Digital Fortress

Mar 29, 2012 K.D. Oliveros rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to K.D. by: Rimon Alania

Shelves: suspense-thriller, populist

I work in the Information Technology field so relating to this book was easy for me. I don’t know anything about NSA (National Security Agency) and how they operate but I know stuff like encryption, algorithm, anagram, computer virus, code-breaking, etc. So, this book glued me from start to finish. My officemate has been telling me that this is his favorite Dan Brown book. He said that since I’ve read all his 4 other novels, The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, Deception Point (all 3 stars, i.e...more I work in the Information Technology field so relating to this book was easy for me. I don’t know anything about NSA (National Security Agency) and how they operate but I know stuff like encryption, algorithm, anagram, computer virus, code-breaking, etc. So, this book glued me from start to finish. My officemate has been telling me that this is his favorite Dan Brown book. He said that since I’ve read all his 4 other novels, The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, Deception Point (all 3 stars, i.e., I liked them!) and The Lost Symbol (2 stars, i.e., It’s okay!) and I am glad that I finally read this book. Hurray, I am now a Dan Brown completist!

I liked the story. NSA has a program that can track personal conversations around the world. One employee gets angry so he becomes a whistleblower. NSA hires a pretty detective (not yet Robert Langdon since this is Dan Brown’s first novel) and she is so hot most of the male characters in this book lust for her. This lust for her body and for power (as usual) basically becomes the driving force for all these men to outwit or kill each other or even themselves. The plot is a little overpopulated by characters and the twists are a bit too many to become coincidental. However, this is Dan Brown’s first novel so they are expected. Just like any other first time novelists, Brown was trying to prove that he could intricately weave a suspenseful yet unbelievable plot.

Wikipedia says that this book was based on real-life incident in cryptography. The story seems to tell me that Dan Brown not only did his thorough research on the topic but was also able to anticipate what NSA would do. He was a step ahead of NSA or maybe the NSA was influenced by the book. This one was not coincidence, I think. Or maybe Dan Brown was clever enough to befriend an insider in NSA. I just did not have any idea how a novelist could have access to NSA. Or maybe I am reading too many suspense-thriller books (Robert Ludlum, Jeffrey Archer, Ken Follett, John Grisham, etc) that my rational thinking is now tainted with all these far-fetched possibilities or thoughts.

Dan Brown was born on the same year I was, i.e., 1964. His books have been translated in many languages and stayed in New York’s Bestsellers’ List and adapted into big movie blockbusters. Wimps cannot do just those. I like Dan Brown definitely not for his literary prowess, i.e., his writing is ordinary, but for his imagination and the efforts that he put in his research. He just does not sit down and types away his thoughts. He backs those up with facts. He goes to the museums in Paris or Capital Building, looks up on all the writings or symbols on the wall, paintings, towers. He reads history and current events and incorporates those to his plot. So, let’s spare this guy from our senseless tirades. We just cannot ignore the fact that he knows his trade. His books deserve to be read. His efforts deserve to be appreciated.
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Dec 18, 2007 Seizure Romero rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: zzzzznrk, shite, fiction

There's a reason why everyone talks about The DaVinci Code and not about this book. I have no idea what that reason would be, because I thought Angels & Demons was mediocre so I never bothered to read the The DaVinci Code. Anyway, I was bored and a copy of this was sitting at the library for a quarter and I thought "WTF, mate, I'll give it a go."

The first page of chapter 1 starts with Susan Fletcher waking from a romantic dream to the ringing of the telephone:

"Susan, it's David. Did I wake y...more There's a reason why everyone talks about The DaVinci Code and not about this book. I have no idea what that reason would be, because I thought Angels & Demons was mediocre so I never bothered to read the The DaVinci Code. Anyway, I was bored and a copy of this was sitting at the library for a quarter and I thought "WTF, mate, I'll give it a go."

The first page of chapter 1 starts with Susan Fletcher waking from a romantic dream to the ringing of the telephone:

"Susan, it's David. Did I wake you?"
She smiled, rolling over in bed. "I was just dreaming of you. Come over and play."
He laughed. "It's still dark out."
"Mmm." She moaned sensuously. "Then definitely come over and play. We can sleep in before we head north."

That is not a transcription typo, or the manifestation of my unfocused rage. It really does read '"Mmm." She moaned sensuously.' Please feel free to vomit if you need to; I'll wait.

David then proceeds to postpone their plans to celebrate their six-month engagement due to something hush-hush, like maybe his being a big homo. C'mon, what sort of man is going to pass up some sweet, sweet lovin' before disappearing on a mystery mission? The kind who likes other men, that's what kind. A handful of pages later, it becomes clear that Dan Brown has read too many Clive Cussler novels as we're treated to a description of David Becker:

"Becker was dark--a rugged, youthful thirty-five with sharp green eyes and a wit to match. His strong jaw and taut features reminded Susan of carved marble. Over six feet tall, Becker moved across a squash court faster than any of his colleagues could comprehend. After soundly beating his opponent, he would cool off by dousing his head in a drinking fountain and soaking his tuft of thick, black hair. Then, still dripping, he'd treat his opponent to a fruit shake and a bagel."

