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2031: The Singularity Pogrom (PeaceMaker #3)

by Dan Ronco (Goodreads Author)

3.62 of 5 stars 3.62 · rating details · 21 ratings · 17 reviews

Kindle Edition

Published (first published August 26th 2010)

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Dec 15, 2010 Jason Slovak rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, favorites

I won this through the Goodreads First-Reads giveaway so a big "Thank You!" to goodreads and Mr. Ronco for the free copy.

I began this book not realizing that it's actually book 3 of a series. The 1st two books being Peacemaker and Unholy Domain. That being said, I thought this book worked great as a stand-alone novel. It's a smart, fast-paced thriller that takes place in an all too believable future world. I can't wait to read the two prequels.

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Dec 21, 2012 Kara Jorges rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Framed by his megalomaniacal ex-lover, Ray Brown took the fall when the Internet crashed and millions died. The world now believes Ray is dead, but Dianne Morgan, the woman he once loved, knows better. For thirteen years, she has held him and his best friend Paul captive on an island, hoping that one day he would change his mind and share her vision for the future of the world. Knowing there is no escape, Ray kills time with a daily running regimen that serves him well the day a hovercraft appea...more Framed by his megalomaniacal ex-lover, Ray Brown took the fall when the Internet crashed and millions died. The world now believes Ray is dead, but Dianne Morgan, the woman he once loved, knows better. For thirteen years, she has held him and his best friend Paul captive on an island, hoping that one day he would change his mind and share her vision for the future of the world. Knowing there is no escape, Ray kills time with a daily running regimen that serves him well the day a hovercraft appears to rescue him and Paul. Of course, it is not without strings, and Nkuma, their rescuer, wants Ray to join the fight against the Doman, which is taking over the world.

The Domain is Dianne Morgan’s brainchild, and billions worldwide have joined their ranks. Domain citizens are not free, living under constant monitoring, and having the course of their lives guided for them, but they live a fairly cushy existence, free of diseases and disabilities. Domain children are created in test tubes to ensure an ideal child every time out, and their genetics are manipulated for maximum effect. But Dianne’s biggest dream, and one she is on the cusp of realizing, is a merging of human and artificial intelligence. Her scientists have isolated a particular rare gene that makes a deep connection between humans and computers possible, but thus far, the only people who seem to have the gene are Ray Brown and his sons, David and Brian. Though he hates Dianne, David is a Domain citizen, though his complacency gets stripped away when he learns the depths Dianne will plumb to get her way. Brian shuns the Domain, but gets caught up in Dianne’s plans when she throws him and her daughter together for nefarious purposes. Meanwhile, Ray Brown leads the war against the Domain deep within Africa, while Dianne and her minions plot and scheme to rule the world.

Though the first books in this trilogy are very good, in this book, Ronco has really hit his stride. As Dianne Morgan moves closer to realizing her dream of world dominance, all the pieces of the puzzle finally fall into place. There are some surprise twists along the way, too. I found this a gripping, engrossing read with excellent characters, and I enjoyed the unique plot. I was reminded somewhat of Sidney Sheldon’s “Master of the Game,” as Dianne was so manipulative and controlling, but she is definitely a unique character, and the story behind this book was much different. This book was a fine finish, and I give the Peacemaker trilogy a hearty recommendation.
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Jan 03, 2011 Sandie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-books, sci-fi, contemporary-lit

As indicated in my profile, I am not a sci-fi fan. In general, I prefer my reading material to be a reflection of the world we live in (which is terrifying in itself) rather than an author's vision of a world that is yet to come. One of the few authors able to deflect my sci-fi aversion is Dan Ronco. He did it first with his novel UNHOLY DOMAIN and now his follow-up 2031 - THE SINGULARITY POGROM has me equally intrigued with his visualization of life on earth twenty years from now.

The author ha...more

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Nov 28, 2010 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The year is 2025. It has been thirteen years since; Ray Brown attempted to stop Dianne Morgan and the computer virus, Peacemaker. Ray was unsuccessful and therefore is paying for it. Dianne sent Ray to a fairly secluded island. The only other person on the island is a man named Paul Martino. The first inhabitants to arrive on the island are androids and guards out to eliminate Ray and Paul. Luck is on their side. Ray and Paul are rescued by an African warlord by the name of Nkumah. Nkumah wants...more

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Jul 10, 2011 Wayne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Unfortunately, this is a case where the presentation subsumed and drowned out the content. This e-book was either churned out by a computer or a freakin' imbesile, because I have never seen so many combined words, misspellings, and awkwardly broken sentences. Not much else can be said about it, and I am so tired of wading through the text that my only thought is that I can't believe I actually finished it (or spent money on it, for that matter). I give it a three star review out of guilt, becaus...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Cameron rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, reviewed

