After reading two good books by Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons), I thought I would give it another try.
This time, I got hold of Digital Fortress, written before the other two books, and it shows. The plot is still the same: someone gets murdered at the beginning of the book, and some professor (not Robert Langdon this time) with a lovely girl (cryptologist & fiancée Susan Fletcher in this book) set out to solve a complicated riddle throughout the book at the eleventh hour just before the carriage turns into a pumpkin.
I found this book to me of much thiner writing skills as the other two: the plot is almost too simple, the characters are hardly decribed (e.g.: no Mickey Mouse wrist watch here), the settings are hardly described either (something Dan Brown does very well in his other two books), and there are almost no teasers to other parts of the chase, nor intertwining stories. Part of the action happens in Sevilla, but it could have been in SmallTown, USA, as there is no reason whatsoever to be there.
Also, no esoterical symbology, no mystical brotherhood, no art description. It seems this was Dan Brown's first attempt at writing a book. I'll try deception point in some future, but it might turn out to be just that: a deception point...
Nevertheless, the book has some interesting background into the NSA (the dreaded National Security Agency) and into cryptology. If you are fond of mathematical games, I can only recommend the excellent Pulitzer-prize winning essay by Doug Hofstadter: Gödel, Escher, Bach. A fantastic read into the intrinsical subtleties of mathematics in music and graphical art. Also, if you are keenly interested in learning about computers, how they were built, check Hackers by Steven Levy. The first 2 parts dwell into the origins of the mythical MIT, and the Silicon Valley. You will recognize the names of the heroes: Mitch Kapor, Gates, Jobs, and many others, including the origins of the BBS The Well, the Grateful Dead, and the EFF (mentionned in the Fortress). If you are interested in a fictional thriller chasing a computer hacker, then The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll is the book for you. Should be on your shelf next to Barbarians at the Gate ! Fascinating.
Finally, for a real account on how Kevin Mitnick, the notorious hacker was caught, check both sides of the story; his account written with Jonathan Littman: The Fugitive Game and his chaser's own account written with NYTimes' John Markoff: Takedown differ somehow. A number of web sites still fight each sides theories. Nevertheless, the man has been hurt by the US Justice system for well too long. Enjoy the read to know why.
