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jessring's review against another edition
3.0
There was a lot to like in this book. The open source versus authoritarian control debate over a nano-drug brought up some great subplots. Buddhist philosophy in a recreational drug to military philosophy in a mind control weapon. I loved the view on how mankind was evolving along with the drug evolving out on the street.
My biggest problem was the pacing of this book. There were a lot of parts where I was just waiting for the next chapter. The writing just didn't pull me in.
My biggest problem was the pacing of this book. There were a lot of parts where I was just waiting for the next chapter. The writing just didn't pull me in.
titusfortner's review against another edition
4.0
This is a great near-sci-fi cyberpunk adventure, exploring a world where mind-hacking, and merging consciousness is a possibility. I like the treatment of the theme sof safety vs liberty, positive vs negative effects on society, and elite vs universal control of such technologies. Then again, the author and the narrator mostly agree on my existing viewpoint of such things, so it is well-suited for me. I did get lost a few times in the rapid-paced action scenes, where I couldn't tell who was doing what to whom. Overall, the story is great, the pacing is good and I could identify with the protagonist.
storyonlystory's review
I really don't care about these characters. The story is clunky and heavy-handed. Changed my mind. I'm not finishing this. I haven't finished many this month. Not a good reading month at all.
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
5.0
This is a book I was reading for the Endeavour Award and by multiple recommendations. For the Endeavour Award I see a snag - since it has a 2012 publishing date, luckily this is not my call but I pointed it out reluctantly because this would have been one of my top picks in 2012 if it had appeared then.
Okay so far of all I found this book flawed - especially in the first half. Its flow was off, the writing in general felt choppy and the ideas were too strongly stated - and all of this got in the way of enjoying the book. But oh the ideas! But the ending was strong and believable. And I was sold on pretty much all the characters actions and motivations.
I'm getting used to seeing the US government as a bad guy - though in this one not the only one. And it doesn't make me happy that it looks more and more believable and less and less of a stretch.
The Nexus OS for the brain - oh wow. As a software guy, all of this rang true - though it may make the book somewhat less accessible for the general audience.
But in general the idea of what it looks like to augment and update your brain rang true and seemed reasonable - something I have trouble with in many books.
Oh yeah, the opening "sex" scene may be a little hard to take for some and doesn't really repeat.
Okay so far of all I found this book flawed - especially in the first half. Its flow was off, the writing in general felt choppy and the ideas were too strongly stated - and all of this got in the way of enjoying the book. But oh the ideas! But the ending was strong and believable. And I was sold on pretty much all the characters actions and motivations.
I'm getting used to seeing the US government as a bad guy - though in this one not the only one. And it doesn't make me happy that it looks more and more believable and less and less of a stretch.
The Nexus OS for the brain - oh wow. As a software guy, all of this rang true - though it may make the book somewhat less accessible for the general audience.
But in general the idea of what it looks like to augment and update your brain rang true and seemed reasonable - something I have trouble with in many books.
Oh yeah, the opening "sex" scene may be a little hard to take for some and doesn't really repeat.
sumedhaj's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
rjnn's review against another edition
5.0
Lives up to the alternate title "Deus Ex: The Novel".
This is a fantastic science fiction book, primarily of the computer science variety, that is thoroughly readable, yet engaging on multiple scientific levels. I found the entire book thought provoking as well as fast paced and entertaining.
The premise of Nexus is a world where you have API access to your brain and body, as well as a networked operating system that runs continuously on your wetware. This world (similar to Cory Doctorow's short story "0wnz0red", but far, far, better) is very much a great leap forward for humanity, but humans aren't going to quietly into the night...
The book greatly benefits from the fact that Naam knows his computer science well. He uses it to great advantage in fleshing out the world behind Nexus, and minimizing the amount of technobabble. I came at this book very much a childhood fan of the video games "Deus Ex" and "Deux Ex: Human Revolution", which both dealt with the world of human augmentation (although less brain-aug, and more physical-aug... they are video games where you beat people up, after all), so I had high expectations. Was not disappointed.
This is a fantastic science fiction book, primarily of the computer science variety, that is thoroughly readable, yet engaging on multiple scientific levels. I found the entire book thought provoking as well as fast paced and entertaining.
