Customer Reviews

Infoquake (Jump 225 Trilogy)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

"Hack the body and the mind will follow."


Infoquake, the debut novel by David Louis Edelman, is the first volume of the Jump 225 trilogy. Its a financial thriller in a cyberpunk setting. Infoquake takes place several hundred years in the future, mankind has emerged from the decimation of the autonomous revolution thanks to the work of Sheldon Surina. Surina is the father of bio/logics, digital programs that work through nanobots, or OCHRES, which are spread throughout the bodies of most humans. Competition to create and sell new bio/logic programs is fierce, and Natch is one of , if not the best in the business.

The story starts out with Natch unveiling a Machiavellian plot to ascend to the top spot on Primo's list, the Fortune 500 of the bio/logic biz. This stunt works and even earns him the notice of Margaret Surina, the descendant of Sheldon. She presents Natch with the opportunity of a lifetime. She wants him to finish and sell MultiReal a bio/logic program capable of creating a near infinite number of alternate realities. The catch is that not only does every other Fiefcorp want to get their hands on this program, so does the shadowy High Executive of the Defense and Wellness Council, Len Borda.

The book is fast paced from the start, although the action is much more cerebral than physical. Plots and intrigues abound. Edelman creates a very interesting character in Natch. He has few redeeming qualities but the reader is drawn to him none the less. The supporting cast is very strong as well. I particularly enjoyed Jara, one of Natches apprentices. Edelman creates a rich narrative of a future earth. The back of the book is chock full of appendixes, which includes, a glossary, a time line, and in depth explanations of some of the most prevalent technologies. He is clearly a master at fleshing out his concepts. The story drew me in from the start, and I'm eagerly anticipation the forthcoming volumes.

8.5 out of 10

Nowadays, many science fiction and fantasy novels are simply retelling previous ideas through new sets of eyes. Some do this well, others not so much. Therefore, it is always welcome when a sci-fi author jumps into the speculative fiction genre with a new approach, a new idea or a new sub-genre even.

In his award-winning debut novel Infoquake, David Louis Edelman attacks the sci-fi genre and infuses it with his stunning vision of humanity's future. Sure there are splashes of other sci-fi subgenres in this book, a bit of cyberpunk here, some hard sci-fi there. But honestly, this book truly follows its own path as I delved deeper into the world of "Infoquake."

Set in a not-so-near future, the world as we know it has gone through a tremendous upheaval, only to rebuild itself into a cutting edge wonder of technological advancement and global interconnectivity. Earth's population has increased by a factor of 10, to the point that humanity has orbital colonies in space as well as settlements on the moon and the Solar System's asteroid belt. Software and nanotech corporations (or 'fiefcorps' as they are called) are the main driver of the world's economy, their owners the equivalent of celebrities in the public eye.

The industry that gets the most focus is bio/logics, which allows humanity to interact with nanotechnology to better their quality and length of life. The only thing is, at this point in time, humans are utterly dependent on bio/logics and it is actually considered taboo not to have any bio/logics hardware or software in your body.

Our protagonist is an immoral, workaholic fiefcorp owner named Natch, who has no life outside of his career. Despite the small size of his company, and his horrendous treatment of his underlings, Natch's bio/logics company is on its way up to the top of the Primo charts (the equivalent of a movie box office or Billboard Hot 100 chart for music). And when he does achieve his dream, albeit through despicable and underhanded means, this attracts the attention of not only his countless enemies, but also the heir to the technological revolution that brought humanity back from the brink. The heir in question, Margaret Surina, comes from a long line of technological innovators that have shaped the direction of humanity.

Now, she claims that her mysterious new technology, MultiReal, will do the exact same thing. So she enlists the help of Natch and his fiefcorp to belt out the technology into a usable product in less than two weeks. And he has to do this before his many enemies, including the head of the world government, get their hands on MultiReal.

