Daemon

Most of the reviews discuss the plot and the technology. I'm writing this review to emphasize the general level of the writing; it is very impressive for a first (or nth, for that matter) novel. It flows very smoothly, sustaining its pace without sagging in the middle. The multiple point of view technique is often an obviously double-edged sword, but here it is handled very well, without intrusion or disruption.

My only regret is that it took me so long to try it..

After reading Daniel Suarez' "Influx," I decided to check out if he had any other books. "Daemon" proved to be a riveting technology thriller. I am chagrined to admit that I had to look up many of the tech terms and phrases in the book, but that made all the more intriguing. Great book if you like fast-paced technology-based fiction.

A good read, and I have already bought the sequel, I just thought the story became just too unbelievable - controlling a fleet of killer cars, and jumping from motorbikes to cars. BUT, I know this is sci FI but even so, it lost me a little on credibility. But certainly enjoyable.

My husband said that this book was amazing and was surprised that there were so many from Daniel Suarez. I ended up getting all of his books for him and he has read through them all. Its a great non fict book to read if you like to think.

Great technical detail; like any good hard SciFi. Great weapons talk and visualization of the extra dimensionality. Loved the MMORPG references, having some experience losing time to that fun addiction.

Believe the hype, everyone. Daniel Suarez is an insider (he consults with new media, the entertainment biz, the military and the government on technology/security issues) with enough technical acumen to make Daemon the most exciting cyber thriller of this decade. Forget William Gibson, this guy is as good as Neal Stephenson in his earlier days -- perhaps better.

The implications of identity theft, information distortion and the nefarious application of new technology are haunting in this daring novel.

It helps to have some understanding of online gaming and its concomitant culture, distributed networks and computer programs, but it's not necessary to appreciate this wild ride. So exciting and paranoia-inducing, it's left me breathless. You may not see the world the same way after reading this, and I don't think that's exaggeration.

Fantastic read. Go out and get it now!

This is a book that anyone in a computer profession, (especially IT), cannot help but love! I could not put this book down until I finished it. I was thrilled to see that he already finished the second book, Freedom. I took a break from reading Freedom to write this review. I don't think I have ever felt such a strong sense of grim amusement after reading about the spammers. This book was recommended to me by a completely non-technical person, so it is definitely not just something IT's will like. I think this will end up being one of those books that are referred to in a hundred years by historians as an example of a visionary author who was able to correctly grasp the scope of events in our time and predict where our course would run, (nice long sentence...). Thank you very much for writing this book! It has inspired me to learn even more about the field I am in, especially the security aspects, as I have always been lax in that area. I hope you make enough money from your career as an author to enjoy all of the toys in your books, lol!

Suarez has written a great novel here about a computer program that manages to take over the world. Twenty years ago this would have been considered science fiction, but Suarez makes you believe it could be true. Don't get me wrong, the computer-controlled motorcycles and other techno oddities help you understand this is purely fiction, but he manages to keep it grounded in just enough reality to make you think.

My only complaint is the rampant profanity throughout the book. Suarez uses it so much in spots that it turns his characters into caricatures instead. You don't know anyone who talks like that, and neither does Suarez. I think it was just something to add to try and "toughen up" the book a little. It could have been cut down 90% and had a bigger impact when it happened.

Other than that, the story is good. It continues to twist and turn and keep you guessing until the end.

This is a well written novel. Full of suspense and computerized drama. It had the I-can't-put-it-down type of feel. However, it kind of put me off toward the end. I was expecting something more definitive, not to be left hanging. But then, I need to read the sequel. It had me turning the page until the very end. It would make a great movie. Overall, great read and I am curious about the next in the line. Intriguing novel.

When software genius Matthew Sobol dies it kicks of a virus which will undermine not only the internet but all computer technology. Policeman John Ross finds himself investigating crimes that seem at first to have nothing to do with Sobol till his after-death plan starts moving outside the internet. You'd think that this is impossible, but where there's a will, intelligence and knowledge there is a way.

