Author keeps reminding us that "Wong" is the driver and reiterates people's job titles and positions OK read
( )

.....just couldn't get this story untracked. Very slow to develop the plot in my opinion. Disappointed. ( )

This is my first novel by this author. I enjoyed the tale - though there wasn't all the much suspense to it, in my humble opinion. I didn't have every move figured out - that's too much effort. But most of the reveals weren't surprising. The story was engaging enough to warrant 4 stars. ( )

You have to realize that this book is a primer on: hacking, dysfunctional clandestine orgs, German hacker culture, international banking, street directions to secret organizations, badass domination, and Russians. Along with a theory about how the CIA was originally a Brit scheme. A plot stitches these elements together with your normal thriller type characters, and as a bonus you get to visit DEF CON. But I still only onestar it. (Remember flamboyant clothing is always a clue in this type of book) ( )

A little historical tidbit I picked up from this novel (which I verified independently): the British Secret Service was instrumental in getting the American intelligence establishment in place, beginning with the OSS in World War II. In fact, in one secret British memo an outline was made of what the structure of the the future CIA should look like. The memo was written by a British agent by the name of Ian Fleming.

That British-American connection actually plays a key role in this novel, though it takes place today and involves all sorts of cyber-actions. There are conspiracies aplenty, not all the details of which felt convincing. But what do I know? Maybe in the "wilderness of mirrors" the comprises the modern spy business, these things happen all the time and the rest of us are just blissfully oblivious of them.

One lesson is that this is not a world for idealists. Idealism only blinds its adherents to become easily manipulated by those with more cynical schemes. There may be many possible outcomes to any particular crisis, but throughout all of them, the Man wins in the end. ( )