Is it just me or does this read like Dan Brown was typing this with one hand? Why does Mr. Stud have the same initials as the author? Why would anyone want a sharp green wit? And is 'fruit shake' some sort of code for gay sex? Is that why he is still dripping?

So then, after all this ran through my immature little mind, I remembered I had other books to read--books that didn't suck horrifically within the first ten pages. Yay for other books!

Oh, and I sold it to a used book shop for a dollar, so it was worth the quarter. Yay for used book shops!(less)

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Oct 12, 2007 Lydia rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: partiallyread, partially-read

When I first read the DaVinci Code a couple of years back, I admit that it wasn't all that bad (at least for the first two-thirds or so), but in light of its content I found it significantly overrated... Upon reading this book, however, I am outright insulted that this man's success is inspiring documentaries on the History Channel...

I had the unfortunate luck to inherit this along with a box of other (and thankfully much more redeeming) books when a good friend of mine was leaving Japan. After...more When I first read the DaVinci Code a couple of years back, I admit that it wasn't all that bad (at least for the first two-thirds or so), but in light of its content I found it significantly overrated... Upon reading this book, however, I am outright insulted that this man's success is inspiring documentaries on the History Channel...

I had the unfortunate luck to inherit this along with a box of other (and thankfully much more redeeming) books when a good friend of mine was leaving Japan. After getting about ten pages into it, I found myself almost in tears laughing at the downright, blatant lack of knowledge that Dan Brown has regarding central themes to his novel, namely languages, national intelligence, and... intelligence in the traditional sense. Brown's affected knowledge of, well, /anything/ in this so-called book is almost as equal in transparency as is the pretentious description of the lead male character:

"David Becker. The only man she’d ever loved. The youngest full professor at Georgetown University and a brilliant foreign-language specialist, he was practically a celebrity in the world of academia. Born with an eidetic memory and a love of languages, he’d mastered six Asian dialects as well as Spanish, French, and Italian."

Wow, Dan Brown outdoes himself. Not only has he managed to create an over-the-top Professor Superman in tennis shorts (complete with a sexy uber-genius side-chick to fawn over him), Brown has also successfully condensed all the languages of an entire continent into one, vast, super language called Asian, of which said Professor can speak... six dialects!

"His university lectures on etymology and linguistics were standing-room only, and he invariably stayed late to answer a barrage of questions. He spoke with authority and enthusiasm, apparently oblivious to the adoring gazes of his star-struck coeds. Becker was dark—a rugged, youthful thirty-five with sharp green eyes and a wit to match. His strong jaw and taut features reminded Susan of carved marble. Over six feet tall, Becker moved across a squash court faster than..."

Puke. I rate this book a one, despite not even having had the will to get through the first quarter of it, as my brain was threatening to stuff itself down my throat and asphyxiate me if I continued to subject it to such garbage.

And before you get all indignant on me, know this: Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't be put out of my way to knock a book so hard. I would simply toss it aside like all the other trash pulp fiction out there in the airport bookstores and never think of it again. But yet, America, you are snatching up millions of copies of this man's books, singing his praises, and casting A-list stars in big-screen productions of his non-original, factually inaccurate trash. Please, stop it. You're scaring me.(less)

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Jul 14, 2012 Mona rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Mona by: paris

Shelves: favorites, mystery, adventure, crime, favorite-authors, novels, thriller, suspense, ebook, 5-stars, american-novels, contemporary, murder-mystery, must-read, politics, love-story, science-fiction

رواية مثيرة للغاية .. مع كل فصل تتعقد الأمور أكثر تزداد الشكوك لتحيط بجميع الأشخاص ..
في البداية اعتقدت أن ديفيد بيكر هو نورث ديكوتا شريك إنسي ... ليتضح أن هيل هو داكوتا حسب كلام سوزان
متشوقة جدا للنهاية
...

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Jul 25, 2008 Hendrata rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: nobody

I learned that Dan Brown is a bad writer and I will never read any of his other books. I also am upset at my friend for recommending me this book.

In short, the book is a bad novel, and a very bad novel if you know anything about math / cryptography.
Not only the technical errors were appalling, but the writing style itself is mediocre.

WARNING: spoiler here.

There is a scene where the heads of NSA along with some of the smartest people on Earth were trying to solve a riddle left by the bad guy as a

...more

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Sep 28, 2007 Lissa rated it 1 of 5 stars

Oh Dan Brown, how I love to hate you. It seems a universal truth that when you have run out of all of the books to read that you’ve brought with you, it is impossible to find decent reading material wherever you are. In my case, I ran out of book in Ethiopia. And, unlike Tanzania and Nairobi, I was unable to find any reasonable English language bookstore. I suppose this is because unlike Tanzania and Nairobi, English is not an official language of the country. As I don’t read, nor speak, Ahmraic...more Oh Dan Brown, how I love to hate you. It seems a universal truth that when you have run out of all of the books to read that you’ve brought with you, it is impossible to find decent reading material wherever you are. In my case, I ran out of book in Ethiopia. And, unlike Tanzania and Nairobi, I was unable to find any reasonable English language bookstore. I suppose this is because unlike Tanzania and Nairobi, English is not an official language of the country. As I don’t read, nor speak, Ahmraic, I was stuck with the selection of books found at the Hilton and Sheraton Hotels.

