by Paul Jerimy | Mar 5, 2021 | Book Reviews
Synopsis
The Gam3 is a 3 book series by the young author Cosimo Yap. The series follows the literary RPG style which blends the conventions of role-playing video games with a science fiction novel. In this style, the main protagonist is interacting with an RPG game and we’re along for the ride.
My Reaction
The reason this series popped up in my recommended cyber security reading is that the main protagonist takes “Hacker” as his playable class in the game. While this “hacking” is more like the video game version than the real life version, it progressively drives more and more of the plot as the series goes on. The hacking is more on the level of “I would like to activate my hack skill on this door”, but sometimes does go into a little more detail.
The story itself is very entertaining where an alien race uses a virtual reality video game environment to ensure galactic peace in the real world. Wars are waged in the game instead of in real life, protecting people but allowing different cultures to work out their conflicts in a meaningful way.
The main protagonist is a human who is new to the game. We follow him through his tutorials and watch him develop into a meaningful player in the game. Through the first book his hacking skills are not really addressed, but he starts to develop them as he goes.
Recommendation
I recommend this novel if you enjoy RPG video games, have an interest in cyber security, and want to have a story that is constrained by video game like rules. You will see a character develop with stat increases and everything. If you do not like RPGs or video games in general, this is not the genre for you. There is nothing to be learned from this book about real life hacking, but is a fun distraction.
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by Paul Jerimy | Jan 1, 2021 | Book Reviews
The second book in the series (Invasive) does not follow the same cast of characters and drops most of the hacking premise. Because of that and the unrealistic way this story was handled, I will not continue in this series.
Recommendation
Overall I would not recommend this book for any type of development reason. I also do not recommend it as a good cyber security story. That said, it is a decent sci-fi thriller with lots of action which was easy to read. So if you’re looking for a thriller to get your mind off of reality this may be a good one to pick up.
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[dsm_block_reveal_text block_reveal_text=”Recommended Reading for:” block_reveal_delay=”0.5″ _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default”][/dsm_block_reveal_text][dsm_star_rating rating=”3″ title=”IT Curious Readers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”All IT Professionals” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Help Desk Technicians” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”System Administrators” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Network Administrators” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Software Developers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Security Analysts” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Security Engineers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Penetration Testers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CISOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CIOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CTOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CEOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating]
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That said, this story does show more diversity in the types of hackers and does capture some common personality tropes of those hackers. The premise of the main arc is grounded in reality but the author just takes it to crazy town.
The second book in the series (Invasive) does not follow the same cast of characters and drops most of the hacking premise. Because of that and the unrealistic way this story was handled, I will not continue in this series.
Recommendation
Overall I would not recommend this book for any type of development reason. I also do not recommend it as a good cyber security story. That said, it is a decent sci-fi thriller with lots of action which was easy to read. So if you’re looking for a thriller to get your mind off of reality this may be a good one to pick up.
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[dsm_block_reveal_text block_reveal_text=”Recommended Reading for:” block_reveal_delay=”0.5″ _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default”][/dsm_block_reveal_text][dsm_star_rating rating=”3″ title=”IT Curious Readers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”All IT Professionals” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Help Desk Technicians” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”System Administrators” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Network Administrators” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Software Developers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Security Analysts” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Security Engineers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Penetration Testers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CISOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CIOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CTOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CEOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating]
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My Reaction
The beginning of the story is exactly what I’ve been asking for with real hackers doing real hacking things. For that, I really wanted to like the story but in the end I’m not satisfied with this book. The characters are not likeable or interesting. The story is very loose with realistic actions and hand waves a lot of science. There’s action for the sake of action and the personal development of characters is forced. This is not a story about hackers, it is a sci-fi that happened to have some hackers in it.
That said, this story does show more diversity in the types of hackers and does capture some common personality tropes of those hackers. The premise of the main arc is grounded in reality but the author just takes it to crazy town.
