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bisthesu's review against another edition
3.0
It was a good story from start to finish, getting a bit dull in the middle but ending with an exciting turn of events.
papi's review against another edition
3.0
John Camp's first novel was The Fool's Run, before he started writing under the pseudonym of John Sandford. The protagonist, Kidd, is artist, computer geek, tarot card reader (as a contingency planning device) and part-time criminal...a likeable anti-hero. In this first book, he works with a couple of sidekicks who will make appearances in later novels, LuEllen (a cat burglar) and another computer geek named Bobby. This is a fun romp through cutting edge computer technology and language...from 1989. That would be when Kaypro computers and Hayes modems were the thing to have...anyone remember them? I found myself chuckling, and then thinking through how things had changed in the 25 years that followed. It was an entertaining read, and presaged the writing style and popularity of Sandford as an author.
booksmy's review against another edition
4.0
Very good. More similar to Flowers than Davenport. The circa 1989 technology played a role, but the dated-ness did not detract from the story. Although I got a giggle when he would answer the phone and hear the 2400-baud modem and have to plug the receiver into his modem.
sbarrettbooster's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
jimtx's review
3.0
The technology is dated. Fortunately the story has strong enough plot lines so survive on it's own.
clambook's review
4.0
It's all about high-tech hacking of evil corporations, except it was written in 1989, before the arrival of the Internet as we know it. The hacking is more Capn Crunch than Edward Snowden, with dial-up modems. All of which adds to the charm. Substitute some modern technology and the story would work just fine today. Book 2 was written in 1992, Book 3 in 2001, and Book 4, which I've read, in 2004 -- if nothing else, the series is a neat timeline of the evolution of networks.
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