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squishies's review against another edition
4.0
I love the concept - it's really so very interesting and to be honest, not all that far fetched.
The storyline was also pretty interesting, giving plenty of room for character growth.
Really interested to see where book 2 leads to!
The storyline was also pretty interesting, giving plenty of room for character growth.
Really interested to see where book 2 leads to!
jblack615's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic novel. Reminded me so much of the "Tom Clancy's" Net Force series that I adored growing up, blended with more of the grounded scientific analysis of Crichton or Stephenson.
shayneh's review against another edition
3.0
Intriguing near-term sci-fi thinking built into a thriller; not sure yet whether I will read the next ones, but engaging. Like a lot of thrillers, has more than its fair share of explosions and gunfights and people dying; reader beware.
stiricide's review against another edition
2.0
It's fine, but not for me. It's an espionage novel wrapped in a technothriller, and at 140 pages in, I realized that I just didn't care enough about anyone or anything going on in it to keep reading.
thomcat's review against another edition
4.0
Thirty years in the future, we have a drug which allows brain to brain communication - and a group of hackers who upgrade this drug to a permanent sidekick. This extended groupthink is sought by governments and shady groups who want a post human future, and this novel is the action movie that results.
I first read this 9 years ago, a year after it was published. Marked it 5 stars, no review - the only book I didn't review that year. Not sure why, but thought it was time to go back and correct that. I did follow up with Naam's non-fiction book [b:The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet|16291969|The Infinite Resource The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet|Ramez Naam|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1362081373l/16291969._SX50_.jpg|23389875] and the just-published sequel. My review of the sequel didn't tell me much about this book either.
As many other reviews have noted, this book is written like an action movie (or the novelization of an action movie), with additional scenes of dialog about the morality of the situation. On reread, some of this is a bit clunky to read. For this reason, and the fact that I couldn't remember much of the story, I will reduce the review to 4 stars.
The morality message is more important now than ever. At one point, main character Kade has a conversation with monks about an analogy to his device - speech. If learning speech took a decade and he could release a device which helped people learn in weeks, would he do it?
"Even though it would surely be used at times for profanity or vile speech?"
"Even though fools might read dangerous things written by bigger fools, might follow their instructions and hurt themselves or others?"
"Even though writing might be used to describe weapons that could be used to kill others?" Ananda asked.
"Even though charismatic fascists might use the power of speech to stir people up, to incite violence, to stoke hatred, to create war?"
Kade answers yes to each question, then answers the question "Why" with, "Because I think people would use it for more good than harm."
This is a question (and challenge) we are facing with social media and free speech today, even more so than in 2012. Now to reread the sequel, then read the final book in the trilogy for the first time.
I first read this 9 years ago, a year after it was published. Marked it 5 stars, no review - the only book I didn't review that year. Not sure why, but thought it was time to go back and correct that. I did follow up with Naam's non-fiction book [b:The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet|16291969|The Infinite Resource The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet|Ramez Naam|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1362081373l/16291969._SX50_.jpg|23389875] and the just-published sequel. My review of the sequel didn't tell me much about this book either.
As many other reviews have noted, this book is written like an action movie (or the novelization of an action movie), with additional scenes of dialog about the morality of the situation. On reread, some of this is a bit clunky to read. For this reason, and the fact that I couldn't remember much of the story, I will reduce the review to 4 stars.
The morality message is more important now than ever. At one point, main character Kade has a conversation with monks about an analogy to his device - speech. If learning speech took a decade and he could release a device which helped people learn in weeks, would he do it?
"Even though it would surely be used at times for profanity or vile speech?"
"Even though fools might read dangerous things written by bigger fools, might follow their instructions and hurt themselves or others?"
"Even though writing might be used to describe weapons that could be used to kill others?" Ananda asked.
"Even though charismatic fascists might use the power of speech to stir people up, to incite violence, to stoke hatred, to create war?"
Kade answers yes to each question, then answers the question "Why" with, "Because I think people would use it for more good than harm."
This is a question (and challenge) we are facing with social media and free speech today, even more so than in 2012. Now to reread the sequel, then read the final book in the trilogy for the first time.
gearons's review against another edition
1.0
This is really an action book with sci fi concepts and tropes - not what I was looking for. Choosing to start this book off with a sexual assault scene that is played off as a funny prank led me to believe I was reading an anti-hero or at least a character who would eventually realize their mistakes/experience narrative growth. Kade did neither of those things.
majkia's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent book of the fairly near future, whee a street drug is enhanced by a young scientist so that it can connect minds. The US government is on a crusade to block this drug and to stop any humans from being changed into enhanced post-humans and goes after the scientist and anyone he cares about or who helps him.
standingwave's review against another edition
5.0
Nexus is the best kind of speculative sci-fi exploring the impact of nano drugs both on the intensely personal level of the individual and on humankind and culture at large. The story isn't shy about having such a broad scope and the writing and characters consistently deliver on it.
Both the action and the science are tightly crafted and come at you in a fast paced style befitting the augmentations powering the soldiers, scientists, and bureaucrats we follow in Naam's near future world. The setting is refreshingly global and international, as are the characters, which lends even greater weight to the myriad social implications of runaway technology that Naam explores. The topics of human augmentation, bioethics, privacy, hacking, and more are clearly ones that Naam knows well and he navigates them expertly in weaving a truly gripping tale.
Both the action and the science are tightly crafted and come at you in a fast paced style befitting the augmentations powering the soldiers, scientists, and bureaucrats we follow in Naam's near future world. The setting is refreshingly global and international, as are the characters, which lends even greater weight to the myriad social implications of runaway technology that Naam explores. The topics of human augmentation, bioethics, privacy, hacking, and more are clearly ones that Naam knows well and he navigates them expertly in weaving a truly gripping tale.
ledigiacomo's review
adventurous
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
sbrads's review against another edition
3.0
Overall, a basic story with a good concept but the lengthy exposition and fight scenes missed the mark for me. I know there are lots of readers who will enjoy those elements, and I would say if you are one of them then you might love this book. It is a bit of a deviation from my usual reads but I still enjoyed it and will continue on with the series