The second book in the series (Invasive) does not follow the same cast of characters and drops most of the hacking premise. Because of that and the unrealistic way this story was handled, I will not continue in this series.
Recommendation
Overall I would not recommend this book for any type of development reason. I also do not recommend it as a good cyber security story. That said, it is a decent sci-fi thriller with lots of action which was easy to read. So if you’re looking for a thriller to get your mind off of reality this may be a good one to pick up.
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[dsm_block_reveal_text block_reveal_text=”Recommended Reading for:” block_reveal_delay=”0.5″ _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default”][/dsm_block_reveal_text][dsm_star_rating rating=”3″ title=”IT Curious Readers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”All IT Professionals” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Help Desk Technicians” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”System Administrators” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Network Administrators” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Software Developers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Security Analysts” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Security Engineers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Penetration Testers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CISOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CIOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CTOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CEOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating]
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From there the story becomes less believable, with the actions taken in the dark site losing its technical reality and becoming more of a “hacking is magic” story where characters can just make things happen. Midway through the story, all the hacking just stops and it becomes a quasi apocalyptic thriller involving out of control AI.
My Reaction
The beginning of the story is exactly what I’ve been asking for with real hackers doing real hacking things. For that, I really wanted to like the story but in the end I’m not satisfied with this book. The characters are not likeable or interesting. The story is very loose with realistic actions and hand waves a lot of science. There’s action for the sake of action and the personal development of characters is forced. This is not a story about hackers, it is a sci-fi that happened to have some hackers in it.
That said, this story does show more diversity in the types of hackers and does capture some common personality tropes of those hackers. The premise of the main arc is grounded in reality but the author just takes it to crazy town.
The second book in the series (Invasive) does not follow the same cast of characters and drops most of the hacking premise. Because of that and the unrealistic way this story was handled, I will not continue in this series.
Recommendation
Overall I would not recommend this book for any type of development reason. I also do not recommend it as a good cyber security story. That said, it is a decent sci-fi thriller with lots of action which was easy to read. So if you’re looking for a thriller to get your mind off of reality this may be a good one to pick up.
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[dsm_block_reveal_text block_reveal_text=”Recommended Reading for:” block_reveal_delay=”0.5″ _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default”][/dsm_block_reveal_text][dsm_star_rating rating=”3″ title=”IT Curious Readers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”All IT Professionals” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Help Desk Technicians” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”System Administrators” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Network Administrators” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Software Developers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Security Analysts” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Security Engineers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”Penetration Testers” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CISOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CIOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CTOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dsm_star_rating][dsm_star_rating rating=”2″ title=”CEOs” stars_size=”22px” stars_gap=”-2px” stars_color=”#CC7700″ show_number=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#D6D6D6″ rating_number_text_color=”#CC7700″ rating_number_font_size=”13px”][/dsm_star_rating]
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Synopsis
Zeroes is a technothriller set in mid 2010’s that follows fiver hackers with different backgrounds. Two are more traditional skilled hackers while the other three have specialized niches: social engineering, scamming, and an old-school BBS admin. The story starts out relatively believable by following each of five hackers through their most recent crimes up to them getting caught by a 3 letter agency. They are then sent into a dark site to become gray hats for the government and for a team they call the “Zeroes”.
From there the story becomes less believable, with the actions taken in the dark site losing its technical reality and becoming more of a “hacking is magic” story where characters can just make things happen. Midway through the story, all the hacking just stops and it becomes a quasi apocalyptic thriller involving out of control AI.
My Reaction
The beginning of the story is exactly what I’ve been asking for with real hackers doing real hacking things. For that, I really wanted to like the story but in the end I’m not satisfied with this book. The characters are not likeable or interesting. The story is very loose with realistic actions and hand waves a lot of science. There’s action for the sake of action and the personal development of characters is forced. This is not a story about hackers, it is a sci-fi that happened to have some hackers in it.
