danlemke's review against another edition
4.0
A very interesting techno-spy novel about the important battlefields of the 21st Century. Sterling delivers a healthy dose of sarcasm and critique over the manner in which bureaucracies operate, while at the same time charting a narrative that is entertaining on its own merits.
snowcrash's review
2.0
A fast, dull read. I know the author has done a lot better in the past.
Here, it is data points in search of a plot. Any plot. The author attempts to impress with network concept term dropping, but it doesn't make that much sense.
Here, it starts as something about spy sats. Then network warfare. Then space war. The main character is brilliant, but is moody. A lot. He can't figure out how to work without alienating his family. I didn't care one wit for his whiny problems.
It could have been better if the author stayed with one topic, say network weaknesses, and built a plot around that.
Here, it is data points in search of a plot. Any plot. The author attempts to impress with network concept term dropping, but it doesn't make that much sense.
Here, it starts as something about spy sats. Then network warfare. Then space war. The main character is brilliant, but is moody. A lot. He can't figure out how to work without alienating his family. I didn't care one wit for his whiny problems.
It could have been better if the author stayed with one topic, say network weaknesses, and built a plot around that.
fmedlin's review
1.0
It's not really a compact novel, it's a long, short story that badly needs some editing. I started it, but gave up about page 77. I haven't read anything else by Bruce Sterling, but this was not an interesting read.
will_sargent's review
2.0
One of the worst Sterling books I've read. There is no real point to the book; at some point he had a bunch of material and some interesting characters, but it never coheres into a plot.
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