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on April 26, 2017
Well, I have inhaled every Suarez novel since I first discovered Daemon. So when I saw this new one, I popped it onto my Kindle and over the weekend stayed up too late reading, sneaking 5 minutes here and there, and finally finished around midnight Sunday. Whew! Each Suarez novel to date shows increasing attention to character development, and this continues the trend. Minor characters are even well developed. There's an easy-to-live-with quirk of his style where the novel's voice is sometimes close to the main character, sometimes more distant. CLEARLY based on how I tore through this it didn't interfere with my enjoyment!! There's rather more exposition at the top of the novel than I'm used to, and I found it very off-putting (stylistically, tone, and more political judgment than I prefer); it soured the first part of the novel. IMHO the setup could have been done more adroitly and less "2x4 to the head". That said, clearly I got over it!
My engagement with Suarez novels is very similar to how I've felt reading Michael Crichton - so if you're a fan of MC I recommend giving these a look-see.
I can't in good conscience deduct stars for this whack-o new amazon review BS - I have to describe the plot before I can do a review? Wisconsin Tourism Foundation?!? I want to share my thoughts in my own words, I don't want to have to pick your dumb category first. PLEASE change that to be optional or you're going to have far fewer reviews. First time I've been unhappy with amazon :(
My engagement with Suarez novels is very similar to how I've felt reading Michael Crichton - so if you're a fan of MC I recommend giving these a look-see.
I can't in good conscience deduct stars for this whack-o new amazon review BS - I have to describe the plot before I can do a review? Wisconsin Tourism Foundation?!? I want to share my thoughts in my own words, I don't want to have to pick your dumb category first. PLEASE change that to be optional or you're going to have far fewer reviews. First time I've been unhappy with amazon :(
on May 5, 2017
The good: Suarez continues to excel in taking today's technology and extrapolating where it might lead. He doesn't skip over the downsides to technology while also recognizing the very beneficial upsides.
The not-so-good: (***SPOILERS***) the writing isn't Suarez's best work. A lot of the dialog sounds like it came from a direct-to-video action potboiler. If Kenneth Durand is supposed to be smart and resourceful, yet continuously makes decisions that really don't seem that smart. And the UNIPOL agents seem to ready to jump to easy conclusions even when they have clear reasons to have doubts. Plus stupid overwrought nonsense - at the end Durand could clearly see his body had changed - why all the fuss about looking in a mirror. You'd think that would be the first thing he'd ask for. Lastly, while the book explores where CRISPR technology might go, some of the things (like someone with achondroplasia being restored to full height) are more on the order of fantasy; it ignores the fact that a lot is established during morphogenesis that can't be simply redone. But it makes for a good plot device.
The not-so-good: (***SPOILERS***) the writing isn't Suarez's best work. A lot of the dialog sounds like it came from a direct-to-video action potboiler. If Kenneth Durand is supposed to be smart and resourceful, yet continuously makes decisions that really don't seem that smart. And the UNIPOL agents seem to ready to jump to easy conclusions even when they have clear reasons to have doubts. Plus stupid overwrought nonsense - at the end Durand could clearly see his body had changed - why all the fuss about looking in a mirror. You'd think that would be the first thing he'd ask for. Lastly, while the book explores where CRISPR technology might go, some of the things (like someone with achondroplasia being restored to full height) are more on the order of fantasy; it ignores the fact that a lot is established during morphogenesis that can't be simply redone. But it makes for a good plot device.
on May 1, 2017
I love the concept of near-future scifi, which is the exact writing style of Mr Suarez.
It is clearly a well-researched book, with interesting geolocations, cultural influences, and most of all a great story.
This will make a great movie, that's for sure. I was hooked on it from start to finish.
On my 'Suarez' list (though Daemon/Freedom is still the Gold Standard) this book came in a strong second.
Definitely the best Scifi I read during the last 12-18 months.
Interesting epigenetics/genomics questions have been coming to my mind, which I was not thinking before - simply because they are not at all obvious.
I loved the fact that the author gave great examples about both the opportunities and the risks/downsides of such future gene editing capabilities.
A bit of a "Face Off" feeling (see the movie of John Woo), but overall a true 2017 scifi, with up to the minute technology and more. A must read for Suarez's fans and highly recommended for everyone else :)
It is clearly a well-researched book, with interesting geolocations, cultural influences, and most of all a great story.
This will make a great movie, that's for sure. I was hooked on it from start to finish.
On my 'Suarez' list (though Daemon/Freedom is still the Gold Standard) this book came in a strong second.
Definitely the best Scifi I read during the last 12-18 months.
Interesting epigenetics/genomics questions have been coming to my mind, which I was not thinking before - simply because they are not at all obvious.
I loved the fact that the author gave great examples about both the opportunities and the risks/downsides of such future gene editing capabilities.
A bit of a "Face Off" feeling (see the movie of John Woo), but overall a true 2017 scifi, with up to the minute technology and more. A must read for Suarez's fans and highly recommended for everyone else :)
on May 6, 2017
I have in the past loved Suarez's novels. A great mix of suspense and well-researched exploration of possible future implications of developing technology. Some of his stuff was really prescient, for instance the discussions about drones, machines making kill decisions and "hive learning" in Kill Decision.