The situation was dire, I tell you. DIRE. My choices included a fine selection of literature aimed at the people here working with developmental organizations. There are also the requisite Ethiopia picture books to be toted home as souvenirs, and some dry travel writing about exploring the Blue Nile. Please note that I actually greatly enjoy the travel writing genre, so for me to say that it is dry, it is very very dry. There were also multiple copies of Rich Dad, Poor Dad and several books on how to trap a man. In the novel category, there were simply rack upon rack of Dan Brown books (plus one battered copy of Black Beauty – not sure where that came from …).

Shamefully, I’ve actually read most of his books. I read Angels and Demons because someone recommended it to me. Though I found his writing to be extraordinarily poor, I found the story to be engaging enough to overlook that fact. I didn’t guess the ending, and it posited some fascinating ideas about history. I read The DaVinici Code because everyone was reading it and because I liked Angels and Demons. The DaVinici Code was written equally poorly, but I noticed a lot of similarities in the plots of the two novels. But it was still an entertaining read so I figured I’d forgive it. Then, on my way to Costa Rica, I realized that I didn’t bring enough books with me for the plan ride. I went to the bookstore in beautiful Charlotte, North Carolina and picked up Deception Point, yet another Dan Brown masterpiece. The plot of this book was “The DaVinci Code Goes Arctic”. That’s when I realized that Dan Brown came up with one good plot and he’s just recycling it over and over again.

Even so, faced with the prospect of Rich Dad, Poor Dad or He’s Just Not In To You, I picked up Digital Fortress. I do think his writing is getting better, but I had the ending of the book figured out within the first ten pages. I didn’t even have to read the ending first to know what was going to happen. Maybe I’ll register Digital Fortress on bookcrossing and send it out into the world.
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Jun 13, 2012 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: of-heroines-and-heroin-books, made-me-think

I'm not sure what to believe after reading this book. I've always liked Dan Brown's books because he writes so realistically, using big words to belittle readers about how little they know.
Or so I thought.
After reading this book, I did a little snooping of my own (OK, those were big words too, I just used Google) and realised that most of the technology, computers and cool machinery did not exist. In fact, Goodreads was an excellent source of information of unhappy reviewers tearing down this bo...more I'm not sure what to believe after reading this book. I've always liked Dan Brown's books because he writes so realistically, using big words to belittle readers about how little they know.
Or so I thought.
After reading this book, I did a little snooping of my own (OK, those were big words too, I just used Google) and realised that most of the technology, computers and cool machinery did not exist. In fact, Goodreads was an excellent source of information of unhappy reviewers tearing down this book's credibility. Gee, I was really hoping that those stuff were as cool as mentioned in Digital Fortress.
But that asides, there are some historical facts and figures that ARE real, if not as cool. NSA. Cryptology. Enigma. Although I can't say that Brown's books are an excellent crash course for a myriad of whacky subjects, his writings definitely introduced readers to an entirely whole new world that most of us would have otherwise never have dreamt about.
Having that said, I can't say that Brown's writing style is my favourite. His books usually start off well, but kind of go downhill somewhat at the end. His plot developments are not the best I've come across, although how he comes up with them in the bloody first place is unthinkable. But I must say, there is a significant similarity between the plots in most, if not all, of his books. It doesn't take a cryptologist to figure it out. Now before this I've only read 3 of his books (OK that may be quite a lot already) and my recent awareness of such similarity has indeed taken out most surprises within Brown's novels.
No spoiler here, though I'm sure most of us can tell what it is by now. I would still recommend Dan Brown's books any day, despite the slight low ratings on Goodreads. I am aware that most readers claim that Brown has twisted reality to the most atrocious of levels. Thankfully, for a person with no clue about any of the topics he's ever written about so far, I have no problem with enjoying the book at all. But I'm sure that if Dan Brown were to write about something I was excellent at and passionate about - watching TV, Facebooking, sleeping - he'd be getting a thrashing from me as well. (less)

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Dec 09, 2008 Claus rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-books, 1-star

It is truely mind-boggling how Dan Brown can get away with putting so many factual errors about cryptography and computers into a single book. Doesn't he have anybody proofread his manuscripts? It is also surprising that a so highly praised writer can write so badly.

In "Digital Fortress" we enter a universe where:

* A 64-bit code requires 64 characters to type. (Fact: 64 bits can be easily typed with 16 characters or less.)

