Daemon and FreedomTM by Daniel Suarez
I haven't enjoyed a science fiction, techno-thriller this much since reading Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon. I liked Daemon so much that I finished the sequel, FreedomTM, before I got the chance to write a review (or do anything else for that matter).
I tried a couple of times to summarize the basic plot without revealing too much but failed. So I think I'll just say that if you're into computers, AI, hacking, MMORPG's, augmented reality, sustainable technologies, and overthrowing corporate social control then you'll probably like these books. My only criticism is that they are a bit too graphic in places for my taste (mostly violence but some sex).
One of the most refreshing things about the book is that the author is an IT specialist so the technology stuff isn't too bogus. In fact, even the "far-fetched" technology in the book is actually just an exaggeration of the current state of the art.
Preview chapters are available online for both Daemon and FreedomTM if you would like to read a sample before buying. I actually listened to the audiobook version of both books via iTunes which worked out quite well - the reader's voices enhanced the overall experience, especially the Daemon's computer-generated, English-accented female voice.
One of my favorite quotes from the book was:
"Technology. It is the physical manifestation of the human will. It began with simple tools. Then came the wheel, and on it goes to this very day. Civilizations rise and fall based on technological innovation. Bronze falls to iron. Iron falls to steel. Steel falls to gunpowder. Gunpowder falls to circuitry."
I don't think there is any doubt that circuitry, more specifically digital information, is becoming the dominant source of power. Why destroy a nation when you can simply crash its infrastructure and delete its data? Daemon and FreedomTM certainly drive this point home.
The future suggested by Daemon and FreedomTM is both frightening and exciting. Although a work of fiction primarily intended to entertain, I think some valuable lessons and cautions can be drawn from the story. Good stuff.
