Digital Fortress

If ever you have wanted to read a book that reads like a good film, that keeps you going towards the end and never allows you to get really bored, then this is certainly one of those books.

When I compare it to the Ludlum books for example, from the Jason Bourne trilogy, which I bought from Amazon and had to sell because I could not get to grips with them, I find that where the Bourne books are long winded in their description of both character and events, this one allows me to see the picture in my head and see the events unfolding at break neck speed.

Like watching a film unfold before your eyes, it is a story about the NSA and its ability to listen in and eavesdrop on all our emails and internet connectivity; itself a sobering thought. Yes there are some technical words that I personally did not understand but that did not stop me from enjoying the read either. I am not a technical computer wizard, get very annoyed when I cannot open an email because the system or ISP refuses to work, and only just understand the concept of firewalls and their usage. But I read this and wanted to know more; about the tech stuff and the characters, most notably David Becker and Susan Fletcher.

Basically, it is a story about a programmer called Ensei Tankado who creates an algorithm that is assumed will destroy the mainframe system at the NSA because he does not agree with the NSA being able to snoop on electronic data the world over. He creates what some think as a virus [and most of us know about them] that requires a pass key [numerically] to stop the damage being done. If he gets what he wants, he gives the pass key.

But the story starts with his death; a strange way of starting a book but you know, there is symmetry about this story and an incredible sense of poetic irony and justice at the end. But like the other book by Dan Brown that I have read [Da Vinci Code] I am left wondering whether it is me or whether the writing needed to be slightly more robust. The codes required, as well as the search for the gold ring and its pass key and the ensuing drama at the end of the story all seems a little contrived. I was working out the codes and who was responsible for what with alarming speed, especially the 64 digit box towards the end.

When all the characters in the story were looking at the box of 64 letters in the story and wondering what to do next, I saw the answer in a millisecond and was able to decipher the code as soon as I read it. Is that good writing or bad? You will have to decide. Probably just me; I tend to think too laterally at times.

I loved this book, loved the character of Susan Fletcher and would love to see who would play her if film rights were ever sold. The same would be true of young Megan and David Becker, not to mention the assassin. Read this book and enjoy, especially the epilogue, for that made me laugh out loud with a deep sense of irony. What goes around comes around, if you know what I mean.

***** stars.

Predictable Fortress (0/0 people found this helpful)

Two stars maybe a little harsh. I've just read this book in a few days (lightning quick for me) and found it unputdownable. It's a quick paced thriller which hints at the better books that Brown subsequently wrote. And yet, it was ultimately unsatisfying. Unlike the DaVinci Code where riddles were brilliantly unravelled by the lead characters, those in Digital Fortress were largely solved by me way before the highly paid cryptographers managed to do it in the story. The twists, so evident in his later books, are here so painfully obvious that you feel you've already seen the film. And his obsession with sex was a real turn-off. Like a disappointing movie, I finished this book despite on overwhelming sense throughout that I was wasting my time.

Absolute garbage (0/0 people found this helpful)

Don't waste valuable time, (that you could spend doing something far more fun - like watching paint dry, doing the washing up or bathing the dog), on reading this dull, formulaic, predictable bilge.

The 'characters' (ha) are cliche ridden in the extreme, the goodie who isn't really is so obvious it isn't even a spoiler for me to say that, the dialogue is so wooden and predictable that a 10 year old could do better. There are ridiculous holes in the plot.

There are hours of my life I will never get back that I wasted reading this - don't make the same mistake!! Steer clear. I got two thirds of the way through this and stopped reading. I hate not finishing a book I've started, in fact I can probably count on one hand the number of books I've not finished and I always have a book on the go - that must give a fair indication of how much I truly loathed this book.

So trashy! (0/0 people found this helpful)

Barcode: 9780552151696

The funny thing is that at the time i actually quite enjoyed reading this book on holiday. Only in the sense that it was a page turner though, Dan Brown's typical Hollywood thriller style is fulfilling but totally badly written. The characters are cardboard cut outs, their emotions basic, much of the story simply hinging from the solving of one problem to another.

Everything has a very 'Bourne Identity' feel to it but lacks the sophistication of that film, instead dealing with heavy handed and blunt facts - in many ways it is basically a re-write of the already bad Da Vinci Code, changing the setting and swapping the religious context for computers and technology but essentially revolving around the same formula.

In many ways, you can't fault Brown - his books have been massive sellers and they have a very wide appeal - people of all ages would easily be able to enjoy Digital Fortress - but you'd think that as an author he'd want to stretch himself by coming up with something more innovative which this book certainly isn't.

So, if you're going on holiday or need something to read on a long journey, go ahead, this book is perfect for that. But be warned, don't expect to find anything enlightening.

Some of the worst I've ever read (0/0 people found this helpful)

Like many other reviewers I loathed this book. Having read the complete works of Ken Follett, Nelson Demille and Frederick Forsyth and now started on Dan Brown, I'm now stopping and very pleased to say so. 'Da Vinci' og 'Angels' were somewhat OK, but this is completely rubbish. Being an IT professional myself the plot is so stupid I'm in lack of words. (By the way, Ken Follet writes badly too in half of his books)

Dan Brown

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