Change Agent is definitely a cut below these. First, it has way too much exposition in the beginning whose primary motivation isn't to develop the story, but rather to let us know Mr. Suarez's political views. My bigger complaint is that the story itself has little character development and really not a whole lot of a plot. To avoid any spoilers, let's just say that the hero is genetically changed early in the story. He spends the rest of the book trying to undo the changes. He goes on a techno-quest from one country to the next, encountering interesting bits of future technology and indifferently rendered characters along the way.
The book isn't only about the sort of genetic engineering that our hero encounters, but also it explores a range of legal and physical issues related to human and non-human cloning and genetic enhancement. Most of this fit well into the overall story. The book is well worth a read from this perspective.
To me, the strength of the book is its exploration of future technology. 5 stars as techno-fiction; 3 stars for plot; 3 stars for writing style; and 2 stars for character development. If you want Suarez at his best, I'd read his early works first.
Change Agent is definitely a cut below these. First, it has way too much exposition in the beginning whose primary motivation isn't to develop the story, but rather to let us know Mr. Suarez's political views. My bigger complaint is that the story itself has little character development and really not a whole lot of a plot. To avoid any spoilers, let's just say that the hero is genetically changed early in the story. He spends the rest of the book trying to undo the changes. He goes on a techno-quest from one country to the next, encountering interesting bits of future technology and indifferently rendered characters along the way.
The book isn't only about the sort of genetic engineering that our hero encounters, but also it explores a range of legal and physical issues related to human and non-human cloning and genetic enhancement. Most of this fit well into the overall story. The book is well worth a read from this perspective.
To me, the strength of the book is its exploration of future technology. 5 stars as techno-fiction; 3 stars for plot; 3 stars for writing style; and 2 stars for character development. If you want Suarez at his best, I'd read his early works first.
on May 8, 2017
Another techno-thriller from enthralling-story teller Daniel Suarez. In this tale the author moves into bio-tech with a story based on the rapidly emerging CRISPR gene editing system. Set in the near future, this tale demands that we ask "What will happen when the editing of the most basic building blocks of life (DNA & RNA) becomes widely available and commercially viable?" Where are the lines between the "good guys" and the "bad guys" blurring? We are rapidly entering a completely different world which will nearly deify knowledgeable individuals with even a modicum of power. What might emerge in a world where average humans begin to leverage god-like powers over life itself?
Suarez is rapidly establishing himself as a first class futurist calling attention to important questions. This story is much like Suarez' other books: fast paced in modern movie like fashion. These stories read like a movie franchise waiting to happen. I hope someone will pick up Daemon, Suarez' first and most enthusiastic and original book, and turn it into a movie with the rest of his books as scripts for sequels. I give four stars only because I personally would like to see more wresting with the moral, ethical, and social issues raised. It is another 5 star thriller from a great story teller. See my review of his excellent and original debute novel Daemon. (https://www.amazon.com/review/RB1VCV8P322JY/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=09786271050
Suarez is rapidly establishing himself as a first class futurist calling attention to important questions. This story is much like Suarez' other books: fast paced in modern movie like fashion. These stories read like a movie franchise waiting to happen. I hope someone will pick up Daemon, Suarez' first and most enthusiastic and original book, and turn it into a movie with the rest of his books as scripts for sequels. I give four stars only because I personally would like to see more wresting with the moral, ethical, and social issues raised. It is another 5 star thriller from a great story teller. See my review of his excellent and original debute novel Daemon. (https://www.amazon.com/review/RB1VCV8P322JY/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=09786271050
on April 23, 2017
If you like the thoughtful, well-developed technology futurism of Rajaniemi's The Quantum Thief or even Neil Stephenson's earlier works like Snow Crash and Diamond Age, you'll enjoy Change Agent. The story centres around the gene editing technology CRISPR and projects what editing the "germ line" will mean for our near-future society. The story itself is great but what I enjoyed the most was the smart thinking about where this technology may be leading us and how the world will transition to the next big technology shift that may already be underway.
on May 29, 2017
Once again Mr. Suarez takes the reader from the wonders and promise of technology to the abject fear of the same technology and back again. Change Agent forces the reader to determine for themselves the path they will take when a technology of hope is introduced. Will the path be one of ignorance and acceptance or questioning and informed acceptance or rejection? This book highlights the danger of an ignorant and accepting populace.
on May 14, 2017
I always look forward to Daniel Suarez's next novel after falling in love with Daemon and Freedom™. Change Agent demonstrates his growth as a writer quite nicely by once again taking a story based on realistic tech and expanding it into the realm of what could be. If you're down for a futuristic technothriller then you will not be disappointed reading this book.
Great page turn in the near-future overrun with Gene editing via CRISPR and the impacts on the world
on May 6, 2017
Great book by a great author. He thinks about the impacts on society that are side-effects of technological innovations, for good and not-so-good effect. Well written and a thoughtful enjoyable read that connects you with it's lead characters and has you rooting for them through the last page.
Really enjoyed it.
Really enjoyed it.
