Breakpoint

By: Richard A. Clarke

Narrated by: Robertson Dean

Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

Against All Enemies warned about how we were conducting the war against terror. The Scorpion's Gate demonstrated what could happen. And now America's preeminent counterterrorism expert and number-one best-selling author shows us all...what might come next.

The global village: an intricately intertwined network of technology that binds together the world's economies, governments, and communication systems. So large, so vital, and so fragile. Now a sophisticated group is seeking to "disconnect the globe" by destroying computer grids, communications satellites, Internet cable centers, and biotech firms. Hard to do? If only that were so.

The major government agencies all lumber into action, but behind the scenes, the special projects office of the Intelligence Analysis Center knows that to catch unconventional terrorists requires unconventional methods. A small team, smart, agile, and quick, immediately starts to sift through a welter of often contradictory information about right-wing militias, Russian organized crime, Jihadist terrorists, and enemy nation-states, and chases leads across the country and overseas. But the attacks begin to come more swiftly and to grow in destructiveness. Soon they will reach the breakpoint. And then there will be nothing anyone can do.

Breakpoint is filled with technology being developed right now for a future just around the corner or, in many cases, already here - a technology certain to cause enormous political, social, and economic change. Will the changes be for better or worse? And what will happen then? The answers will surprise you.

Sometimes you can tell more truths through fiction.

©2007 RAC Enterprises, Inc. (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., and Books on Tape. All rights reserved.

Critic Reviews

"[A] fast-paced and fascinating novel." (Booklist)
"Veteran counterterrorism official Clarke...proves once again that authenticity, insider information and top-secret access artfully applied trumps fancy writing with this cutting-edge, nail-biter techno-thriller." (Publishers Weekly)

SciFi Thriller

I could smell movie all over this. The epilogue of notes should come first, because it really fleshes out some of the SF stuff in the complex story. Richard Clarke has written a better novel than his first thriller. The characters are cookie cutter but the plot pulls on all the sort of things he did as a top DC official: terrorism, military stuff, computer and internet security, etc. A great audio book for a long drive. The narration was very good. Made me want to look into the concepts Clarke weaves thru the story.

Interesting but no cigar

Enjoyable listen but not near as good as his first book. Great insights into current R&D and future uses.

Plot idea good, compsci bad

I understand the authors intent, and the book had a decent plot line. But much of the speculation around the computer science is very bad and for someone from such a background, it ruins theh book horribly.

Hokey and uninteresting

The narration is good, but the plot is ridiculous rather than compelling. Don't waste waste your time on this one.

A glimpse of the future

Clarke claims in the epilog that this is not a work of science fiction but is in fact prophetic of the technology we can expect to see within the next few years, some of which has already come into being. He weaves a plot that is suspenseful and gripping. If you are interested in what the future may have in store for the world this can be an important book for you.

Breakpoint

Whether it's personal knowledge from his time in government, or just a great imagination, the author has a fascinating insight to our very near future.

This book is a wake up call reminding us that all of the risks involved in the internet which we've all come to love, hate, and depend on, are still unimaginable.

Great Read!!

To Much of a Political Statement

Narrator was good. Story was okay. Writer makes his political opinion heroic and demonize others ideas. Enjoyed other books but returning this one.

Disappointing, flabby writing

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would not recommend this book to someone interested in espionage literature. The premise of cyber-war is intriguing, perhaps even possible, but the plot of this is weak and the characters colourless.

Would you ever listen to anything by Richard A. Clarke again?

No

Did Breakpoint inspire you to do anything?

Stop reading the book. Change my online passwords.

An Excellent Techno Triller

Would you listen to Breakpoint again? Why?

This novel is intended to be fiction, but in reality is far closer to the state of current affairs and technologies then most people knew till recently. If you are in the cyber-security field, I recommend you make your CIO or CEO read this book and then come discuss it with you. The content in this book provides a prediction into the next phase of asymmetric war - cyber war and covers a realistic scenario of what we might expect to see play out in the next few years. The prolog of the book cross-walks the reader through the technologies addressed in the story. While most will perceive many of these technologies to be pure scifi, you will learn many of these technologies are deployed, in testing, or in development currently. For those not in the know, I guarantee this will be an eye opener.

What about Robertson Dean’s performance did you like?

Dean's reading of the book was excellent. His differentiation of each character through voice and texture of language made the book come to life.

Makes you think.

Enjoyed the story and got a lot out of the book. It's certainly not a literary masterwork, but the ideas presented are important. Sometimes it's best to process our most complicated issues through stories. In that respect, this book is well worth a read.