Daniel Suarez’s Daemon is classic cyberpunk, a techno thriller set in a time when cyberspace means more to each of us on a daily basis than it has ever meant before. We live in cyberspace now, banking, shopping, communication, education, politics, recreation – all stapled to electronic mechanisms. Ten minutes from now I will be notifying people all around the world that I have published this review via Twitter, anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can view my thoughts. When you really think about that it can come across a little scary.
While Daemon owes something to the instigators of cyberpunk back in the mid eighties he doesn’t follow habit or settle for pushing buttons, he takes the core facets of the genre and brings them kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Daemon is set in the present day, and focuses on present technology and concepts – everything that is mentioned in the book exists in some form. That may seem restrictive and a tad boring but Suarez explores technology that many of us will never have heard of and explores it in such a way as to send a shiver down the spine. The fact that story elements that take place could actually happen to you or me lends them an air of fear that supernatural events can only hope to achieve, the plausibility enhances belief.
If you care for other opinions you have plenty to sample – among fans of the novel are Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist, SciFi Now magazine, Veronica Belmont of Sword & Laser and assorted Google Executives.
The book is laced with twists and turns none of which I will spoil here, but the core story element is straight forward enough. Matthew Sobol is a brilliant tech super geek who has made a fortune selling MMORPG’s. Unfortunately he is dying of cancer and has little time left in this world. With what time remains he decides to create an immensely powerful AI construct that will take over elements of our networked society. The software is installed dormant on host computers throughout the world ready to activate upon his demise.
Everything about Daemon is a bit different from everything else out there, take for example the fact that the book actually starts with the death of the main villain leaving the authorities to deal with the actions of a dead man. Imagine taking on the greatest threat to the world knowing that the person responsible will never face justice. Another factor that separates Daemon from it’s contemporaries is the underlying philosophical content that reinforces the story as it unfolds. The nature of society and the role of technology within it is explored in depth, taking into account such elements as the benefits of technology in it’s breaking down of geographical boundaries and the intrinsic consequences of that very feat in that those connected across such divides are using the same technology, computer chips, operating systems and conventions.
It would seem that our desire to standardise the way in which we utilise technology and interweave our existence using it as a foundation may what ultimately may lead to our demise. It’s all very poignant and thought provoking stuff.
From the very first page I was hooked, Daemon is one of the best novels I have read in ages for more reasons than one. It’s use of technology and exploration of all things geek alone make it worth of exploration by geeks everywhere but the story, set pieces, pacing and underlying themes make it worthy reading by anyone who enjoys a good thriller.
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