Let me just say that this is a wonderfully written book. It kept me engrossed and riveted, with well-written dialogue and engaging characters. In addition, as an avid fan of world building, I loved the world that Edelman created. This book carved a brand new universe using alternate history, detailed imagination and Edelman's computer programming background. Whenever he described a character's usage of a bio/logic's program to hide their shock or enhance their body's functioning in any way, it was always fascinating.

What also added to the back story of "Infoquake" were the wonderful timeline and glossary that Edelman added, so one could never get lost or confused.

The issues I had with the book were minor, and kept me from giving this gem a perfect rating. For one, there was next to no redeeming qualities or true depth to our protagonist. I liked the fact that Natch was not a goody-two shoes and that we get a lengthy chunk of chapters that described why he became the way he was, but Natch was still far too unlikable. Plus, he had no life or personality outside of his career. The one thing he did that was not completely job-related was a regular pilgrimage to the Redwoods in the northwest, but this was done to ruminate about more business strategies.

Also an issue was one of Natch's subordinates named Jara. Granted, I loved how Edelman made her this kind of pathetic person who hated Natch as a boss yet would have had no issue if he mounted her and said "Let's get it on." But her opposition to each and every idea that could have provide advancement to the company she worked for could have been lessened as it became tiresome. Lastly, there was this 3D program called See-Na-Ree, which I could have done without.

Other than that, I wholeheartedly recommend "Infoquake" for anybody and everybody. I know I am just one of many who eagerly await Edelman's follow up novel to the fantastic Infoquake.


4.5 out of 5 spaceships

David Louis Edelman has recreated the excitement of the world of business in his science fiction novel, Infoquake the first in the Jump 225 trilogy. Set in a far future, where the old nation states no longer exist and all technology is more related to biology than mechanics, Infoquake tells the tale of Natch, a master programmer and CEO of his own business. Natch is skilled, shrewd, and often unscrupulous. These are traits that serve him well in the laissez-faire world in which his business operates. When he is given a business opportunity he can't pass up he find himself plunged into a political, scientific and economic war with his competitors, the government, and even his own partner.

Edelman has succeeded in making the world of the corporate boardroom into an adventure filled narrative. What John Grisham has done with the legal thriller, Edelman has done with business. Drawing on his experiences in marketing and computer programming, Edelman has created a very thorough world, consistent and detailed. (A small portion of the book is appendices explaining the political and social structures of this trilogy, and more information on the setting of the Jump 225 trilogy can be found at Edelman's website.)

Infoquake is well-written and well-cadenced. The climax is fulfilling and exciting, yet it is only a speech, and a marketing one at that. Edelman has so well woven the elements of his plot together that Natch's simple speech has a much power and excitement to it as another science fiction story's destruction of a spaceship or a fantasy's evil overlord dying hideously at the hands of a hero. That takes skill to write, and Edelman has it in spades. I highly recommend this novel.

It's four-hundred-something years in the future, and human beings have merged with information technology to a point where most bodily conditions are regulated by nanotech computers running bio/logic software. Transporting your body is no longer important, either, as everyone is able to project a virtual image of himself to almost any location on earth and the orbital colonies, creating an experience indistinguishable from being present physically.

In this fascinating world of the future, a driven young man named Natch strives to dominate the bio/logic industry. Natch, with his end-justifies-the-means philosophy and unbridled egotism, is a hard protagonist to like at first, but an even harder protagonist to turn away from by the time you're midway through the story. We learn that his ambition is the product of a tortured childhood, and his vision and genius the stuff that has relentlessly advanced humankind towards perfection throughout the ages.

Besides creating a rich and believable vision of the future, "Infoquake" generates plenty of suspense without relying on violence and unrealistic plot twists. Instead, David Edelman hooks you with the kind of thinking-person's suspense born of high technology, corporate manuevering, and strong character conflicts. And unlike many techies who butcher the English language in penning their sci-fi visions, Edelman writes gorgeous prose. (His chapters describing Natch's awe for redwoods and his black-code trip are two prime examples.)