That said, this story does show more diversity in the types of hackers and does capture some common personality tropes of those hackers. The premise of the main arc is grounded in reality but the author just takes it to crazy town.
The second book in the series (Invasive) does not follow the same cast of characters and drops most of the hacking premise. Because of that and the unrealistic way this story was handled, I will not continue in this series.
Recommendation
Overall I would not recommend this book for any type of development reason. I also do not recommend it as a good cyber security story. That said, it is a decent sci-fi thriller with lots of action which was easy to read. So if you’re looking for a thriller to get your mind off of reality this may be a good one to pick up.
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by Paul Jerimy | Nov 7, 2020 | Book Reviews
Synopsis
Kevin Mitnik’s follow up to The Art of Deception is a closer look at some famous and not so famous hacks of the 90’s. It focuses much more on the logistical and technical side of early hacking. It is again styled as anecdotes from both the author and people he knows.
My Reaction
These two books from Kevin Mitnik are widely considered as required reading for cyber security professionals. While there are now many other books that could fill in the knowledge these books impart, there’s no replacing the real inside view from early days of hacking. Some of the chapters are more entertaining than others, but there is a valuable lesson in each one that technical professionals and leaders both need to pay attention to.
Almost all the anecdotes lead to one key idea: defense in depth. Many of the stories told of how hackers found their way into a system and were able to pivot for weeks, months, and even YEARS after making a foothold. The common problem was reliance on a single protection mixed with a “set it and forget it” style of security.
Recommendation
This book is required reading for the security focused, and a great value for all IT professionals. Even if you have nothing to do with IT, this book is a great way to see into how the hacking world use to operate.
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by Paul Jerimy | Sep 4, 2020 | Book Reviews
Synopsis
Countdown to Zero Day, by Kim Zetter, is an in depth accounting of how the Stuxnet malware package was developed, discovered, and what impact it had on the world. Kim Zetter gives a behind the scenes peak from the perspective of malware researchers from Symantec, as well as insight on the politics behind the attack. This accounting strikes an impressive balance between technical and narrative details that makes Countdown to Zero Day an amazing read for cyber security professionals.
My Reaction
Kim Zetter refrains from toning down many of the technical details behind the attack, as many other novelists do. Its a breath of fresh air to see actual filenames, algorithms, and specific mechanisms discussed as part of a larger narrative. That said, she still provides plenty of narrative to help the uninitiated glean valuable lessons from the tale of the first nation state cyber war attack. While sometimes the political insights tend to drag on, the overall story is succinct enough that I finished the whole novel in just two sittings.
Recommendation
I highly recommend any cyber security professional to pick up this book. Besides learning a lot about this specific attack, the novel exposes some aspects of bug bounty hunting, malware reverse engineering, and operational technology security. Many may thing OT/ICS security doesn’t affect them but with IoT, self driving vehicles, and automated factories – you may be faced with tough security questions faster than you think.
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by Paul Jerimy | Aug 7, 2020 | Book Reviews
Synopsis
The follow up to Invasion of Privacy, Taking up Serpents is another techno-thriller in Ian Sutherland’s Brody Taylor series. It continues the story of Brody, a white hat hacker this time following up on things that happen in the previous novel. Brody is on the hunt to stop a hacking organization that has threatened his life after his past escapades, and stumbles onto clues from a recently deceased friend. Again, Brody is off to solve a mystery while his girlfriend solves more physical crimes that ends up colliding with Brody.
My Reaction
This novel has a lot of the same great beats as the previous novel: realistic use of technology, insight into the life of professional hackers, and absurd drama to drive the story forward. The romance picks up a bit in this novel which is not exactly what I was hoping for. However, the novel balances that out by touching on more diverse topics such as computer forensics and malicious programming.
Recommendation
If you’re looking for a break from the real world stories that haunt our cyber lives, this is a great reprieve. Even if you are not a techy, there is not a lot that would be considered technobabble, but enough to make the well initiated happy.
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