Its not an exaggeration to say that by the end of this novel the world has changed, and not always necessarily for the better. However I have the say the ending is also abrupt. I understand that this is because this is only part one of a two part novel. However, without the second volume available now it means it's somewhat annoying. If you like a full on thriller with a technological-computer-internet theme then this book is one you should find enjoyable.

This is a well written novel. Full of suspense and computerized drama. It had the I-can't-put-it-down type of feel. However, it kind of put me off toward the end. I was expecting something more definitive, not to be left hanging. But then, I need to read the sequel. It had me turning the page until the very end. It would make a great movie. Overall, great read and I am curious about the next in the line. Intriguing novel.

When software genius Matthew Sobol dies it kicks of a virus which will undermine not only the internet but all computer technology. Policeman John Ross finds himself investigating crimes that seem at first to have nothing to do with Sobol till his after-death plan starts moving outside the internet. You'd think that this is impossible, but where there's a will, intelligence and knowledge there is a way.

Its not an exaggeration to say that by the end of this novel the world has changed, and not always necessarily for the better. However I have the say the ending is also abrupt. I understand that this is because this is only part one of a two part novel. However, without the second volume available now it means it's somewhat annoying. If you like a full on thriller with a technological-computer-internet theme then this book is one you should find enjoyable.

A murder leads detective Pete Sebeck to discover that something very powerful is hiding in the Internet. Investigating, he finds himself gradually losing his grip on his family, his job, his property ... while the Daemon keeps growing and gaining power.

You will never look at computer games the same way after reading this one.

I really enjoyed this book. It is quite different from when I normally read. Technically, it was well beyond my understanding of computers and electronics today. I found it interesting. It moved along quite quickly though I do not really understand the ending. I don't know how to recommend it.

Rewriting my review. I still enjoyed the book. Good read. However, I've recently started watching The X Files on Hulu, and there are GLARING similarities between this book and Episode 7 in Season 1 of X-Files.

Daniel Suarez writes technology thrillers from the vantage of a technologist.. if you're a geek, this will tickle your mind in wicked ways. It almost seems plausible... almost prophetic.. it isn't a hard read, but it is hard to put down.

Daemon managed to balance both technical plausibility with a pace that kept readers interested. So many authors with the goal of remaining accurate to the technology would be tempted to fall into endless world-building. Daniel Suarez manages to give you just enough to suspend your disbelief and keep the story on the rails. The world is becoming more connected, and Daemon shows you every consequence of what that means.

The book starts out as an intelligent techno-thriller, but it morphs into something more. Hidden within the action is some gentle commentary on 21st Century society. The author hints at a dystopian future that is uncomfortably believable.

The book appears to be well-researched, but since some of the technology is unfamiliar, it's hard for a layman to say. You will not regret reading this book, although it may leave you with a feeling of uneasiness about the future.

As a technologist, it's very difficult to find tech fiction that isn't laughable. It takes a tremendous amount of skill to be able to write beautifully engaging fiction, while also weaving in accurate elements of cyber warfare. The Daemon does this perfectly!

An extremely grippingly written and extremely carefully thought-out tale of the internet as malignant entity, with wide ranging powers and prophetic anticipation of future events. The characters are interesting, and they draw the reader into their often life-threatening dilemmas. Recommended.

The idea is good. However, the characters are a bit one-dimensional. The plot is crazy, but not too far-fetched, given the pace AI is moving. A good read for a flight or a vacation, but not more than that.

If you like Tech, computers, hacking and gaming, you are going to love this book.
Lots of action, interesting characters, and global world changing plots.
Just bought the second book in the series.
Lots of questions to be answered.
A really fun read.