If this book is anything to go by, in the next 20 years humans will develop the following technologies; pills we can take that are capable of simulating all the benefits of sleep without actually sleeping, hovercrafts, wallet-sized computers, and robots that wouldn't be too far out of place in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (still no Mood Organs yet, though). And that's just the everyday stuff. Genetic engineering will advance by leaps and bounds and diseases we can barely treat with curre...more If this book is anything to go by, in the next 20 years humans will develop the following technologies; pills we can take that are capable of simulating all the benefits of sleep without actually sleeping, hovercrafts, wallet-sized computers, and robots that wouldn't be too far out of place in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (still no Mood Organs yet, though). And that's just the everyday stuff. Genetic engineering will advance by leaps and bounds and diseases we can barely treat with current medical tech will be cured. Also, 2D imaging is evidently going to be phased out sometime next week, as every time a character in 2031 has to look at a picture that isn't rendered in holographic 3D, they react as if the technology is so archaic that the picture may as well have been etched on a stone slab.

Sounds cool, right? Right.

Dan Ronco has done a very good job of creating an interesting Sci-Fi world to put his characters in to. (A dangerous one too, despite, or perhaps because of, the advances in technology.) My favorite parts of the novel took place in The Domain, a technologically advanced society that lives among, yet separately, from the rest of the world. (They're also evil, in case that wasn't obvious from the moment I mentioned technological segregation.)

Great world building, however, isn't enough to carry a novel. You need a good story and characters too. Fortunately, Ronco gives us those things as well. Normally, I'm not a big fan of frequently shifting perspectives, but it works here. Each character is well defined and entertaining and their stories are very enjoyable. I never once thought, "I sure wish I was with character A right now instead of B". 2031 gave me what I rarely experience. A novel that I never once found to be moving even the slightest bit too slowly at any one time. Excellent pacing.

Note: The following complaints should be filed under "nitpicks". So the fact that I have no major complaints about 2031 should be considered a "good job" from me. Well done, Mr Ronco.

I had a couple issues with dialogue in this novel. Most of it is just fine, but there are a few moments that are a little too cheesy for me. While I can handle that, generally, there is one instance of dialogue that I can't give have a free pass. Towards the end of the novel (no spoilers, don't worry), two major characters are moments away from their big showdown. Just before the fight, the two combatants throw a few insults back and forth. This falls into juvenile territory really fast. I'm pretty sure it was one insult away from a "yo mama" joke. Stuff like that is excusable when you're writing children, but when your novel is populated by guns for hire, powerful political figures, and musclebound African warlords who eat badass for breakfast, the phrase "Oh yeah? Well, (insert gay joke here)" should never be uttered.

One other minor complaint. I have a feeling that Ronco thinks his audience is full of forgetful geniuses. 2031 is full of techno babble. It doesn't reach Michael Crichton levels, granted, but this stuff isn't exactly basic. So while the reader is expected to be able to follow all the science present here, they aren't expected to be able to remember basic plot points. Every time "PeaceMaker" or "Alice" is mentioned in the book, about three sentences are devoted to reintroducing the reader to the concept. It got to the point that, as soon as I read either of those words, I could close my eyes and recite the next three sentences with alarming accuracy. One or two reminders on key concepts is plenty.

Alright, minor complaints are done. This book was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting to be so entertained when I first started it and I definitely want to check out more of Ronco's work. Looking forward to seeing what he comes up with in the future.

*Received via Goodreads First Reads*(less)

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Mar 12, 2013 Emily (Heinlen) Davis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cover: The cover really creeps me out. I don't like it.

Story: The story is interesting, but its not the type of story that I like to read. As such, I couldn't really get into it.

Writing: The book is well-written. The author has an excellent grasp of grammar and the English language.

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Dec 09, 2010 Bonnie Maier rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I started this book, I wondered if it would make sense without reading the previous two books in the series. Within the first chapter Dan Ronco had me hooked. While this book is a techno-thriller that pulls you in quick; it will keep you going to the end. The entire premise of the story is the possibility of artificial intelligence combined with mankind’s evolution. Mr. Ronco explores this possible future and what could happen when technology is distorted or misused. His characters are beli...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Krizia Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dan-ronco

"2031" was actually a pretty good book. I've underestimated it. I'm not really into computer related novels but was quite surprised that I loved this. It has a really good story and it was very realistic in a way. I just can imagine this happening into the future. This is really not far from happening and this really makes me scared. I just really loved and hated all the characters. It was actually a relief when Ray Brown killed Dianne Morgan. I was saying "Oh yes you bitch". If Ray Brown didn't...more

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Feb 14, 2011 Stephanie LGW rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: conspiracy-theory, dystopian, world-destruction

Not bad, though the editing on the Kindle left a little bit to be desired (spacing, etc). I downloaded his other 2 books.

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Oct 17, 2010 Philip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Great sci-fi!

