Daemon

By: Daniel Suarez

Narrated by: Jeff Gurner

Length: 15 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Daniel Suarez's New York Times best-selling debut high-tech thriller is “so frightening even the government has taken note” (Entertainment Weekly).

Daemons: computer programs that silently run in the background, waiting for a specific event or time to execute. They power almost every service. They make our networked world possible. But they also make it vulnerable....

When the obituary of legendary computer game architect Matthew Sobol appears online, a previously dormant daemon activates, initiating a chain of events that begins to unravel our interconnected world. This daemon reads news headlines, recruits human followers, and orders assassinations. With Sobol’s secrets buried with him, and as new layers of his daemon are unleashed, it’s up to Detective Peter Sebeck to stop a self-replicating virtual killer before it achieves its ultimate purpose - one that goes far beyond anything Sebeck could have imagined....

©2009 Daniel Suarez (P)2009 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A riveting debut.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

“This thrill-a-nanosecond novel is certainly faithful to the techno-traditions of Michael Crichton and should delight not only readers of the 'science gone awry' genre, but general adventure readers as well.” (Booklist)

“Suarez's not-just-for-gamers debut is a stunner.” (Kirkus Reviews)

Exciting Techno-thriller!

I absolutely loved this book! It is the best techno-thriller I think I have ever read. Okay, maybe next to "Ready Player One," but definitely close to the top. It shows just how vulnerable we as a society are to computer hackers. I hope the right people in our government read this book and take the appropriate steps to prevent something like this from happening.
The book starts with the death of a successful gaming programmer, Matthew Sobol, who happens to be a genius and CEO of a multi million dollar company. He has embedded a type of sleeper program called a 'demon' in his games, which are played by millions of people around the world. The program activates when monitored news feeds report on Sobol's death. This sets in motion a series of events that ultimately make the "Daemon' the most powerful force in the world. This all to real scenario has the potential to bring every country in the world to its knees. The more dependent we become on technology, the higher the potential for sabotage.
I can always tell when I find a great read, because I simultaneously can't wait to find out what happens next and don't want the book to end. Such was the case with "Daemon." Luckily, there is a sequel, which I can't help but to read next. I highly recommend Daemon to anyone interested in technology, video games, or just plain excitement!

Excellent story and well read - engrossing

This one really makes you think.

Evil genius internet game-maker creates an AI (Artificial Intelligence) version of himself that takes over the internet. The daemon immediately proves to be a ruthless, remorseless mass murderer.

It harnesses the energies of really evil people and gives them god-like power to destroy the daemon's enemies, enslaving people and major corporations. Then in an apparent contradiction the daemon almost seems like a benevolent dictator (as long as you do what he says).

The best, brightest, and bravest humans fight to defeat the daemon. While government action is hobbled by pusillanimous bureaucrats, dedicated public servants are determined to fight to the end.

Overall, it's a really fun and frightening story.

Victor Aroma's reveiw for Daemon

This book is excellent!
I am on Chapter 27 listening right now.
MUST READ!!
You will not be able to put it down!

By:
Victor Aroma

Without next book, it's not a complete story

The story is interesting, but abruptly ends where I'm assuming the next book picks up. if I had known the second book was required I don't think I would have bought it.

this book is also basically a linear line down where things just get worse and worse and worse for the main characters....not a single case of them fighting back or making progress.

It also got a little Hollywood at the end, big car chases with sword welding motorcycles?

Definetly worth a listen

The narration and style of this book do take a while to get used to. All the voices of the different characters are exagerated into sterotyped caricatures of how they would actually sound, although this does help to allow the listener to tell them apart in this fast paced story.

The story however began to really grip me just a couple of chapters in and I found myself facinated, finishing it in just a couple of days.

My main complaint would be that the author often goes into way too much detail, not only in the discriptions of the technology, but in the settings and action of the book as well. This became tiresome at times, and it would've been nice if he'd allowed a little to be left to the imagination instead.

The end of the book was annoying too, as it left you hanging in the least satisfying way. I still haven't decided whether I will read the sequel yet, as I am not so sure I liked the direction that the book was moving in the last few chapters, but overall, I did think that this book was a great first listen, both thrilling and thought provoking.

Get out the axe

This suspenseful, well written techno-thriller may have provenance in books and movies from the past like "Colossus-the Forbin Project, War Games, 2001-Space Odyssey, and Prey." It is up to date enough to be most entertaining and a bit frightening. The narration is excellent. Older technophobes might wish to take an axe to their computer, but it is probably too late.

World of Warcraft meets I-robot

I am not sure how I feel about this one. I would only recommend this to tech heads and gamers. Some of the concepts are pretty neat and the narration is decent, but overall it is pretty average.

Not so far-fetched a story as it may seem.

I enjoyed this book which lies somewhere between current reality and science fiction. The moral of the story is one that should concern everyone; you can't say that about most plots! You can find elements of the conflict portrayed in recent and current events in economics and politics. There is a lot of suspense and action, but the concluding chapters are rather abrupt, and several threads are left unresolved. I felt the resolution was unsatisfying, but maybe that is the point.

The narration is excellent, distinguishing characters with a great variety of voices, accents, and styles.

Great intro to Suarez

Loved it. First time 'reading' by this author. Suspenseful & thrilling. I look forward to the sequel.

I've lost track of how many times I've listened

At least once a year I give this and Freedom a listen. Amazing narration by Jeff Gurner