Topic: Digital Fortress

[Perspective]

Yes, that other Dan Brown book. I just finished this book, it was mediocre. If you know anything about computer science or math it can be a little frustrating or sometimes humorous the way he explains things and gets them totally wrong. The book lacked any real consequence through the first half (who cares if the NSA can't snoop emails anymore, boohoo) and it lacked the excitement that Angels and Demons had (I really enjoyed A&D btw).

Towards the end of the book the action picked up a little bit and I was more interested to find out what would happen, but then the final "clue" or "puzzle" to save the day came up. I read the line once and knew what it meant, it was just so obvious to any mathematical thinker. ..  . It took them 6 chapters to solve it .. . .. needless to say, that kind of dragged on a bit.

6/10 - not bad, but not great. Dan Brown doesn't know anything about computers, hopefully he sticks to the religious conspericy theorys in the future.

[Stephen]

It seemed like some parts he just threw in there for no reason. Like, he wanted to have a sex scene, so he threw in a prostitute, which was really irrelevant, and he wanted a few f-words in there, so he threw in a random punker, whose personality really had no impact on the overall story. That annoyed me -- I don't mind swearing and the like in literature if it's for some purpose, be it artistic or to help set a tone (like, I just read Catcher in the Rye, and his constant use of "goddamn" helped a lot with the angsty feel), but I think it's ridiculous when an author puts it in just to put it in.

I kind of enjoyed Digital Fortress, but, like you said...

[micah]

yeah I agree with you. I think I said this in the other Dan Brown thread, I generally don't read much fiction but I enjoy a good techno thriller every now and again.  This book fits the category but like you both have said, it just seems a bit contrived in places. And also a little dated with its "1998 the future is here" feel - like no one knows what the NSA is and 40 bit encryption is top of the line?

But anyway, its a good read if you can stomach the wild-goose-chase sub plot in Spain (which, in the end, was irrelevant to the plot) and the bizarre triangle of unrequited love.

I'd also give it a 6/10.  good book, good read - but doesn't hold up to my standard index (which is anything written by Michael Crichton)