Conquering the World With an MMO

In "Daemon", the new book by Daniel Suarez, a billionaire geek plans to take over the world after his death. And this time, it's actually plausible.

Ever since Hollywood cottoned onto the idea that computers were a "big thing," we have been inundated with truly nerve-grating visions of computers. From the "nearly" (TRON) to the "totally ludicrous" (Independence Day, Hackers, The 'Net), Hollywood seems incapable of treating computers or videogames with any kind of realism.

Perhaps that's what inspired Daniel Suarez to write a book that gamers could appreciate as being at least somewhat in the neighborhood of reality. The billionaire protagonist in "Daemon" plants a dormant virus hidden in his MMO that, at the point of his death, would go into action, bringing forth...well, you'll have to read it to find out.

As a writer though, he was lacking funds, publishers and an agent, but he did have a 'net connection. Every publisher thought it wasn't worth it, but he persisted, spreading the book across the web. The bloggers, techs and geeks lapped it up; but then it started getting rave reviews from outside as well, including one from, of all places, The White House.

Billy O'Brien, Director of Cybersecurity and Communications Policy at the White House called the book the "Greatest. Techno-thriller. Period." He went on to comment that "Experts have long feared the Internet doomsday scenario. Daemon is arguably more terrifying."

Here's hoping the folks at Blizzard don't read it and get any big ideas.

Source: USA Today

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Wow... I've never heard of Billy O'Brien before (and I suspect the government wants it that way) but he better watch himself. I know there's only two weeks left, but I wouldn't put it past Bush to can him for being too nerdy.

Going to have to get myself a copy. ;)

May well have to look into this, and god Hackers was AWEFULL, like climb out of your seat and scream WHAT at the TV awefull.

Looks Interesting.
:]

I feel the need to impale myself on any sharp object within armsreach if I'm ever watching a movie that suddenly introduces a hacker element.

I think it was an episode of NCIS that had a guy and a girl using the same keyboard to quickly hack into Hotmail that made me swear off television altogether. Well, would have, if the repeated impact between my skull and the coffee table didn't render me unable to operate a television.

Hmm...I may have to read this.

That does sound like good read.

Looks good. Amazon's got a copy written by Leinad Zeraus (which of course is Daniel Suarez backwards) might pick it up sometime.

it looks more than worth than picking u i'll have to try and find out where its available here in the UK.

There is no Daniel Suarez, sir. Please move along...

*shifty shifty*

Apparantly it's so popular it's getting the movie treatment too. Link