"Infoquake" is, in short, the best science fiction book I've read in years. If I had to fault one aspect of it, I would have to mention the slightly flat ending, though this is somewhat forgivable in the first of a trilogy. And with the solid groundwork established here, the next two installments will surely continue this talented author on his ascension towards perfection.

If the Matrix hadn't been so laden down with pop psychology and pseudo psycho-babble, this is what we could have had: the kind of intelligent, interesting, futuristic look at the business and technological world that makes the future so alluring. As the start of a trilogy, it only invites you in, making you ask for more, more, more, so we can find out where this is all leading. Reminiscent of the most coherent of Phillip K Dick's novels (Androids), it is the kind of insightful social and technological commentary science fiction writers should strive for.

As a dedicated fan of science fiction and a technology firm worker IRL, I appreciate Edelman's ability to blend his futuristic vision with knowledge of today's high tech business angst to create a very human and personally engaging story. (This is not just for geeks!) His ability to evoke sympathetic and very interesting characters reminds me of my favorite science fiction author, Ursula LeGuin. Her stories are always more about the people and how we as people might progress or regress. Edelman sees through people and expresses this with clarity in this tale of a future not too distant from now. It is almost a Utopia - with the capabilities we all desire - faster transport, faster commerce, faster access to data. Edelman also evokes William Gibson's vision and his ability to create a fantastic and interesting future world. Edelman's own creative talent brings the styles of both Gibson and LeGuin together in a completely believable world, with capabilities and plotlines that enthrall and tantalize. I promise you will enjoy this book and be left wishing for nothing more than the next in the series.

There are 18 positive reviews on 5 pages in the front of this book but they didn't tell me what I needed to know. Had I ever put this book down and started another, I would never have picked it up again. By the end of Part 1, 86 pages in, the world is introduced as are the 3 main characters. I don't really believe that nanotechnology would develop that way and all three characters are dysfunctional. Horvil is vaguely likable, Jara wallows in her victimhood and whines and Natch is noticeably sociopathic.

By the end of Part 2, wherein we follow Natch through his childhood, we realize that Natch was thoroughly victimized. We meet his guardian who is vague but likable. As a result we now realize Natch is also paranoid and glories in his victimhood. Neither Jara nor Natch is even vaguely likeable. At this point, 214 pages into the book, had I lost it somewhere I wouldn't have missed it. For all that, it reads quickly and smoothly. Enough happens to keep the pages turning but I just didn't care. I finished because I started it and rarely quit in the middle.

In Part 3 I began to think something was going to happen and on page 235 something is finally said that makes me think we are getting to the meat of the matter. In a way, that is true; but in a more fundamental way, it is just more cut throat business as usual. Natch's problems are of his own making. There are threats and clutch plays, an Atlas Shrugged kind of speech, a bravura performance; but in the end, only Quell, the Islander, was an interesting character (and we know next to nothing about him or his people) and I still didn't care if Margaret comes down from her spire, what Len Borda really wants, if Natch and company come out on top, nothing. I finished it. And Dr. Plugenpatch is a stupid name.

The really sad part is the tiny glimpses given of something interesting. The Pharisees are just masked terrorists; anonymous, generic bad guys, a plot device to add menace, but they could have been more. "Black code" is the same. The Islanders turn out to be very interesting but there is nothing there to flesh them out. MultiReal is all hype no meat, the tiny glimpse of Jump 225 is tantalizing but could just be there to justify the trilogy name. It's not enough to make me buy more books.

I am new to sci-fi, but love high-tech thrillers -- Infoquake makes a daring leap across the divide. This book was recommended by a friend and I couldn't put it down. Edelman draws you into a futuristic world that is made completely believable by the extraordinary details he weaves into his story. I can't wait for the next book!

