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Apex
(Nexus #3)
by
The Explosive Conclusion to Nexus and Crux
Global unrest spreads through the US, China, and beyond. Secrets and lies set off shockwaves of anger, rippling from mind to mind. Riot police battle neurally-linked protesters. Armies are mobilized. Political orders fall. Nexus-driven revolution is here.
Against this backdrop, a new breed of post-human children are growing into t ...more
Global unrest spreads through the US, China, and beyond. Secrets and lies set off shockwaves of anger, rippling from mind to mind. Riot police battle neurally-linked protesters. Armies are mobilized. Political orders fall. Nexus-driven revolution is here.
Against this backdrop, a new breed of post-human children are growing into t ...more
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Kindle Edition, 608 pages
Published
May 5th 2015
by Angry Robot
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Executive Summary: This series has been a fortuitous discovery, and Mr. Naam does an excellent job bringing it to a satisfying conclusion.
Full Review
This series is yet another reason I'm glad I found Goodreads. I might never have discovered it otherwise.
The fact that I read this book, rather than waiting for the audio book to come out should be a good indication as to how I excited I was for it. My reading time is precious and my reading speed poor. I made sure to clear my schedule so I'd be ...more
Full Review
This series is yet another reason I'm glad I found Goodreads. I might never have discovered it otherwise.
The fact that I read this book, rather than waiting for the audio book to come out should be a good indication as to how I excited I was for it. My reading time is precious and my reading speed poor. I made sure to clear my schedule so I'd be ...more

Apex is a great conclusion to the Nexus trilogy, a cyberpunk science fiction that blended thought-provoking social commentary with relatable characters and emotional resonance.
Imagine having the internet, a virtual reality platform and personal hard drives hosted in the brains of thousands or millions of the human race. And it's an open shareware where anyone with unlimited connectivity can freely contribute any application. This, in essence, propagates a single vast mind which is greater than ...more
Imagine having the internet, a virtual reality platform and personal hard drives hosted in the brains of thousands or millions of the human race. And it's an open shareware where anyone with unlimited connectivity can freely contribute any application. This, in essence, propagates a single vast mind which is greater than ...more

I loved the first two books in this series, Nexus and Crux so I couldn't wait for the final book to come out in May 2015. However, I couldn't get into Apex when I first got it. It was slow, too many new POV characters, largely uninteresting. So I put it down and figured I'd come back to it later. Over a year later, I did and much to my chagrin, my initial impression was correct and the book was ultimately a disappointment.
Apex picks up immediately after the events of Crux (which I largely forgot ...more
Apex picks up immediately after the events of Crux (which I largely forgot ...more

May 05, 2015
Bradley
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
sci-fi,
transhumanism
This third novel is a serious departure from the first two. Global politics and truly high stakes action is involved, including several full-featured revolutions, the machinations of an evil world-mind, and a nuclear war. Sound pretty epic? It is.
And there was enough action and solid pace to make the introduction of many new characters worth continuing.
Don't worry, though! If you're worried that those surviving main characters don't carry over into this novel, rest assured. All of them have cen ...more
And there was enough action and solid pace to make the introduction of many new characters worth continuing.
Don't worry, though! If you're worried that those surviving main characters don't carry over into this novel, rest assured. All of them have cen ...more

Ramex Naam’s Nexus Arc has become wildly popular since I read the first installment back in early 2013. I’ve enjoyed this series and would recommend it to pretty much anyone interested in near-future scifi, but I have to admit that Apex was a rather lukewarm finale.
While Naam has created a vibrant speculative landscape full of tantalizing and terrifying futuretech, he has also failed to temper his obnoxious penchant for dull, sloppy prose. I wouldn’t have thought it possible that the third book ...more
While Naam has created a vibrant speculative landscape full of tantalizing and terrifying futuretech, he has also failed to temper his obnoxious penchant for dull, sloppy prose. I wouldn’t have thought it possible that the third book ...more

Love love love this series. Ramen Naam is doing some of the best speculative writing on neuroscience, AI, the mind, and what it means to be human that I have ever read. He's got a lot of great essays and non-fiction, too–this is one sharp dude. I highly recommend the Nexus series (Nexus, Crux, and this book, Apex) to anyone interested in good scifi and/or having your mind opened to the possibilities (and dangers) that lie ahead for us.
...more

2 Stars
Apex was a huge disappointment for me.
It was long, drawn out, predictable, boring, and little happens for much of this book. It is completely unlike the first two books. I pretty much hated it.
The series had potential to be an all time classic and for the first two books it still is. The conclusion is not up to the standards set in the first two books.
I love the high concepts in the series but hated the ending.
Oh well, it happens.
Apex was a huge disappointment for me.
It was long, drawn out, predictable, boring, and little happens for much of this book. It is completely unlike the first two books. I pretty much hated it.
The series had potential to be an all time classic and for the first two books it still is. The conclusion is not up to the standards set in the first two books.
I love the high concepts in the series but hated the ending.
Oh well, it happens.