* Public Key Cryptography requires the exchange of a secret passkey. (Fact...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Stefan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Based upon how very little I'd heard about Dan Brown's two non-Robert Langdon books, I went into this one with very low expectations. However, Digital Fortress is a fairly well-written and entertaining novel. The main storyline is based upon a hush-hush operation within the NSA to obtain and or destroy the only existing copies of a pass-key that, if made public, could enable the use of an encryption program that would create coded messages that would be entirely unbreakable thereby rendering the...more

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Sep 07, 2007 Dan rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: beach read

Shelves: thrillers

Here’s the problem: Digital Fortress has a good plot, but it’s filled with weak characters. I really liked the plot. A disgruntled NSA employee develops an unbreakable encryption program (the Digital Fortress) and threatens to give both the encryption program and the key (which is buried in the program) away on the Internet. If the bad guys gain access to the key, they will be able to communicate without fear of the NSA decrypting their messages. This throws the NSA into a panic – as it should –...more

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Apr 26, 2013 Ankit Agrawal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, mystery, thriller, science-fiction

No matter what people want to say about Dan Brown or his books or hatred towards him you got to admire the fact that what he brings to the table no one else does.

This was the book which brought me to the beautiful world of books. Before reading this book I though reading was a bit cissy and a waste of time since everything is fictional, why not better read some spiritual/self help and knowledge books. After reading this book everything changed, I started to read more and more fiction and today b...more

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Feb 17, 2009 Samuel rated it 5 of 5 stars

What would happen if every nation and person in the would, with a computer, could access every top secret file of the government? This is what Susan Fletcher and David Becker have to prevent in Digital Fortress by Dan Brown. With a lot of action and suspense Digital Fortress is a book for anyone who likes action.

Dan Brown wrote many other action novels. I have read all of them and this novel is just as good of a read as the rest. This novel is written in the same style as all the others. Leaving...more What would happen if every nation and person in the would, with a computer, could access every top secret file of the government? This is what Susan Fletcher and David Becker have to prevent in Digital Fortress by Dan Brown. With a lot of action and suspense Digital Fortress is a book for anyone who likes action.

Dan Brown wrote many other action novels. I have read all of them and this novel is just as good of a read as the rest. This novel is written in the same style as all the others. Leaving in the suspense in all his books, Dan Brown makes all his novels an exiting read.

The United States government has just bought a huge computer that can unscramble any code called TRANSLTR. A top secret government agency called National Security Agency, NSA, has purchased this computer to prevent terrorist from sending coded messages to other terrorist inside or out of the United States. Thinking the people of the US may considerTRANSLTR a breech of privacy, the government never told any one about the device.

Susan Fletcher is the head Cryptographer at the NSA Crypto facility. David Becker is a foreign-language specialist Georgetown University. Commander Greg Strathmore is in charge of the facility. There also are three other Cryptographers and many engineers who work on TRANSLTR in the facility.

Susan Fletcher head Cryptographer notices a code that TRANSLTR has been working on for Eighteen hours, and most files take less than one hour. A few days latter a strange address sends them an email. Sending the email, let the NSA figure up a way to shut down Digital Fortress. The virus that will shut downTRANSLTER and expose the main government data bank to any one with Internet access. Exposing the data bank, will put the nation at risk of attack and total chaos of the citizens.

The NSA sends in David Becker to receive the ring that has the code to shut down Digital Fortress. In the mean time, Susan Fletcher is trying to convince the head boss of the whole operation that there is a problem. David is nearly shot to death, and Susan is nearly blown to bits. Will the two succeed?

I would recommend this book to anyone. This book has got a lot of action, and is a story that leaves you wandering, what if. However, if you have a little bit of a soft stomach this novel will leave you wanting to turn away at times. This book is for any one who likes to left on the edge of there seat for the whole story, till the end.(less)

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Sep 24, 2011 Michelle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller, adult-fiction

You know how some days you just feel like eating candy? And then more candy, maybe topped off with ice cream, cookies, cake? Some days that is okay. Until you get to about eight o'clock at night, and your body has reached a point that is beyond satiation. And then you think to yourself, just one last cookie. Your stomach is telling you don't do it. It's gurgling and protesting the hours of abuse it has already taken, but you keep thinking about how good that cookie is going to taste. So you do i...more You know how some days you just feel like eating candy? And then more candy, maybe topped off with ice cream, cookies, cake? Some days that is okay. Until you get to about eight o'clock at night, and your body has reached a point that is beyond satiation. And then you think to yourself, just one last cookie. Your stomach is telling you don't do it. It's gurgling and protesting the hours of abuse it has already taken, but you keep thinking about how good that cookie is going to taste. So you do it. You eat it, and you find yourself regretting it almost immediately. You realize, in the end, that it didn't taste that good. In fact, you realized it was far too much, and you wish you could take it back because now, well now you have a full blown case of the stomach aches. And you completely regret your gluttonous behavior.

That is what Digital Fortress feels like...gluttony for your brain. It was strangely addicting, completely entertaining, but had no substance whatsoever. And I think my brain is probably a little dumber for having read it. Maybe it was because I had just read Brown's Deception Point, and the last thing I needed to do was chase it with more mind numbing ridiculousness. Maybe it was because this is Brown's freshman go...his first novel. And I should give it one star. I know I should. But because it was entertaining, I had to give the guy some credit.

