In a near-future run by thousands of autonomous computer programs that control the world's wireless networks, a dormant program activates in the wake of a legendary game designer's premature death and launches a sinister effort to dismantle society and enforce a new world order. 60,000 first printing.
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For now, Daniel Suarez will have to be content with the inevitable comparisons to Michael Crichton and Neal Stephenson; in the publishing world, there are certainly worse fates. To be sure, Suarez's ability in Daemon to push all the right buttons regarding technology and its potential for misuse suggests a writer with a bright future. If word-of-mouth publicity is any indication (there's already strong demand for the sequel, which is due in 2010), the rigors of self-publishing are already a distant memory for Suarez. Daemon is genre fiction meant to be devoured, not savored. "Henry James fans may shudder," the Dallas Morning Newspoints out, "but the result is an almost perfect guilty-pleasure novel that passes briefly through a pulp-bound larval stage before morphing into the Big Action Movie it was meant to be."
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Starred Review. Originally self-published, Suarez's riveting debut would be a perfect gift for a favorite computer geek or anyone who appreciates thrills, chills and cyber suspense. Gaming genius Matthew Sobol, the 34-year-old head of CyberStorm Entertainment, has just died of brain cancer, but death doesn't stop him from initiating an all-out Internet war against humanity. When the authorities investigate Sobol's mansion in Thousand Oaks, Calif., they find themselves under attack from his empty house, aided by an unmanned Hummer that tears into the cops with staggering ferocity. Sobol's weapon is a daemon, a kind of computer process that not only has taken over many of the world's computer systems but also enlists the help of superintelligent human henchmen willing to carry out his diabolical plan. Complicated jargon abounds, but most complexities are reasonably explained. A final twist that runs counter to expectations will leave readers anxiously awaiting the promised sequel. (Jan.)
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The homicidal computer program in this action-packed, cyber-thrill debut—originally self-published under a pseudonym by software developer Suarez—makes HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey seem as benign as the voice in your car’s GPS. The untimely death of brilliant computer-game-designer Matthew Sobol causes a software program, the eponymous Daemon, to be released onto the Internet, where it quickly propagates and begins to carry out his convoluted plans for humanity. The Daemon recruits disaffected techno-savvy slackers as its minions, steals cutting-edge technology (including remote-controlled motorcycles equipped with deadly rotating knives) from classified government databases, manipulates financial markets to raise the funds for its nefarious schemes, and cleverly uses the media to thwart the authorities (some of whom are just as villainous as the Daemon). This thrill-a-nanosecond novel is certainly faithful to the techno-traditions of the late Michael Crichton and should delight not only readers of the “science gone awry” genre but general adventure readers as well. Too bad it’s not being published in the summer; Daemon would certainly have qualified as a beach-read blockbuster. --Michael Gannon
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Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: Good. Daniel Suarez's New York Times bestselling debut high-tech thriller is so frightening even the government has taken note (Entertainment Weekly). Daemons: computer programs that silently run in the background, waiting for a specific event or time to execute. They power almost every service. They make our networked world possible. But they also make it vulnerable. When the obituary of legendary computer game architect Matthew Sobol appears online, a previously dormant daemon activates, initiating a chain of events that begins to unravel our interconnected world. This daemon reads news headlines, recruits human followers, and orders assassinations. With Sobol's secrets buried with him, and as new layers of his daemon are unleashed, it's up to Detective Peter Sebeck to stop a self-replicating virtual killer before it achieves its ultimate purpose--one that goes far beyond anything Sebeck could have imagined. Seller Inventory # CIN0525951113G
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: Fair. Daniel Suarez's New York Times bestselling debut high-tech thriller is so frightening even the government has taken note (Entertainment Weekly). Daemons: computer programs that silently run in the background, waiting for a specific event or time to execute. They power almost every service. They make our networked world possible. But they also make it vulnerable. When the obituary of legendary computer game architect Matthew Sobol appears online, a previously dormant daemon activates, initiating a chain of events that begins to unravel our interconnected world. This daemon reads news headlines, recruits human followers, and orders assassinations. With Sobol's secrets buried with him, and as new layers of his daemon are unleashed, it's up to Detective Peter Sebeck to stop a self-replicating virtual killer before it achieves its ultimate purpose--one that goes far beyond anything Sebeck could have imagined. Seller Inventory # CIN0525951113A
Seller: Dream Books Co., Denver, CO, U.S.A.
Condition: good. Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing, but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing, and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. May be ex-library with library markings. Ships promptly! Seller Inventory # DBV.0525951113.G
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. First Edition. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # GRP91910172
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. First Edition. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 2369336-6
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0525951113I5N00
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0525951113I5N00
Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: Fair. Daniel Suarez's New York Times bestselling debut high-tech thriller is so frightening even the government has taken note (Entertainment Weekly). Daemons: computer programs that silently run in the background, waiting for a specific event or time to execute. They power almost every service. They make our networked world possible. But they also make it vulnerable. When the obituary of legendary computer game architect Matthew Sobol appears online, a previously dormant daemon activates, initiating a chain of events that begins to unravel our interconnected world. This daemon reads news headlines, recruits human followers, and orders assassinations. With Sobol's secrets buried with him, and as new layers of his daemon are unleashed, it's up to Detective Peter Sebeck to stop a self-replicating virtual killer before it achieves its ultimate purpose--one that goes far beyond anything Sebeck could have imagined. Seller Inventory # CIN0525951113A
Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: Good. Daniel Suarez's New York Times bestselling debut high-tech thriller is so frightening even the government has taken note (Entertainment Weekly). Daemons: computer programs that silently run in the background, waiting for a specific event or time to execute. They power almost every service. They make our networked world possible. But they also make it vulnerable. When the obituary of legendary computer game architect Matthew Sobol appears online, a previously dormant daemon activates, initiating a chain of events that begins to unravel our interconnected world. This daemon reads news headlines, recruits human followers, and orders assassinations. With Sobol's secrets buried with him, and as new layers of his daemon are unleashed, it's up to Detective Peter Sebeck to stop a self-replicating virtual killer before it achieves its ultimate purpose--one that goes far beyond anything Sebeck could have imagined. Seller Inventory # CIN0525951113G
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: Very Good. Daniel Suarez's New York Times bestselling debut high-tech thriller is so frightening even the government has taken note (Entertainment Weekly). Daemons: computer programs that silently run in the background, waiting for a specific event or time to execute. They power almost every service. They make our networked world possible. But they also make it vulnerable. When the obituary of legendary computer game architect Matthew Sobol appears online, a previously dormant daemon activates, initiating a chain of events that begins to unravel our interconnected world. This daemon reads news headlines, recruits human followers, and orders assassinations. With Sobol's secrets buried with him, and as new layers of his daemon are unleashed, it's up to Detective Peter Sebeck to stop a self-replicating virtual killer before it achieves its ultimate purpose--one that goes far beyond anything Sebeck could have imagined. Seller Inventory # CIN0525951113VG