Scan barcode
A review by diaryofthebookdragon
Nexus by Ramez Naam
5.0
In the future, Nexus is the new popular nano-drug that allows humans to temporarily connect minds & share thoughts with other current Nexus users. Kade Lane, young scientists, in his experiments radically improves Nexus. Not only he managed to make the Nexus influence/presence in human brain permanent, he also installed OS to Nexus nano-bots. So Nexus users can install addons/applications to help them in using their body (just like we now do on our phones). Don Juan app, Bruce Lee app,... (I think you can guess what they can do.) Uses and abuses of Nexus are infinite.
Such ground-breaking discovery, of course, stir-ups a lot of trouble. Politicians say that Nexus is a threat to humanity, army describes it as security risk, criminals see it as source of easy earnings... Which side will Kade pick when neither choice is a good one?
Some people described [b:Nexus|13642710|Nexus (Nexus, #1)|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347149654s/13642710.jpg|19257521] as sci-fi spy thriller. I can not disagree with them, the label fits, there sure is a lot of action, chasing, fighting etc. But that is not my favorite aspect of this book. The best thing about [b:Nexus|13642710|Nexus (Nexus, #1)|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347149654s/13642710.jpg|19257521] is that [a:Ramez Naam|160069|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1353488211p2/160069.jpg] poses a lot of intriguing questions. This is a great novel to be read in a book club because there will certainly be a lot of good subjects for discussion:
Is government wiser than humanity? Whose place is to choose what we can and what we cannot use? If some invention that is made for good can also be used for bad purposes, is that reason enough to censor & block it - or should we always take the chance? What is the thing that makes us human - when will we stop being human and become something else?
[b:Nexus|13642710|Nexus (Nexus, #1)|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347149654s/13642710.jpg|19257521] by [a:Ramez Naam|160069|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1353488211p2/160069.jpg] reminds me of my favorite science fiction authors: [a:Cory Doctorow|12581|Cory Doctorow|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1212526024p2/12581.jpg] with dystopia/government conspiracy theme, [a:Michael Crichton|5194|Michael Crichton|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1189723729p2/5194.jpg] with unexpected twists and action/adventure, [a:Arthur C. Clarke|7779|Arthur C. Clarke|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1193516744p2/7779.jpg] because everything [a:Ramez Naam|160069|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1353488211p2/160069.jpg] described has a scientific background. There is a short article at the end of the book and also a separate non-fiction book [b:More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement|274638|More Than Human Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1173329534s/274638.jpg|266308] where theoretical background and scientific progress so far are explained in details. [a:Ramez Naam|160069|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1353488211p2/160069.jpg] predicts:
"The next few decades will be more full of wonders than even the greatest science fiction."
I agree and I cannot wait. :)
Altough there is no cliffhanger, the ending leaves us wondering - how will use of Nexus change humanity.
"Would they still be human at the end of this? Might they be something more?"
We will have to wait until September 2013 and [b:Crux|15997527|Crux (Nexus, #2)|Ramez Naam|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nocover/60x80.png|21757503], the next book in Nexus series, to find out!
I recommend this book to fans of: science fiction with a lot of action, spy thrillers set in future, genetic engineering theme, dystopian novels about repression of human liberties.
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on Amazon and my blog.
Such ground-breaking discovery, of course, stir-ups a lot of trouble. Politicians say that Nexus is a threat to humanity, army describes it as security risk, criminals see it as source of easy earnings... Which side will Kade pick when neither choice is a good one?
Some people described [b:Nexus|13642710|Nexus (Nexus, #1)|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347149654s/13642710.jpg|19257521] as sci-fi spy thriller. I can not disagree with them, the label fits, there sure is a lot of action, chasing, fighting etc. But that is not my favorite aspect of this book. The best thing about [b:Nexus|13642710|Nexus (Nexus, #1)|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347149654s/13642710.jpg|19257521] is that [a:Ramez Naam|160069|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1353488211p2/160069.jpg] poses a lot of intriguing questions. This is a great novel to be read in a book club because there will certainly be a lot of good subjects for discussion:
Is government wiser than humanity? Whose place is to choose what we can and what we cannot use? If some invention that is made for good can also be used for bad purposes, is that reason enough to censor & block it - or should we always take the chance? What is the thing that makes us human - when will we stop being human and become something else?
[b:Nexus|13642710|Nexus (Nexus, #1)|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347149654s/13642710.jpg|19257521] by [a:Ramez Naam|160069|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1353488211p2/160069.jpg] reminds me of my favorite science fiction authors: [a:Cory Doctorow|12581|Cory Doctorow|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1212526024p2/12581.jpg] with dystopia/government conspiracy theme, [a:Michael Crichton|5194|Michael Crichton|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1189723729p2/5194.jpg] with unexpected twists and action/adventure, [a:Arthur C. Clarke|7779|Arthur C. Clarke|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1193516744p2/7779.jpg] because everything [a:Ramez Naam|160069|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1353488211p2/160069.jpg] described has a scientific background. There is a short article at the end of the book and also a separate non-fiction book [b:More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement|274638|More Than Human Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1173329534s/274638.jpg|266308] where theoretical background and scientific progress so far are explained in details. [a:Ramez Naam|160069|Ramez Naam|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1353488211p2/160069.jpg] predicts:
"The next few decades will be more full of wonders than even the greatest science fiction."
I agree and I cannot wait. :)
Altough there is no cliffhanger, the ending leaves us wondering - how will use of Nexus change humanity.
"Would they still be human at the end of this? Might they be something more?"
We will have to wait until September 2013 and [b:Crux|15997527|Crux (Nexus, #2)|Ramez Naam|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nocover/60x80.png|21757503], the next book in Nexus series, to find out!
I recommend this book to fans of: science fiction with a lot of action, spy thrillers set in future, genetic engineering theme, dystopian novels about repression of human liberties.
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on Amazon and my blog.