However, when you set up a main character to be a genius...and I quote, "His eyes fell the length of her sleder torso - to her white blouse with the bra barely visible beneath, to her knee-length khaki skirt, and finally to her legs...Susan Fletcher's legs. Hard to imagine they support a 170 IQ, he mused." I'm not going to parse the whole thing. I'm willing to accept that stock thrillers such as this are rife with hackneyed descriptions of people, in particular women, such as Brown's "sexy" depiction of Fletcher. I don't read these books because I'm expecting F. Scott Fitzgerald. I read them because they are entertaining, period. BUT...notice that Fletcher has an IQ of 170. 1.7.0!!! Is that even possible? I don't know.

The point is that she's this genius decoder, right? Super smart and totally able to decode some of the most complicated cipher. And yet there are very extremely completely obvious "ciphers" right in front of her face that she does not get. Really? I'm no genius. But I got them right away. So I thought that really wasn't so great. And you are this completely smart and perfectly beautiful woman, and you know when all these various men are totally into you. But the crazy one, who is so obviously into you, you don't see? Even when it's in front of your face all the time? It reminded me too much of that one Patricia Cornwell novel with this one Kay Scarpetta character who is supposed to be a genius as well. But she does some really ill advised...STUPID...things. Um, not sure I understand how someone is a genius and then suddenly isn't a genius. So that was annoying.

I also think Brown cleaned up his act when it comes to sex after this novel. This bordered on a Harelquin Romance extravaganza! The feminist in me screams out in protest at such garbage. I'm all for chemistry and attraction. But I revolt at silly depictions of the perfect woman and the perfect man falling in love. They are both just sooooooooo attractive and sooooooooo smart. And they have the most perfect jobs and perfect lives. Ugh! There wasn't anything really graphic. It just felt cliche and empty.

And finally, the climax. It just went on and on and on. Oh dear me, just get to the point already. It was no longer exciting when all the brainiacs in the NSA couldn't solve the freaking mystery which was right in front of their faces! And the whole thing was going to blow up, and of course the perfect couple can save the day in the end. Because they are perfect and that is what they do!!! I just couldn't suspend my disbelief anymore, so there were some serious sighs. Some eye rolling. Some straight out laughs. It was far too melodramatic.

Now to be fair to Brown, I have now read all of his books, and I've obviously enjoyed them, mostly. And I think now that he's written a few thrillers, that his writing has improved. He's no longer focused on sexual liasons between characters. And while his stories are completely unbelievable, they are also entertaining. The guy isn't proclaiming that he's the next Hemingway, after all. He's selling a product. I just think that from now on, I'll take my gluttony in smaller doses. (less)

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Jan 24, 2012 Kyle Gunning rated it 2 of 5 stars

After reading Dan Browns Da Vinci Code and being completely immersed and engrossed into every chapter, I was a bit dissapointed reading Dan Browns Digital Fortress. It starts out when the NSA code breaking machine (called TRANSLTER) finds a new and complex code, named Digital Fortress, that it cannot break. Commander Trevor Strathmore calls in Susan Fletcher, their head cryptographer to help crack it. She discovers that it was written by Ensei Tankado, a former NSA employee who was displeased wi...more
After reading Dan Browns Da Vinci Code and being completely immersed and engrossed into every chapter, I was a bit dissapointed reading Dan Browns Digital Fortress. It starts out when the NSA code breaking machine (called TRANSLTER) finds a new and complex code, named Digital Fortress, that it cannot break. Commander Trevor Strathmore calls in Susan Fletcher, their head cryptographer to help crack it. She discovers that it was written by Ensei Tankado, a former NSA employee who was displeased with the NSA invading the privacy of peoples lives. Tankado intends to auction the code's algorithm on his website and have his partner, "NDAKOTA", release it to the general public if he was to die. Pretty much holding the NSA hostage, the agency is determined to stop Digital Fortress from becoming a threat to national security. But what they don't know is Digital Fortress is not what it seems..
Being a fan of Dan Browns works and having an interest in computers, I thought Digital Fortress would be the match for me. Although, I found that it did not live up the the expectations I thought it would uphold. Unlike 'Da Vinci Code', Digital Fortress' plot was very predictable and weak. I felt the characters were very underdeveloped, and that the story could have been so much better had Brown put more effort into character development. On the brightside, I found some parts to be very thrilling and on edge, and it was also very apparent that Brown put a lot of effort into researching computer code and algorithms.
I cannot say that I recommend this book to many people, but it was not a horrible book. People who are fans of Browns work will be slightly dissapointed, but will find it tolerable. People who are also interested in Computers and computer code will find the various references to algorithms and special codes very intriguing, but anyone who isn't very tech savvy will find it very confusing.
Though Digital Fortress did not live up to my expectations, I will continue to read his novels as I know his others are better, this book was just a minor virus in the computer system. (less)

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Oct 27, 2008 Neal P rated it 5 of 5 stars

