April 5, 2004
The godfather of cyberpunk abandons SF in this satiric look at the high-tech security industry after 9/11. Dr. Derek Vandeveer gives up his high-paying job in private industry in order to try to help the government plug the nation's most serious computer security leaks. Unfortunately, he soon discovers that many of the worst problems are either too expensive to fix or impossible to deal with for political reasons. Vandeveer finds himself living in a slum in Washington, D.C., up to his ears in red tape and surrounded by a cast of would-be cyber warriors and failed dot-com entrepreneurs. Even worse, he's paying for the equipment he needs out of his own pocket. Worst of all, Vandeveer's wife Dottie, a world-class astronomer, is off on a mountaintop in Colorado. Meanwhile, something or someone is playing games with America's most sophisticated spy satellite and Vandeveer stakes his reputation on solving the mystery. Sterling (Zeitgeist
) knows the world of cyber-security inside out, and he does a fine job of talking the talk without losing his readers. The Vandeveers have a convincingly believable geek marriage and their scenes together are particularly well done. Sterling has always been more comfortable with satire than action, however, and the shift near the end to techno-thriller mode isn't entirely successful. Still, this novel should please the author's fans, many of whom will be interested in the latest innovations in computer security. Agent, Merilee Heifetz at Writers House
(On sale Apr. 27
)
Forecast:
A six-city author tour should help Sterling break out of genre, in the footsteps of such other SF writers like William Gibson and Neal Stephenson who have won a wide mainstream readership.
May 15, 2004
Computer security theorist Derek Vandeveer's life changes utterly after the events of 9/11 awaken the country to a new and urgent need for tighter security. Leaving his cushy job in the private sector for a secret government agency charged with increasing the security of cyberspace, Vandeveer becomes caught up in a seemingly fruitless search to uncover the source of an attack on an ultra classified satellite. Like fellow cyberpunk veteran William Gibson, Sterling (Zeitgeist; Tomorrow Now) turns his attention to the very near future in a tale of one man's persistent struggle to perceive the truth in a world choked by deception and betrayal. Combining up-to-the-minute technology with engaging characters and a clear vision of tomorrow, this highly recommended work belongs in most sf and general fiction collections.
Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.