Loved the ideas behind the story line, and the story itself. The ending was, however, lackluster(too Vin Diesel 'out in a blaze of glory' for me). Given how well the rest of the book was thought out I expected a more sophisticated wrap up.The only real disappointment however was that there was no end note announcing that Suarez had a sequel in the works. I'd really like to see where his thinking might take the story into the new dawn he postulates.

Suarez has brewed a story using our darkest fears: Artificial Intelligence, secret government programs, death beams and modern men selling their souls. His writing invokes the senses. An FBI team attempts to enter the home of a dead man:
'Merritt staggered on blindly. Finally he stopped and tore off his night vision goggles and opened his eyes. Instantly he was blinded by cold water spraying into his face. It felt wonderful. He smelled a combination of gasoline, burnt flesh, melted plastic, and hot metal. He turned in place dizzily--feeling shock creep up on him. He stood in a manicured section of lawn right next to a rising mushroom of orange flame fifty feet tall. The cold water spraying over him made it tolerable to be this close. His men were in those flames somewhere.
He reached for his bone mic, melted against his cheek. "Waucheuer! Reese! Littleton! Report! Kirkson! Engels! Report!" The microphone pulled off in his hands. His earphones were dead under his Kevlar helmet. ' (pp 205-6)
Deftly weaving together the NSA, FBI, private contractors and powerful investors, Suarez questions commonly-held beliefs. Why is Representative Democracy useful? If private contractors write the software they depend upon, validate computer operations staffs and security, build the cutting-edge weapons, is the government still in charge? And when- not if- a popular role-playing game enlists players in a nefarious scheme, how much damage could it do? Follow the key characters as each is offered something in return for their souls- Pete Sebeck, Brian Gragg, Jon Ross, Anji Anderson, Charles Mosely and Nat Phillips. I'd give that 5 stars.
If there is a negative, it is the murky sources of the Daemon's finances- it devours high-tech tools and expends more money on weapons and soldiers than the U.S. military. Overnight, it becomes a huge consumer of metals, electronics and high-tech factories. While it extends tentacles into every part of the internet, there is no room for unintended consequences, such as investors leaving the stockmarket to join the cash economy. Worse, the philosophical justification, brainwashing, is weak. Its just like they reform, disconnect themselves from old lives, never object to an assignment, working only for some 'network credits'. -Minus one star.
The closing chapter leaves one of the above characters meeting the Daemon and taking the road into a uncertain future. You will lose more than one night's sleep devouring this tale.

See full review on my blog site called Terebrate.

If you appreciate hacking stories like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or gaming stories like Ready Player One or stories that combine both like Reamde, you will love Daniel Suarez’s Daemon and Freedom™ like I did. If you similarly like Michael Crichton books like Jurassic Park, State of Fear, Prey, and Disclosure, you will think that the always-intriguing author has returned from the grave. Suarez’s two books tell one long story and are loaded with seemingly futuristic ideas that are just years away form general deployment. Suarez introduces these new ideas from an old-school hacker perspective in an effort to reboot the world order. He and his key protagonist, the designer of the Daemon, think that all governments and their corporate overlords are too corrupt and that the only way to resolve the matter is to burn the world order to the ground and start over. The Daemon and its disciples infiltrate everything through the direct application of hacking, assassination, and intimidation. The old-world order fights back and results in an epic confrontation of brute force versus technical force. I recommend both books strongly. Suarez demonstrates quality writing that gets the technical details right. The two books combine into one story that is cyber-security-canon worthy. You should have read them by now.

I loved the book, especially the beginning. It kept my interests and made me think about cyber-terrorism. The only fault with the book, was the ending. I am a big believer of great endings and the ending was okay but I was expecting fireworks and I got firecrackers. But I recommend the book and if for any other reason, there a only a few books on that are technology thrillers.

