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heyt's review against another edition
4.0
I think that this is my first encounter with trans/post human content that I wasn't constantly in a state of omg what is happening right now. I found that the technology was explained in a manageable way that made sense and yet wasn't too far gone from what we can relate to today. Throughout the book I found the characters and their struggles with technology and the double side of its creation were somewhat realistic and translate well to similar issues we face in the real world. I had a good time reading this and look forward to seeing more from these characters and this world.
fmartins99's review
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
tkadlec's review against another edition
4.0
Scientists have been experimenting with using the human mind to perform actions: everything from moving a mouse cursor to moving the tail of a rat. Ramez pushes this idea to the limit: what if humans could link their brains together. What if you could share thoughts and emotions with other humans? What if you could "enhance" this functionality with packages (such as one that steadies your nerves)? And what if you could actually control other people using this same technology?
Nexus hits the ground running on the first few pages and then never lets up. The concept is fantastic and the science seems pretty spot on (unsurprisingly given Ramez has also written a book about biological enhancement). There is a lot of good discussion about the ethical implications of a technology that powerful, though it's not very subtle and can get a little heavy-handed at times. But that's a relatively minor complaint for an otherwise great read.
Nexus hits the ground running on the first few pages and then never lets up. The concept is fantastic and the science seems pretty spot on (unsurprisingly given Ramez has also written a book about biological enhancement). There is a lot of good discussion about the ethical implications of a technology that powerful, though it's not very subtle and can get a little heavy-handed at times. But that's a relatively minor complaint for an otherwise great read.
rascalking's review against another edition
5.0
I picked this up after seeing it recommended multiple times in my twitter stream. My twitter stream was not wrong. I had a lot of fun with this one.
Ramez Naam was a programmer in his former life (multiple stints high up the food chain at Microsoft), and it shows. He uses the Ken Thompson compiler backdoor hack as a plot device. And he's got multiple scenes where the main character is developing code that actually rang true. I'm hoping they're not too boring or confusing for non-developers.
The other thing that jumped out was the ambiguity of the different players trying to get Kade and his tech. Each one had a slightly different agenda, and different means to achieve it. None of them were angels, and none were outright evil, either. Even the one character that did come close to being a cardboard cutout was redeemed by a good character scene towards the end.
If you're looking for a good sf thriller, with just a touch of the singularity to it, and some reasonable scientific backing (he gives you a laundry list of recent experiments he extrapolated from in the afterword), I can easily recommend picking this up.
Ramez Naam was a programmer in his former life (multiple stints high up the food chain at Microsoft), and it shows. He uses the Ken Thompson compiler backdoor hack as a plot device. And he's got multiple scenes where the main character is developing code that actually rang true. I'm hoping they're not too boring or confusing for non-developers.
The other thing that jumped out was the ambiguity of the different players trying to get Kade and his tech. Each one had a slightly different agenda, and different means to achieve it. None of them were angels, and none were outright evil, either. Even the one character that did come close to being a cardboard cutout was redeemed by a good character scene towards the end.
If you're looking for a good sf thriller, with just a touch of the singularity to it, and some reasonable scientific backing (he gives you a laundry list of recent experiments he extrapolated from in the afterword), I can easily recommend picking this up.
chukg's review against another edition
3.0
More interesting for the tech than for the characters -- it kind of reads like a cross between those old hard SF and a near-future technothriller. (There is some characterization, too, not everyone is cardboard.)
onemanbookclub's review against another edition
3.0
Fun action. Interesting theories. Complicated science.
Nexus is a fun and complicated story. I loved the action--there was something that got my heart racing every few pages. I didn't enjoy the science so much. I'm a smart guy, but there were a lot of details that went way over my head. It would have been great to have less techno-babble and more character development. I just finished the book, and I already and having a hard time remembering names. The philosophy annoyed me...I never like books that are preachy. And I hated the language. So much swearing! Couldn't the author come up with any words that have more that four letters when something didn't go according to plan?
That about sums it up. I'm invested enough to read the next one, but I won't be going out of my way to recommend Nexus to my friends.
Nexus is a fun and complicated story. I loved the action--there was something that got my heart racing every few pages. I didn't enjoy the science so much. I'm a smart guy, but there were a lot of details that went way over my head. It would have been great to have less techno-babble and more character development. I just finished the book, and I already and having a hard time remembering names. The philosophy annoyed me...I never like books that are preachy. And I hated the language. So much swearing! Couldn't the author come up with any words that have more that four letters when something didn't go according to plan?
That about sums it up. I'm invested enough to read the next one, but I won't be going out of my way to recommend Nexus to my friends.
nopeppersplease's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0