Freedom by Daniel Suarez - B

George: Mr. Pensky. I was just working on your file. I was transferring the contents of the file into this flexible accordion-style folder.

Pensky: Where's Tuttle?

George: He's on vacation.

Pensky: He was on vacation the last time I dropped by. Give me my file. (looks through the file) Looks like you put a lot of work into this.

George: Well you know in college they used to call me the little bulldog.


I feel like I've been working on the Pensky file--rearranging this novel in a cute, accordion-style file for weeks on end.  For a variety of reasons, none of which having to do with the quality of the material, it took me an inordinate amount of time to complete our second Daniel Suarez Virtual Book Club (VBC) selection, Freedom by Daniel Suarez. 

Freedom, like its predecessor, Daemon, is a techno-thriller.  Daemon and Freedom are books that Tom Clancy or Michael Crichton (may he rest in peace) might write if they were computer gamers.  The novel details the effects of a "cyberwar" unleashed against humanity by an evil genius upon his death.  News of his death actually triggered (in Daemon) the cyberwar.

The action in Freedom picks up a short time after the the end of Daemon.  A big criticism that I've heard about Daemon is that the story was open-ended--there was no conclusion.  Those who stick around to read Freedom will not have the same reaction.  Freedom does conclude though the door remains open for a third book in the series.

[Spoiler alert if you haven't read Daemon.  Stop reading now.  You have been warned.]

Suarez turns the "good vs. evil" argument on its head in Freedom.  Is the Daemon good or evil?  Was the "evil genius" Matthew Sobol really evil?  How does the society created by the Daemon "compare" with society without the Daemon?  What are the true motives of those trying to "defeat" the Daemon.  These questions and more are addressed in Freedom.

I'm not going to tell you that either novel is among the best I've ever read.  I do enjoy a good techno-thriller where most/all of the technology is here or within reach.  In other words, if you're reading a book about cloning Albert Einstein using a hair preserved in a hermetically-sealed container since his death, I really don't want to hear about it.  [I don't want to spoil this one for somebody who might actually read the book, I did read a novel where Hitler's head was preserved by cryogenics.  This was the payoff of the novel.  Seriously.]  Suarez cites resources for the technology behind the story (and has an abundance of information on his website.

Do not read Freedom if you have not read Daemon.  One major issue I had with Freedom is that Freedom did not include a sufficient review of the characters and action from Daemon.  Unless you read the novels one after the other (and I read Daemon after seeing a review of the novel after it was first released in early 2009).  Skilled authors can weave the back story into the narrative.  Suarez is by no means a "great author."  He tells a good and interesting story but make no mistake--it's all about the story and the technology.  The character development is ok.  The story does hang together.  He doesn't jump the shark.

Another criticism I've heard is a reader who said (after reading Daemon) that he wishes that he knew more about computer gaming because some of the technology images were lost on him.  They were lost on me, too.  I got the gist, and you will as well.  I wouldn't let that prevent you from enjoying these novels, but you might "get" more if you are proficient in interactive computer gaming.

In short, this novel is a solid B.  If you like Michael Crichton (may he rest in peace) or Tom Clancy or one of any number of other authors who tell their stories through technology (computer or biological) you will most likely enjoy these novels.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the light on for you.