The World is different in the future than we imagine it. In Mr. Edelman's future ochres (nanorobots)course through your body, modifying what your body is able to do. Supporting this are the fiefcorps who develop new functionality for the ochres with the body. One of the hottest fiefcorps is Natch Personal Services (we're introduced to Natch (the owner/super coder), Jara (the analyst), and Horvil (another super coder). Later we meet Robby Robby (sales), Benyamin (junior coder), Merri (an Objectivv supporting Natch), and Quell (another super coder). Because of Natch's style and panache for the market, Natch Personal Services is invited to participate in the development of MultiReal with the Surina, assuming the Defense and Wellness Council doesn't intervene in this new technology.
My Likes: Mr. Edelman does an excellent job developing his story. He does this by divind the story into four basic parts; describing Natch Personal Services and setting the stage for the world (Number One on Primo's), telling us about Natch's past (The Shortest Initiation), establishing MultiReal (The Phoenix Project), and building/deploying MultiReal (The Sunina/Natch MultiReal Fiefcorp and Demons in the Aether). All sections are critical but I feel that Mr. Edelman put a little extra into The Phoenix Project, possibly because it's closest to his experiences. In additional, Mr. Edelman does an excellent job looking at the world of product development; in this case Bio/Logics (there's a positive resemblance to software development). The cut-throatness of the development world is captured so nicely. I was repeatedly reminded of our own software world where companies will do anything to beat their competition with early development and positive reviews from sources like PCWorld or ZDNet. There's also some nice Appendices in the back where Mr. Edelman explains the history of his world and his technologies.

My Dislikes: I'll open by saying I have a hard time believing that products impacting humans as directly as Bio/Logics or ochre's would be as unregulated/untested as Mr. Edelman describes. While people may strive toward perfection, I have a hard time believing that the average person would permit things in their body that would alter their body with nominal product testing, not to mention system level testing for possible impacts between products. Yes, Mr. Edelman does describe part of society being very Libertarian, but the level he drives it to makes the consumer look stupid. Another problem I have is Mr. Edelman has a nice Data Sea and nanorobotics but says that the sentient supercomputers are dead due to the Autonomous Revolt. How do people connect to the Data Sea? If Autonomous machines are dead, what are the drivers that enable the connection between many distant locations? Also, the normal delay time of people "remoting" (multi projection) to different locations doesn't seem to be factored in. A speed of light time delay means that a multi projection of a person from London to Shenandoah is approximately .02 seconds, not factoring any delays due to traffic loading or processors. Btw, of the parts in the book the section on the Shortest Initiation is the weakest. While an interesting premise I have a hard time with people taking young adults who've known nanorobots to aid them and placing them in a raw environment without training. The mortality rate would have been terrible with no training, especially given 17-18 year old ways and the factor that Mr. Edelman set them up in a cold weather environment. An interesting idea, but not one I consider viable.

The Rating: Four stars. While Mr. Edelman has written about something most writers won't go into (product development), I was reminded of to many writers that did something similar but better. Stories I was reminded of included Neuromancer (Ace Science Fiction) (Gibson; the concept of SeeNaRee and the Data Sea), Cyteen (Cherryh; politics in technology and new technologies), Old Man's War(Scalzi; nanorobotics technology), and Ender's Game(Card; Natch's personality a ways as compared to Ender Wiggins). In all cases, Infoquake placed 2nd for me. Gibson was more revolutionary, Cherryh's presentation is more solid, Scalzi's technology is more believable, and Card's characters are more likable. All of this said, I did enjoy reading Infoquake and was motivated to turning the pages to see what Natch and Natch Personal Services was up to next. Because of this, a solid 4 stars.

This is Edelman's 1st book and 1st of a (Jump 225) trilogy and is arguably worthy of a Hugo, Nebula, Philip K. Dick, and or John Campbell Award. Note: Edelman was nominated for the John Campbell Award after I first posted this review which mysteriously disappeared.

It takes a lot to establish critical mass for a cyberpunk purist on the heels of Snow Crash (Bantam Spectra Book), and Neuromancer but Edelman does and successfully keeps the reader from eating, bathing, or connecting with the real world until they have reached the last page just as Stephenson and Gibson did.

I am anxiously awaiting MultiReal so I can continue my Edelman diet.