Little Brother

one of my favorite books of all time

Is this science fiction? Perhaps not. The setting is a version of the United States where a second Patriot Act has been passed, and where freedoms are being given up for the sake of safety. It's a little too close to reality for comfort. Let me begin with praise. I really enjoyed this book, and flew through its 350 pages in just a couple days. I also learned a lot from the book about computers, computer security, hacking, technology, surveillance, live-action roleplaying and spicy food. And, reading this book made me feel like a kid again. . . well, like a seventeen year old who perceived everything I did as a fight against THE MAN. (I think I was seventeen when I read 1984, come to think of it. . .) Also, Cory Doctorow gets props for quoting my favorite line from On the Road by Kerouac. But, umm, all of that kind of ties into my biggest complaint about this book. Our main character is seventeen, and he seems to know too much about everything. I just didn't know ANY kids that age who had studied so many exceedingly cool things and seemed so articulate about so many subjects. As I was reading it, I noted a few passages that seemed especially far-fetched, but I'm too lazy to go leaf through the book to find them. So, my biggest issue is the believability of the main character. That's a big enough issue that I can't give the book five stars. But, this was the most un-put-downable book I've read yet this Summer.

This book is very different from what i usually read. Not in the age of the protagonist and not in the age of the target group and in a way not even the main topic. But it is written from a special perspective and it tells a story that I feel is new. I liked it a lot.

Excellent book to accompany my course in concepts and practices for a digital age. Technology in education for or against the students. In society, for or against the members of the society? Thought provoking and a good read.

Interesting book. Felt a little preachy, but flipped all of my triggers of anti-government fight the power buttons. Definitely reads like a YA book, but a fun read nonetheless.

Cory Doctorow, with his unconventional way of offering novels and his insight into technology, spun a great conspiracy in this book. Brilliant imagery, a well done story and no matter how many 'loopholes' or faults you find in the actual storyline, a possibility that can happen anywhere in the world in this new state of political correctness and growing concern over cyber terrorism...

Kids playing politics. The book was surprisingly realistic – I could totally see these exact thoughts go through the head of a politically-aware seventeen year-old. The technology was realistic, too. This book is a great introduction to popular cryptography and secure systems. Apart from the realism, the politics were one-sided and a bit extreme. Somebody is a republican.

** spoiler alert ** I wanted to like this book, but the unneeded sex scenes detracted from the solid technical underpinnings, and the story couldn't find it's own ending and wound up without any satisfaction for this reader.

So this is a pretty interesting book, but it's one of those "political argument in novel form" books that I always hold to a higher standard. The annoying thing about this book is that Marcus never actually does anything productive. Everything he does is defensive, which is valid to a certain extent, but you're never going to change the world by adamantly insisting it stay as it is. Throughout most of the book, he had no strategy to end the DHS's reign of terror. He just had strategies to hold them back for a while, and then they'd crack his defenses, and push him back. This, relentlessly. His "victory" at the end was far too neat and tidy. And the "moral of the story" that people should just get out and vote? Barf. The leaks over the last couple of months have proved that the Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans on this front. What is voting going to do?! Nothing, absent a huge struggle that seriously affects the economy. As a novel it was a good read, though. And I can't fault it on actually understanding modern technology, which sets out apart from many other novels! So I mean, it was alright (especially since you can get it for free), but not really, REALLY good.

Great book. Read the CC-licensed free version from http://craphound.com/littlebrother/, now I am going to buy it.