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ingo_lembcke 's review for:
Influx
by Daniel Suarez
Started February 22nd, 2014.
Goodreads shows this as a Kindle eBook, but actually I bough this at ebookstore.sony.com. As this is closing in March 2014, this may be one of the last books I will buy there. Sad to see it go, it was by far my most favorite store, search in search, all settings I wish for sorting, every sort both in ascending and descending order, a functioning author-reminder I will also sorely miss (ok, I also signed up for author-alarm last year, so until now I get some reminders double but author alarm is also sending alarms for say children authors with the same name I do not want).
Starts promising with a significant discovery which might change the world. The future is now.
This reminds me of some some of my most read and most liked books: [b:The Shockwave Rider|41070|The Shockwave Rider|John Brunner|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1386921650s/41070.jpg|868164] and [b:Snow Crash|830|Snow Crash|Neal Stephenson|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1385214698s/830.jpg|493634]. Both I read a few times - The Shockwave Rider was one of the books I read both in German (the old translation from Heyne Publishing I think) and in English.
Not to spoil the story, there are some serious mind-torture-scenes in the book, not for the faint of heart and probably even more disturbing than physical torture scenes.
At the 40% mark now, I can see myself giving 5 stars and a must-read-recommodation.
But that may change depending on how it ends. Hopefully not.
The science in this book is cutting edge and, as far as I can follow, spot-on.
And while I overlocked a few plot-holes or not very convincing people and too much action in [b:Kill Decision|13542606|Kill Decision|Daniel Suarez|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1332376530s/13542606.jpg|19106895], this is more leveled evenly in this book and so far action and slow thoughtful scenes keep a certain balance. In comparison to his other books, which I also rated 5 stars, this seems so far unfair, as this might turn out to be his best book yet - warranting more stars than the others.
With [a:John Brunner|23113|John Brunner|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1336955014p2/23113.jpg] dead and having written quite few not so good SF-Books, and [a:Neal Stephenson|545|Neal Stephenson|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1314902446p2/545.jpg] writing lots and far too long books I have not yet read, Suarez gets a place on top of my list for best living SF-Writer. One of the others would be [a:Rudy Rucker|130704|Rudy Rucker|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1238411948p2/130704.jpg], who with his far-out [b:The Ware Tetralogy|6665901|The Ware Tetralogy (Ware, #1-4)|Rudy Rucker|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388283611s/6665901.jpg|6860770] and [b:The Hacker and the Ants: Version 2.0|274053|The Hacker and the Ants Version 2.0|Rudy Rucker|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1386745723s/274053.jpg|265731] and others will always be one of my favorite SF-writers.
Interestingly, now that I think about it, the Ware Tetralogy has one interesting plot-developement that shows a different side of disruptive technology and its influence on society.
Heavy stuff, books worthwhile to read and think about.
Just finished it, the last part where great page-turning action and some twists, some expected, but the last one I did not see coming.
The last 20-30% I read today after getting up, only interrupted by mundane things as showering, breakfast, delivery-pizza-lunch.
As it stands: 5 stars, but way above some of my other 5 Star reviews.
Must-read-SF-extremely high recommendation.
Goodreads shows this as a Kindle eBook, but actually I bough this at ebookstore.sony.com. As this is closing in March 2014, this may be one of the last books I will buy there. Sad to see it go, it was by far my most favorite store, search in search, all settings I wish for sorting, every sort both in ascending and descending order, a functioning author-reminder I will also sorely miss (ok, I also signed up for author-alarm last year, so until now I get some reminders double but author alarm is also sending alarms for say children authors with the same name I do not want).
Starts promising with a significant discovery which might change the world. The future is now.
This reminds me of some some of my most read and most liked books: [b:The Shockwave Rider|41070|The Shockwave Rider|John Brunner|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1386921650s/41070.jpg|868164] and [b:Snow Crash|830|Snow Crash|Neal Stephenson|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1385214698s/830.jpg|493634]. Both I read a few times - The Shockwave Rider was one of the books I read both in German (the old translation from Heyne Publishing I think) and in English.
Not to spoil the story, there are some serious mind-torture-scenes in the book, not for the faint of heart and probably even more disturbing than physical torture scenes.
At the 40% mark now, I can see myself giving 5 stars and a must-read-recommodation.
But that may change depending on how it ends. Hopefully not.
The science in this book is cutting edge and, as far as I can follow, spot-on.
And while I overlocked a few plot-holes or not very convincing people and too much action in [b:Kill Decision|13542606|Kill Decision|Daniel Suarez|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1332376530s/13542606.jpg|19106895], this is more leveled evenly in this book and so far action and slow thoughtful scenes keep a certain balance. In comparison to his other books, which I also rated 5 stars, this seems so far unfair, as this might turn out to be his best book yet - warranting more stars than the others.
With [a:John Brunner|23113|John Brunner|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1336955014p2/23113.jpg] dead and having written quite few not so good SF-Books, and [a:Neal Stephenson|545|Neal Stephenson|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1314902446p2/545.jpg] writing lots and far too long books I have not yet read, Suarez gets a place on top of my list for best living SF-Writer. One of the others would be [a:Rudy Rucker|130704|Rudy Rucker|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1238411948p2/130704.jpg], who with his far-out [b:The Ware Tetralogy|6665901|The Ware Tetralogy (Ware, #1-4)|Rudy Rucker|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388283611s/6665901.jpg|6860770] and [b:The Hacker and the Ants: Version 2.0|274053|The Hacker and the Ants Version 2.0|Rudy Rucker|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1386745723s/274053.jpg|265731] and others will always be one of my favorite SF-writers.
Interestingly, now that I think about it, the Ware Tetralogy has one interesting plot-developement that shows a different side of disruptive technology and its influence on society.
Heavy stuff, books worthwhile to read and think about.
Just finished it, the last part where great page-turning action and some twists, some expected, but the last one I did not see coming.
The last 20-30% I read today after getting up, only interrupted by mundane things as showering, breakfast, delivery-pizza-lunch.
As it stands: 5 stars, but way above some of my other 5 Star reviews.
Must-read-SF-extremely high recommendation.