Digital Fortress is a mysterious, intriguing book by Dan Brown. Dan Brown is a widely known author, who has written The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons. This book is about a woman named Susan Fletcher, who works for the National Security Agency (NSA). After five years of work, the NSA invented the TRANSLTR, which could break any code known to man. TRANSLTR is faced with a code that it cannot break, and when the NSA calls it head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, she uncovers that the NSA is bei...more Digital Fortress is a mysterious, intriguing book by Dan Brown. Dan Brown is a widely known author, who has written The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons. This book is about a woman named Susan Fletcher, who works for the National Security Agency (NSA). After five years of work, the NSA invented the TRANSLTR, which could break any code known to man. TRANSLTR is faced with a code that it cannot break, and when the NSA calls it head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, she uncovers that the NSA is being held hostage by a code that could cripple the U.S. intelligence. Fletcher has to find out how to break the code, while her fiancé, David Becker, is in Seville, Spain to find the man who created this code and get the pass key to break the code.
Digital Fortress was one of the most fascinating novels I have read. This book had three or four different stories going on at the same time, which alternate by chapter. As you finish each chapter, the reader is always “hungry for more.” All the stories come together at the end, so you are not completely satisfied until the book is finished. Mystery books are without doubt my favorite books, but I love mystery with some kind of twist. Near the end when Fletcher is trying to break the code, Brown adds in a little science and history. He includes the isotopes of the element uranium and the system of codes that Julius Caesar used.
Yet there were a few things I thought about this book that could have been improved. Having four different stories going on and then combining them at the end is a great idea, but with the fine details Dan Brown puts into each sentence it can hard to understand everything. The other thing that was a little upsetting was the end. Finding the password that would kill the virus took a series of complicated steps, but the password ended up being the number 3. I would’ve liked to see something a little more complex.
Even though Digital Fortress had some bad points, it was an exciting novel that I enjoyed. Any reader who loves mysteries would love this book. Alone this book is enjoyable, but the science and the history that are mixed into the plot makes this book a techno-thriller. Even if you are not a mystery fan, it is guaranteed that this book would be fascinating to read.
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Sep 20, 2009 Benjamin Duffy rated it 1 of 5 stars

If the roundly reviled The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons are examples of Dan Brown at his most polished, you can only imagine how bad he was during his early career.

Actually, you can imagine, or you can read Digital Fortress and find out for yourself. But I don't recommend it. Where the Langdon books spill their secrets two acts too soon to anyone with a basic knowledge of French, or of Latin roots, Digital Fortress boasts a simplistic play on words that crumbles, fortune cookie-like, to a...more

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Mar 10, 2009 Preeti rated it 2 of 5 stars

Have you heard of the NSA? I think these days, a lot of people know the NSA but apparently, there was a point in time when no one knew what the NSA was. Oh, NSA = National Security Agency. I've been there. Well, not there exactly, cuz it was after 9/11 = mad security. I was at the Cryptology Museum right next door.

Anywho, this Dan Brown thriller, post Da Vinci Code fame, follows much the same style and basic plot structure as Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. You can almost see the plot...more

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Feb 25, 2009 E7san rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

هل أنت مبرمج ؟
إذاً ، لا تفوت قراءة هذه الرواية :)
عامة الناس سوف يستمتعون بقراءتها ، وأنتَ وحدك من سوف يفهم ما وراء سطورها
وشيفراتها ، سوف تشعر بأنها تعنيك أنتَ وحدكـ .

أذهلتني هذه الرواية ، عشتُها لحظةً بلحظة ، حرفاً بحرف ، كنتُ أستيقظ باكرًا لأبدأ قراءتها حتَّى تتعب عيناي ، مختلفةً هذه الحكاية عن كل ما قرأتُه وسوف أقرأه !.

سؤالين يتبادران إلى ذهني الآن ، أولهما / ما هو تخصص دان براون ؟ التاريخ ؟ علم الأديان ؟ أم البرمجة :)

السؤال الآخر / لماذا النساء في روايات بروان مثالياتٌ إلى حدٍّ غبي ؟

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Jul 01, 2008 Ricardo rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: code breaking fans

Digital Fortress was written by Dan Brown in 1998, before coming up with his best-seller The Da Vince Code. Digital Fortress sets the action in two places: the NSA headquarters in the United States and Seville, in Spain. The plot is smart and has to do with code breaking. However, the entire novel is predictable. Chapters are very short and show no character development. Childish at times, the author does not make an attempt at approaching the central issue realistically. Also, Brown either did...more

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Feb 16, 2008 Caela Harrison rated it 1 of 5 stars

Reading Dan Brown books is a bit like watching porn. Mildly enjoyable at the time, but not really something you'd like your friends or family to know about.

Digital Fortress starts as it means to go on, with two-dimensional characters in a whirlwind of mystery and action. The cast never evolves beyond cardboard cut-out level, but the plot does pick up through various levels of incredulity and intrigue to a climax that ends up shallow and disappointing, leaving the reader feeling cheap and cheated...more

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Nov 29, 2008 Breakwall rated it 1 of 5 stars

Dan Brown CAN actually write. Angels and Demons was inventive, well-paced and exciting. The DaVinci Code was really just Angels and Demons repackaged, but it was still a good summer read.

This book, however, is complete crap. I have read it so you don't have to. Avoid at all costs.

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Apr 26, 2007 Rosey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Definitely a fast-paced book that was breathtaking at times which took me into the world of of cyberism and national intelligence. What I love about this book was that the heroine, Susan, was a female. Not only that, but she was one of the important asset to breaking the code.

