate the daemon, which they know exists but refuse to go public with it.

Two factions emerge, those who follow the daemon, and those dedicated to stopping it. Sobol was a genius, and appears throughout the book in pre-programmed messages. His craftiness knows no boundaries. Just what is the purpose of the daemon? To change the world, but you'll have to read the book to find out what Sobol's master plan is.

While well written, and fast paced (the book starts out with a bang and doesn't slow down) I believe it's written for a younger crowd. Anyone who plays online games is going to immensely enjoy the way author Daniel Suarez has melded the real world to the cyber world. There's a bit too much time wasted on characters playing characters in video games for my taste. Not being a "gamer", I found these parts to be tedious. Some of the writing borders on childish, such as Sebeck's little "slapping and cuffing" love bout with his mistress; reading more like a young man's wet dream that an actual physical bonding.

I've seen reviewers compare Suarez to Michael Crichton, and I strongly disagree with that opinion. While Suarez is good, he lacks Crichton's flare for realism - his ability to make you firmly believe the events could actually happen no matter how far fetched. But rest assured, Suarez is just beginning, and 'Daemon' is wide open for a sequel that I will be sure to pick up when it comes out. Don't miss out on this talented new writer and the dangerous cyberworld/fantasy world he's created. Enjoy!