A billionaire game designer, Matthew Sobol, dies a premature death and sets in motion a series of incidents utilizing a common innocous software program.
Suarez weaves together a variety of characters into a taut technological thriller.
With his first novel, Suarez has provided a scary scenario of computers and technology that are reminiscent of Crichton.
His storytelling brings you into this frightening possibility and immerses you to the point of having to pause once and a while to make sure it is not real.
Schedule the time to read this book in one sitting because you will not want to put it down.
This is the first of of what is going to be a fantastic technological journey.

...but it was recommended by my girlfriend. She knows Daniel through one of her relatives, and I'm excited about reading it, and from what I've heard about it, it is supposed to be REALLY good!

I don't consider this a review, but more or less a shameless promotion.

Amazing insight in modern day tech like AI, mixed reality, connected vehicles, gamification vs society like broken economy vs financial reality. His work balances on future reality vs scifi. Absolute must read, already hooked with the sequel Freedom and the buildup of suspense is swinging like the pendulum of a swiss clock: precise and razorsharp.

This novel and its conclusion in Freedom are the most interesting techno thrillers I have ever read. The hard science here makes this almost a prophecy. This is a GREAT book by a great author. Be afraid...be very afraid! The premise could come true.

Enjoyable fiction. How will civilization evolve? The book has some insights. Into how much we've let technology rule our lives. How much freedom have we given up to attain that technology? Can your kids tell time on an analog clock? If a check-out register tells you you owe $10 and you're holding two items with $1.98 on them, who will the check-out kid believe? The register or your math?

This book really makes you think about what the future may hold. As we speak, google is creating automated cars, anyone can purchase microprocessors and connect them to the internet. I don't think we are far away from having something like this happen in the real world. It is just a matter of when someone thinks they can make it work. Very good book.

Like some of my other favorites, Daniel Suarez's novel "Daemon" shouldn't really be categorized as science fiction. Timothy Leary coined the phrase "science faction" and I think it could be applied to this book. Most of what is presented is simply cutting edge tech applied in a fictional way.

I don't want to put any spoilers in this review, so I'll stick to generalities. I think there is plenty of action, a "meaty" story line, and several sympathetic character. One characteristic of an exceptional story is a villain (or villains) who are actually appealing or sympathetic in some way. While some of Suarez's villains are just bad guys, others are far more nuance. That appeals to me. His heroes, some of them at least, are similarly imperfect, which adds to the reality of the work.

I first read this book several months ago and decided to re-read it in advance of the review. It held my interest the second time just as well as the first, which I think is a good title for this review.

I read my first science fiction book 44 years ago, so I understand that the premise of SF is to take real science and project it into the future. That is what Daemon and its sequel (really part two) accomplish. What appears on the surface as a technology thriller is really a grand analysis of shifting social patterns involving the current state of internet social interaction (i.e., the Social Network), online role-play gaming, technology, economics, politics, the industrial-military complex, the superficiality of today's broadcast media. Moreover, it describes how a society can change, not much differently than it has in the past through the Renaissance, Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, the world wars, etc. The accelerated nature of change - how fast cultural change is possible - is also in the background of these novels. The books are well-written and fast-paced. My wife also loved them and we highly recommend them.

I really liked this book (and its sequel, FREEDOM). a fast paced sci-fi action romp on one level. On another it gave a clear, accurate? world-view of nations, governments, and the vast majority of people rendered impotent and irrelevant, as the owners and directors of multi-national corporations consolidate, concentrate, and buy or seize all meaningful power and wealth. Knock, knock. Neo-fuedalism is at the door.

(copied to/from "Freedom (TM)"s review as they feel like a single unit to me)

Where could we go if a mad genius designed our society to force people to do the right thing? And punish you if didn't.

Yes, yes...what is the right thing is debatable often. Still a gamer can dream :-)

Great thriller. Chillingly believable at the beginning, it veers a bit into a bit of science fiction after the first part. Even then it never gets boring, of anything it becomes more exciting and unexpected, with a great ending.

Outstanding first book by a new author. Sets up the premis for the second and completing book Freedom. The science is good if extended in some unusual ways, the characters are well drawn and surprising.