As we may know or realize (or not), our government has many top secret infos and files with top-of-the-line technologies, firewalls, and so on. Imagine when someone was blackmailing the agency and was on the verge of exposi...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Deyaa Sabry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

أول رواية أقرأها لدان براون وذلك بعد مشاهدتي لفيلم "ملائكة وشياطين"

وياله من اختلاف بين اسلوب الفيلم وعرضه واسلوب الرواية
توقعت ما هو أكثر ولكني وجدت الأكثر ولكن في جوانب أخرى

الرواية رواية تعتمد -كعادة دان براون- على المعلومات المسرودة بطريقة تبادلية
فهي سرد لأحداث على لسان أحد الشخصيات وتتبدل الأحداث بين شخصيتين رئيسيتين
ولكنه -كالعادة أيضا- يخفي العديدمن المعلومات كنوع من التشويق
ولكنه ماهر جدا في اخفاء المعلومات بحيث لا تشعر بفقدانها وانما تظل تبحث عن جديد وتتابع الأحداث حتى تصل إليها

أحيانا تشععر...more

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Mar 06, 2009 Gina rated it 4 of 5 stars

*Taken from my LiveJournal Entry* SPOILERS BELOW!!!

Guess what I found out, though...

Zero-Divide One of Hugh's very old and not-so-well known video games is actually the premise for one of Dan Brown's books... I'm serious! As I was paging through the character / storyline booklet provided with the game, I kept thinking, "Wow! This story sounds really familiar!" The more I read, the more I realized that Dan Brown seemed to have lifted the whole plot line from the game! I'm not even kidding...

Chr...more *Taken from my LiveJournal Entry* SPOILERS BELOW!!!

Guess what I found out, though...

Zero-Divide One of Hugh's very old and not-so-well known video games is actually the premise for one of Dan Brown's books... I'm serious! As I was paging through the character / storyline booklet provided with the game, I kept thinking, "Wow! This story sounds really familiar!" The more I read, the more I realized that Dan Brown seemed to have lifted the whole plot line from the game! I'm not even kidding...

Chris, I'm calling you out, here... you've read Brown's book Digital Fortress. Tell me this plotline isn't a complete rip:

ZERO DIVIDE STORY:

Zero Divide takes place in the near future. One day, a mysterious data library known as "XTAL TOWER" surfaced on the Internet. Collected within this library were every nation of the world's most important national security secrets. The hackers who accomplished this feat threatened to release these secrets to the public in a matter of days. The world was stunned that these supposedly impossible to access secrets were acquired by these brilliant hackers. The military and economic balances of the entire world could be destroyed...

Hours later, each of the world's countries received an invitation from a being known only as "XTAL". The invitation stated that before the XTAL TOWER library was made public, each nation would be given a chance to fight against the library's security units, as well as each other. "If any challenger can defeat every other unit within the alotted time, and find their way to the location of the host, then they can stop the secrets from being released and destroy the XTAL TOWER..."

(Thank you, by the way, to CheatSearch.com for actually having this online!)

And if that's not enough, two characters from the book, Tokugen Numataka and Ensei Tankado, are names he created from the actual creators of the game!!! So seriously... I'm calling you, and every other person who has read this book out... TELL ME!!! Is this not a complete rip or what? I mean, yeah, I know Brown's been accused of stealing stuff in the past, but geez... a video game???

Strange... ya know, I admire Dan Brown's story-telling capability. I bet he can hear any story and somehow make it his. It's a very cool talent to possess... but to outright call ideas that aren't yours original... it's just not right. I think he owes the creators of Zero-Divide an apology. I say this tongue-in-cheek, but really... how many other times has this happened? *Shakes head*
(less)

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Mar 01, 2009 Jason_W. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 7th-grade-ir-book-rick

The book Digital Fortress is about a person named Sarah and her boyfriend David. Sarah is part of a agency named National Securtiy Agency. They have a machine named TRANSLTR and it breaks codes. Then someone creates a code that can take away the American's information that is top secret and not even TRANSLTR can break it. Sarah and David goes out to find out how to stop this code and stop it.

I can connect this to the world where people rely on technolgy alot. People in the world use phones and o...more

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Jun 16, 2013 Karla Waysome rated it 3 of 5 stars

Although I enjoyed the plot, the characters annoyed me to the point where I threw the book down more than once. First of all, David, the brilliant professor and Susan's fiancee does not work for the NSA so how did he allow Susan's boss to send him on a dangerous mission for the US government? Why would you send a college teacher to do such an important mission? Why did David have issues with Susan making more money? to the point where he went on this mission for extra cash. Obviously not ready t...more