The premise of Nexus is a world where you have API access to your brain and body, as well as a networked operating system that runs continuously on your wetware. This world (similar to Cory Doctorow's short story "0wnz0red", but far, far, better) is very much a great leap forward for humanity, but humans aren't going to quietly into the night...
The book greatly benefits from the fact that Naam knows his computer science well. He uses it to great advantage in fleshing out the world behind Nexus, and minimizing the amount of technobabble. I came at this book very much a childhood fan of the video games "Deus Ex" and "Deux Ex: Human Revolution", which both dealt with the world of human augmentation (although less brain-aug, and more physical-aug... they are video games where you beat people up, after all), so I had high expectations. Was not disappointed.
gregber's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
aaronmunger's review against another edition
4.0
The action scenes could be a bit over the top, but an interesting core concept and managed to gradually change my view of the ethical questions over the course of the book
ronsos's review against another edition
4.0
This has a little of everything: action, big ideas, characters with depth, plot, suspense. Look forward to finding out where it goes in future volumes.
iffer's review against another edition
3.0
Although others may criticize Nexus for various reasons, most likely that the writing/character development could be better or that the ideas and themes in the book are reminiscent of other science fiction and speculative fiction out there, including, but not limited to...
X-men
Fear of the unknown and of becoming obsolete; human : mutant :: human : post-human
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Video game)
The possibility of using technology to augment physical and intellectual abilities of humans will exacerbate class divisions and wreak havoc with the economy/black market.
Chuck (TV show)
What is there left for the human mind to do if knowledge can be written directly to the mind?
Battlestar Galactica
Are we human if our memories can be written to new bodies? Will we be the same person when "reincarnated," and if so, what would it mean for that no one every truly dies?
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or more traditionally, the atomic bomb hindsight ;p
There are amazing ideas, technology, and human minds out there that could lead to bursts in human progress, not just physically and mentally, but socially, but these ideas have the potential to cause great evil. Who, if anyone, should be in charge of disseminating that knowledge? Is freedom of knowledge and freedom of choice (via wide dissemination) always the best route?
...above all, I think that Ramez Naam does a great job of combining many ideas and themes that we've seen from other works; combining them with some of his own ideas, neuroscience knowledge, and coding background; and making a book that is a rip-roaring, entertaining, pound-pulsing action techno-thriller.
P.S. There are parts of the book, especially at the beginning, in which it's clear that the main character, Kaden Lane is a Gary Sue. There are also a couple of times when Naam not quite info-dumps, but indulges in blabbering about neuroscience and/or coding as if he thought that pages of those things might be interesting to general readers.
P.P.S. It tickled me that Naam found a way to use plausible technology to give people telepatic powers!
X-men
Fear of the unknown and of becoming obsolete; human : mutant :: human : post-human
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Video game)
The possibility of using technology to augment physical and intellectual abilities of humans will exacerbate class divisions and wreak havoc with the economy/black market.
Chuck (TV show)
What is there left for the human mind to do if knowledge can be written directly to the mind?
Battlestar Galactica
Are we human if our memories can be written to new bodies? Will we be the same person when "reincarnated," and if so, what would it mean for that no one every truly dies?
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or more traditionally, the atomic bomb hindsight ;p
There are amazing ideas, technology, and human minds out there that could lead to bursts in human progress, not just physically and mentally, but socially, but these ideas have the potential to cause great evil. Who, if anyone, should be in charge of disseminating that knowledge? Is freedom of knowledge and freedom of choice (via wide dissemination) always the best route?
...above all, I think that Ramez Naam does a great job of combining many ideas and themes that we've seen from other works; combining them with some of his own ideas, neuroscience knowledge, and coding background; and making a book that is a rip-roaring, entertaining, pound-pulsing action techno-thriller.
P.S. There are parts of the book, especially at the beginning, in which it's clear that the main character, Kaden Lane is a Gary Sue. There are also a couple of times when Naam not quite info-dumps, but indulges in blabbering about neuroscience and/or coding as if he thought that pages of those things might be interesting to general readers.
P.P.S. It tickled me that Naam found a way to use plausible technology to give people telepatic powers!