The novel selected as the second Daniel Suarez Virtual Book Club (VBC) book will not be available until early January. But this one is a bit of a two-fer.
The second VBC selection is the second book in a series. The first in the series is called Daemon (and the series has its own website). There is background on how Daemon was initially published (four years after the author completed it) here.
Oh, did I mention that the author of Daemon is DANIEL SUAREZ, the namesake of the VBC? I selected this name of the VBC because: (1) virtual reality is one of the themes in Daemon and this is a "virtual book club;" (2) I read Daemon shortly before starting this blog, and (3) I'm sure that nothing to date has been named after Mr. Suarez.
Daemon is currently available in hardback (for purchase as new or used (here's one place you can buy used) or loan from your local library--purchases of used books or books borrowed come with apologies to Mr. Suarez and his publisher) and Kindle (for you Kindle snobs out there) and will be available in paperback after Christmas.
The second book in the series, Freedom, will be released on January 7. 2010. In order to give everybody time to read both, I will not post a blog about Freedom until after January 31, 2010.
I give Daemon an A-. The story and the characters are original, and the the novel is very suspenseful.
I said on an earlier blog that I couldn't give a science fiction novel anything above the B range because science fiction doesn't appeal to all readers. I actually took (welcome) criticism from one (the only?) blog reader for this. After much thought, I am revising that view. I do think that certain science fiction (and I put Anathem in this category) will not appeal to all readers and, as a result, given this blog's recommendation system, cannot receive a recommendation in the "A" range. I know readers who would be so turned off by the premise in Anathem that they would not even give it a try. And since an "A" rating is for books "Strongly recommend; if you are a reader, you should enjoy," well, a large class of "readers" won't. Just like large classes of readers do not like non-fiction, romance novels, horror novels or historical fiction.
Daemon, though, while science fiction, is more of a techno-thriller. The novel is Michael Crichton-esque in many ways. I know many non-sci fi fans who enjoyed Crichton's "Disclosure," for example. Therefore, I feel comfortable saying that most readers would find Daemon a good read and fun ride.
Live long, read and prosper.
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