A satisfying and somewhat terrifying conclusion to a trilogy I couldn't put down.
...more

As part of my ongoing quest to finish up some series and trilogies I have started before this year, I requested the last book of the Nexus trilogy from interlibrary loan. I love Ramez Naam's treatment of the post-human idea (he calls it transhuman which is a more politically correct term in the 21st century probably), but there are some things that made me enjoy this book slightly less than the others. Still solid, still hard to put down.
Putting some of this behind a spoiler tag since it might s ...more
Putting some of this behind a spoiler tag since it might s ...more

APEX is the third volume of Ramez Naam's trilogy that began with NEXUS and continued with CRUX. These are near-future thrillers that deal with a technology that is able to link brains to one another. In the real world, there has already been research on technologies that would allow brain trasmissions on a very primitive level. Disabled people can, to some extent, relay commands to a computer through thought alone -- their neural impulses get transmitted to the machine, and translated into comma
...more

Darn its been near on a year since I read the last part which I could tell after only a few pages as its straight into the action & Im a little lost but we soon whip around all the plot threads & characters & ive got the thread of the story if not all the names..... I really should go back-2-back on some of these trilogies..... note to self.... AGAIN!
Its a fast paced read, very readable too which has been the draw for this trilogy throughout, not once has it bogged me down with tech heavy narrat ...more
Its a fast paced read, very readable too which has been the draw for this trilogy throughout, not once has it bogged me down with tech heavy narrat ...more

The final installment in the Nexus trilogy wraps up the storyline and is not a stand-alone story by any means. This time around there's a slow-build up in intensity over about 850 pages with a lot of action at the end but quite a few slow parts leading up to the finish. It feels a bit wordy in a way that the prior two installments didn't, but it's still a worthy conclusion to an award-winning science-fiction technothriller trilogy that explores the the idea of post-humanism.
...more

I was super excited to find the next book of this series on my kindle.. it sucks that I had to buy it though. Okay, so other than my excitement for this book.. well.. I was a bit bored this time around. I mean, I still love certain characters and I guess the science-y part of it all.. and yet, I still found myself getting bored.
Now Apex is the third book of this series and it falls right after the second book. I feel like there was a bit too much to follow this time around. Plus, I did feel myse ...more
Now Apex is the third book of this series and it falls right after the second book. I feel like there was a bit too much to follow this time around. Plus, I did feel myse ...more

I read these as a series and am reviewing them as such (although I would like to say that this is a series I enjoyed less and less as I went along, ergo the dropping in stars as we progress).
There are some really great concepts here. Especially in the first book the way that drugs, nanotech and augmentations combine to create near-post-humans and post-humans is beautifully explored. The repercussions of this on society and the way in which people let fear of the unknown dictate their actions equ ...more
There are some really great concepts here. Especially in the first book the way that drugs, nanotech and augmentations combine to create near-post-humans and post-humans is beautifully explored. The repercussions of this on society and the way in which people let fear of the unknown dictate their actions equ ...more

Jul 26, 2018
Erik
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
scififantasy,
detailed-review
Transhumanism
In his essay ‘Why Socialism?’ Albert Einstein remarks upon a concept that lies at the heart of this sci-fi series, the extinction of the human race:
In his essay ‘Why Socialism?’ Albert Einstein remarks upon a concept that lies at the heart of this sci-fi series, the extinction of the human race:
I recently discussed with an intelligent and well-disposed man the threat of another war, which in my opinion would seriously endanger the existence of mankind, and I remarked that only a supra-national organization would offer protection from that danger. Thereupon my visitor, very calmly and coolly, said to me: “Why are you so deeply o...more

The Apex of the Nexus trilogy was unfortunately too revolutionary, too politic, too spirituel, too ferocious, too glorious, too self-sacrificing, too trigger-happy and too long. I still enjoyed the conclusion, but it felt forced. Politics do not seem to be the author’s strength, though there certainly was some truth in his visions. As before, I disliked the spiritualism of connectivity – does no one want to keep some secrets? Also, some character got renamed from Ava (second book) to Kate (th
...more

Apex is the final book in the trilogy that began with Nexus. It begins at pretty much the same instant that the previous book left off. I thought it wrapped up the trilogy well, although there was one thing near the end that I wish hadn’t happened. By the end, the author had addressed all of the many little plot threads and character arcs. He didn’t necessarily tie everything up into a neat little package, which can sometimes feel unrealistic anyway, but he provided a good idea of where things w
...more

Naam does a spectacular job of tension filled, epic endings. The pacing in this book, compared to Crux was much better. I was engaged the whole way.
I liked the issues Naam brought up although some of the situations were getting a bit far fetched. Although I think he belabored the Budhism aspect, I loved that part and was lost in the feelings of peace he so skillfully wrote about.
My first 5 star book in a while, loved the issues, loved the characters, loved the action and tension and (view spoile ...more
I liked the issues Naam brought up although some of the situations were getting a bit far fetched. Although I think he belabored the Budhism aspect, I loved that part and was lost in the feelings of peace he so skillfully wrote about.
My first 5 star book in a while, loved the issues, loved the characters, loved the action and tension and (view spoile ...more