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May 12, 2013 Colin rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am fairly sure that I started to watch ‘The Da Vinci Code’ on DVD once, or rather started to but drifted off to the land of nod for an hour or two. I never tried again, being put off by the hype of it all. This book then came my way, and I was fairly engaged with it from the start. The idea that an apparently know-it –all computer had a bit of a problem because of some miscreant planting a bug in it which threatened the whole of peace in our time etc isn’t that far from reality. This happens j...more I am fairly sure that I started to watch ‘The Da Vinci Code’ on DVD once, or rather started to but drifted off to the land of nod for an hour or two. I never tried again, being put off by the hype of it all. This book then came my way, and I was fairly engaged with it from the start. The idea that an apparently know-it –all computer had a bit of a problem because of some miscreant planting a bug in it which threatened the whole of peace in our time etc isn’t that far from reality. This happens just as the heroine of the book is about to nip off for a weekend with her loved one and she is called in, presumably with her Philips screwdriver to have a butchers at it. At the same time, said loved one is despatched abroad to retrieve a piece of equipment which will help the job of sorting out the computer. We have two things at least to follow in the chapters that follow – the progress of mr trying to lay hands on the item which changes hands from one exotic ne’er do well to another with increasing speed and complexity (all making for a good read though) and Miss, or Ms back at computer HQ trying to figure out what the heck is going on. She is helped and hindered in this task by a few people – a bit a of a stereotype boss who puts 110% into everything he does and is apparently dedicated to the point of having a mental breakdown into solving the problem, a thoroughly bad sort who might or might not have something to do with the bug getting into the computer in the first place and my particular favourite – the head geek in the place who has the statutory mucky t-shirt and bad eating habits. Can they save the computer, and civilisation, between them? A pretty good tale all in all, I struggled a bit at times with the computery stuff and shared the claustrophobia of the heroine who put in a shift and more in the same office/chair to try and sort things out. Though it didn’t say so in the book, I am confident that they would have tried switching it off and back on again.(less)

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May 03, 2013 Abduraafi Andrian rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, yes-i-do-have, author

Novel partama karya penulis terkenal "The Da Vinci Code" yang saya baca dan pertama kali menghabiskan waktu membaca e-book di layar monitor!

Saya diajarkan dengan kriptografi, NSA, EFF, dan Bank Data Utama milik NSA yang sangat rahasia. Novel ini juga mengenalkan tentang markas NSA dengan sistem komputer dan pengamanan yang begitu canggih. Dan juga kota Sevilla di Spanyol sangat tergambar jelas dalam novel ini.

Sebuah cerita tentang penggagalan akses masuk Bank Data Utama milik NSA. Namun konflik...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Quinn Lavender rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, thriller-suspense-mystery

The degree to which I enjoy Dan Brown books depends very highly on what order I read them in. The Da Vinci Code was first, and it was probably the first book in my adult life that I could not put down. I stayed up late reading it, I stayed in bed in the morning reading it, until I was done. It was addictive and so much fun. Each chapter was short and ended in a cliffhanger; I just couldn't get enough. Da Vinci Code also had the elements of religious history and art history and conspiracy, and so...more The degree to which I enjoy Dan Brown books depends very highly on what order I read them in. The Da Vinci Code was first, and it was probably the first book in my adult life that I could not put down. I stayed up late reading it, I stayed in bed in the morning reading it, until I was done. It was addictive and so much fun. Each chapter was short and ended in a cliffhanger; I just couldn't get enough. Da Vinci Code also had the elements of religious history and art history and conspiracy, and somehow managed to make me feel like I was somehow getting smarter by reading pop culture fiction. The twists and turns of the book were exciting and unexpected and just plain old fun.

Angels and Demons came next for me, and it had about 80% of the fun of Da Vinci Code. Most of the same elements were there, though it wasn't quite as gripping, the story didn't flow quite as well, and it was a little too violent for my tastes. Still, the plot twists were amazing and made it a lot of fun.

Next I read The Lost Symbol, which was attrocious. It was very much like 2nd sequel after 2 hits...it seemed like Dan Brown felt he had to pull out all the stops and turn this book up a notch. The problem was that Da Vinci Code was already top-notch, and as a result, The Lost Symbol came across as very contrived, culminating in (SPOILER ALERT!) Robert Langdon's death and return to life. If that's not a blatant attempt at sensationalizing the storyline, then I don't know what is. The characters in The Lost Symbol were not interesting, and I literally found myself just wishing the book would be over. I didn't care how it turned out; I just wanted it to be over. And so I wasn't surprised when the ending was lame.

I finally went back and read one of Brown's earlier books -- Digital Fortress -- but after having 3 other Brown books under my belt, Digital Fortress was quite predictable -- I could tell from the beginning who the reader was expected to think was the bad guy, as well as who the bad guy would actually turn out to be. It was Angels and Demons with computers and government buildings substituted for sculptures and churches.

I imagine that if I were to read another Brown book (Deception Point) that it would be even less enjoyable and more predictable.(less)

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Mar 13, 2013 Megha Kn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Now this is a truly amazing book by Brown, and just like all his other books this one too has lots of twists and turns. And if you read his other novels, then you will find this book a bit predictable since his style of writing remains the same. This book too involves complex codes and breaking them, though here, the codes and technology are fully digital, which I believe, is far easier to comprehend than the codes and symbols used in Angels and Demons and Da Vinci Code.

A JIST OF THE STORY:

In t...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Very good book	48	343	Jun 06, 2013 10:46pm
CrazyBookWormies: Digital Fortress by Dan Brown	6	16	Oct 19, 2012 12:57am
دژ دیجیتالی	6	57	Jul 04, 2012 08:54pm

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