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Oct 31, 2011 The TBR Pile *Book review site* rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I believe the beginning had some big structure and pacing problems. That's why it was hard to accompany the plot and keep me interested. It has a lot of good ideas but unfortunately, the way it was presented didn't value the content. Perhaps some more editing and focus on the story would have pleased me more. The writing didn't captivate me and keep reading. I'm a big sci-fi fan but I guess this one wasn't my cup of tea.

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Nov 11, 2010 shinfu marked it as to-read · review of another edition

This looks like it will be a great book to read.

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Oct 23, 2011 Appie Verschoor rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was nice as an ending pf the trilogy, but the first parts were better.

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Nov 11, 2010 Tiffany (Book Cover Justice) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, first-reads

I won this as a Goodreads First-Read.

Not really my preferred genre to read, but I gave it a go and did find myself getting more interested as it went on. Definitely recommended, especially those who really like sci-fi and that area of reading.

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Nov 11, 2010 Landy marked it as to-read · review of another edition

I want to read/review this book.

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Mar 22, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

About a time in the future when humans and artifical intelligence are either going to combine or dominate the other. Good book, but the ending was a bit disappointing.

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May 03, 2013 justablondemoment marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Apr 13, 2013 Jud Hanson added it · review of another edition

Jan 08, 2013 Monica marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Dec 26, 2012 Chris Armstrong marked it as to-read

Dec 12, 2012 Crosszerria Graves rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jul 11, 2012 Ivette Rivera marked it as to-read

Mar 21, 2013 Karen is currently reading it · review of another edition

Mar 29, 2012 Billy Russell marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Dec 30, 2011 Carrie marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Dec 28, 2011 Kellynj marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Dec 28, 2011 Tom-Erik marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: wish-list

Dec 26, 2011 JodiP marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Dec 24, 2011 Silentbud 420 marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi

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About Dan Ronco

Born into a tough neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey, I learned powerful lessons about family, friendship and violence. My escape was fiction, and I spent many hours reading in the local library. My passion was technology and I went on to gain a BS in Chemical Engineering from NJIT. Not enough challenge. Always fascinated by new technologies, I was awarded a full fellowship at Columbia University...more Born into a tough neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey, I learned powerful lessons about family, friendship and violence. My escape was fiction, and I spent many hours reading in the local library. My passion was technology and I went on to gain a BS in Chemical Engineering from NJIT. Not enough challenge. Always fascinated by new technologies, I was awarded a full fellowship at Columbia University and gained a MS in Nuclear Engineering. Although I designed submarine nuclear reactors for three years, I discovered that I enjoyed computer technologies more than reactor design, so I changed career direction and achieved a second MS; this one in Computer Science from RPI.

Fascinated by virtually all areas of software development, my expertise grew to include development, design, project management, quality improvement and finally, general management. My niche was software consulting and my team assisted many large corporations and governmental organizations. Always looking for the latest challenge, I built and managed several consulting practices. I'm especially proud of two accomplishments – assisting AT&T greatly improve the quality of the first commercial UNIX release and helping Microsoft to create a world class consulting organization. Positions held during my consulting years included Senior Principal with an international accounting/consulting firm, President, Software Technology Management Inc. and General Manager with Microsoft.

Several years ago I decided to leave consulting and concentrate on a long held desire to write fiction. A successful engineer and businessman, I had the breath of experience to understand and synthesize rapidly evolving strands of technology. It became clear that fundamental change would turn our society upside down within the next few decades. Humans will have to adapt rapidly to gain the advantages of these changing social and technological innovations. Indeed, we will have to adapt rapidly just to survive.

I scoped out a trilogy of novels to expose three oncoming challenges; computer viruses enhanced with artificial intelligence (set in 2012), the oncoming clash between religion and technology concerning what it means to be human (2022), and the beginnings of the integration of human and artificial intelligence into a network entity (2031). Each novel is written as a thriller – packed with adventure, sex, greed and romance – as well as realistic science and technology. The three leading characters – Dianne Morgan, a female mega-billionaire obsessed with power; Ray Brown, her onetime lover and a brilliant software architect; and David Brown, Ray’s genetically gifted son – are fascinating and all too human.

PeaceMaker, my first novel, was released in August, 2004 with outstanding feedback by critics, authors, and most importantly, by customers. As one critic wrote, " If you enjoy techno-thrillers, you’re going to enjoy Peacemaker." If you prefer reading on-line, PeaceMaker has been posted to my website as a free serial novel.

My second novel, Unholy Domain, was released the spring of 2008 by Kunati Publishing. The response was excellent, and several reviewers compared my writing to that of Philip K. Dick. That might be a stretch, but I'm not complaining.

My third novel, 2031: The Singularity Pogrom, was released at the end of August, 2010.(less)

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2031: The Singularity Pogrom (PeaceMaker #3)

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