With Apex Ramez Naam brings his debut series to a satisfying conclusion, though in a less enthralling and more hodgepodge fashion. More satisfying in the handling of the thematic idea of AI (4.5 stars), and less so for the writing (3 stars). Overall it's more 3.5 stars than 4 stars. I felt his writing is weaker in Book 3. I still don't like his style of repeating bits of dialogue when switching from scene to scene. Mr Naam still needs to hone his craft for finer literary prose and Book 3 probabl
...more

I feel almost guilty saying this because I was practically shouting from the rooftops on the previous two that sci-fi lovers everywhere should read this series, but I didn't care for this one nearly as much. My major problem was that the first half of the book was just so bloody boring. Naam spent an incredible amount of time showing us how great Nexus was, how far reaching the mind could be with it, but after two books full of that, I didn't need a third. For most of the first half, I could onl
...more

3.5 stars, rounded up because I think the trilogy was really good. I love the idea of Nexus, and I liked throughout the trilogy how the author explored many of the ramifications. However, I had a hard time getting into this book - there were a LOT of new points of view, and lots of switching between them. I didn't hate any of them, but I didn't feel compelled to read another short chapter about another person I didn't really know. It took me about a month to read the first 60% - I'd pick it up a
...more

In this thrilling conclusion to the Nexus trilogy, Naam creates a world that is coming apart at the seams. No one is in control, and no one knows who their real enemies are. While Nexus and Crux were complex, international technothrillers, in Apex the conspiracies run deeper, the global repercussions are wider, and the cast of characters has expanded to include Chinese actors, Indian spies, and an all-female DC hacker collective. Of course, Naam continues to do what he does best - things blow up
...more

[Note: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.]
I was instantly captivated by Ramez Naam's sci-fi debut, Nexus, and have loved reading how his characters and this near-future Earth have responded to the burgeoning transhuman movement. With Apex, Naam picks up the story threads left at the end of book two, Crux, and delivers a highly satisfying conclusion to his series.
Apex is a large book, in both page count and scope. The advanced brain enhancement technology of the Nex ...more
I was instantly captivated by Ramez Naam's sci-fi debut, Nexus, and have loved reading how his characters and this near-future Earth have responded to the burgeoning transhuman movement. With Apex, Naam picks up the story threads left at the end of book two, Crux, and delivers a highly satisfying conclusion to his series.
Apex is a large book, in both page count and scope. The advanced brain enhancement technology of the Nex ...more

Wow. And that's with a slow and confused start. Though perhaps if I had just read the other two books it would have felt smoother. There are a lot of well done details here. A lot of character actions that just felt right. And there's a lot of technology and society stuff going on as well, perhaps too much. But the strongest part of the book is the feeling of optimism in the chaos and fear. Not a book for the masses perhaps, but worth reading and discussing.
...more

Didn't actually finish this.
...more

A satisfying ending to a great science fiction saga. Thoroughly enjoyable, readable and somewhat realistic (in its politics) as well!

I received an advanced review ebook of this for free through NetGalley. I don't think it affected my review. What may have affected the review was my enjoyment for the previous books, which is why I signed up to get the early look... I just couldn't wait until it came out in stores.
Nexus, the nanotechnological drug that connects people mind-to-mind, continues to spread and make changes on the world. Kaden Lane continues to struggle with preventing abuses of the technology, and preventing those ...more
Nexus, the nanotechnological drug that connects people mind-to-mind, continues to spread and make changes on the world. Kaden Lane continues to struggle with preventing abuses of the technology, and preventing those ...more

I read the first book in this series in December 2015 and liked it so much I immediately bought the rest of the series. I read the second book in the series in April 2017 and while I did not like as well as the first, my review tells me I was definitely going to read the third. And I did - in January 2020. It was just what I needed after reading The Memory Police -- something with a lot of action and improbable scenarios.
When I started this, the third installment, I did not remember much of what ...more
When I started this, the third installment, I did not remember much of what ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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http://www.healthdietalert.com/apex-plump/ | 1 | 2 | Dec 13, 2016 11:36PM | |
http://www.healthdietalert.com/apex-plump/ | 1 | 1 | Dec 05, 2016 04:15AM | |
http://www.healthdietalert.com/apex-plump/ | 1 | 1 | Nov 28, 2016 01:09AM | |
The Not a Book Cl...: Apex: Section 5 - Chapters 118-End (Full Spoilers) | 13 | 25 | Oct 06, 2016 01:37AM | |
Norwescon: Apex | 2 | 6 | Feb 17, 2016 09:05PM | |
2015 Reading Chal...: Apex by Ramez Naam | 2 | 14 | Aug 11, 2015 06:04PM | |
The Not a Book Cl...: Apex: Section 2 - Chapters 23-52 | 8 | 16 | Jun 17, 2015 07:13AM |
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Ramez Naam was born in Cairo, Egypt, and came to the US at the age of 3. He's a computer scientist who spent 13 years at Microsoft, leading teams working on email, web browsing, search, and artificial intelligence. He holds almost 20 patents in those areas.
Ramez is the winner of the 2005 H.G. Wells Award for his non-fiction book More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement. He' ...more
Ramez is the winner of the 2005 H.G. Wells Award for his non-fiction book More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement. He' ...more
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