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Fox Meridian #5
Emergence
noun. 1. The process of becoming visible after being concealed. 2. The process of coming into existence or prominence. 3. In philosophy, art, and systems theory, a process where complex systems can exhibit properties none of its constituent parts possess. Sometimes, when something emerges, you’re better off not knowing. A routine security operation requiring no input from the investigation division turns into a hunt for a malicious hacker when one of the world’s most popular musicians is targeted. Fox Meridian and her team must fly to Japan to keep Nishi Sakura and her girlfriend, Charlie Iberson, safe from a skilled, manipulative man known only as Minotaur. But as organised crime becomes involved and an old enemy resurfaces, the stakes for Fox and everyone around her have never been higher.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 22, 2016
23 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Niall Teasdale
73 books292 followersI was born in the vicinity of Hadrian's Wall so perhaps a bit of history rubbed off. Ancient history obviously, and border history, right on the edge of the Empire. I always preferred the Dark Ages anyway; there’s so much more room for imagination when people aren’t writing down every last detail. So my idea of a good fantasy novel involved dirt and leather, not shining plate armour and Hollywood-medieval manners. The same applies to my sci-fi, really; I prefer gritty over shiny.
Oddly, then, one of the first fantasy novels I remember reading was The Dark Is Rising, by Susan Cooper (later made into a terrible juvenile movie). These days we would call Cooper’s series Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy and looking back on it, it influenced me a lot. It has that mix of modern day life, hidden history, and magic which failed to hit popular culture until the early days of Buffy and Anne Rice. Of course, Cooper’s characters spend their time around places I could actually visit in Cornwall, and South East England, and mid-Wales. In fact, when I went to university in Aberystwyth, it was partially because some of Cooper’s books were set a few miles to the north around Tywyn.
I got into writing through roleplaying, however, so my early work was related to the kind of roleplaying game I was interested in. I wrote “high fantasy” when I was playing Dungeons & Dragons. I wrote a lot of superhero fiction when I was playing City of Heroes. I still loved the idea of a modern world with magic in it and I’ve been trying to write a novel based on this for a long time. As with any form of expression, practice is the key and I can look back on all the aborted attempts at books, and the more successful short stories, as steps along the path to the Thaumatology Series.
As of 2015, I have thrown in my lot with writing. After thirty years of being a computer programmer I am making enough money to quit the day job and write full time. Dreams, occasionally, come true. My favourite authors are Terry Pratchett, Susan Cooper, and (recently) Kim Harrison. Kim’s Hollows books were what finally spurred me to publish something, even if the trail to here came by way of Susan, back in school, several decades ago.
Oddly, then, one of the first fantasy novels I remember reading was The Dark Is Rising, by Susan Cooper (later made into a terrible juvenile movie). These days we would call Cooper’s series Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy and looking back on it, it influenced me a lot. It has that mix of modern day life, hidden history, and magic which failed to hit popular culture until the early days of Buffy and Anne Rice. Of course, Cooper’s characters spend their time around places I could actually visit in Cornwall, and South East England, and mid-Wales. In fact, when I went to university in Aberystwyth, it was partially because some of Cooper’s books were set a few miles to the north around Tywyn.
I got into writing through roleplaying, however, so my early work was related to the kind of roleplaying game I was interested in. I wrote “high fantasy” when I was playing Dungeons & Dragons. I wrote a lot of superhero fiction when I was playing City of Heroes. I still loved the idea of a modern world with magic in it and I’ve been trying to write a novel based on this for a long time. As with any form of expression, practice is the key and I can look back on all the aborted attempts at books, and the more successful short stories, as steps along the path to the Thaumatology Series.
As of 2015, I have thrown in my lot with writing. After thirty years of being a computer programmer I am making enough money to quit the day job and write full time. Dreams, occasionally, come true. My favourite authors are Terry Pratchett, Susan Cooper, and (recently) Kim Harrison. Kim’s Hollows books were what finally spurred me to publish something, even if the trail to here came by way of Susan, back in school, several decades ago.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 17, 2023
Sometimes I just have to grump
Niall Teasdale is one of the best authors out there who mixes science fiction/paranormal romance/murder mystery into her writing.
And she usually does a clear job both explicitating her technical vocabulary and using it.
So I was confused when her copy editor get away with inconsistent usage between AI's and Isomorph's.
She had Isomorph's helping her network technicians. Why were they not called AI's?
If Isomorph's "grow" rather than are programmed. Then why would you grow anti-malware?
One major headache with Neural networks is the inability to "audit" how they got to their solutions. That may be good technology but it is not good science.
Do not let my nit picking keep you from enjoying this author.
Read her.
Niall Teasdale is one of the best authors out there who mixes science fiction/paranormal romance/murder mystery into her writing.
And she usually does a clear job both explicitating her technical vocabulary and using it.
So I was confused when her copy editor get away with inconsistent usage between AI's and Isomorph's.
She had Isomorph's helping her network technicians. Why were they not called AI's?
If Isomorph's "grow" rather than are programmed. Then why would you grow anti-malware?
One major headache with Neural networks is the inability to "audit" how they got to their solutions. That may be good technology but it is not good science.
Do not let my nit picking keep you from enjoying this author.
Read her.
July 14, 2017
Hackers, Japan and Infomorphes.
A routine checkup on a musician client reveals some trouble with a malicious hacker/ stalker. Still
things go just fine, until they don't and this hacker turns out to be a lot more dangerous than initially thought. Ohh and Yakuza, IAs!
Loved this novel. More private and corporate, than police investigation, but definitely cool. The additional involvement of yakuza and the fight with an old enemy make for a enjoyable read.
A routine checkup on a musician client reveals some trouble with a malicious hacker/ stalker. Still
things go just fine, until they don't and this hacker turns out to be a lot more dangerous than initially thought. Ohh and Yakuza, IAs!
Loved this novel. More private and corporate, than police investigation, but definitely cool. The additional involvement of yakuza and the fight with an old enemy make for a enjoyable read.
July 31, 2016
A highlight in the series. For once, because it contained much less of police procedures, which bored me in the other parts. For another, because I *love* hacking, counterhacking, and pursuing black hats in the 'net.
So those people who are not as computer-nerdy as me, and people who love to read about police procedures, be warned. You might feel out of place here.
So those people who are not as computer-nerdy as me, and people who love to read about police procedures, be warned. You might feel out of place here.
August 2, 2016
Most definitely loved this new story, everything was layed out rather nicely. I am definitely looking forward to the next chapter.
July 27, 2016
From a pool
Ok you'll get that when you get to the end. This left me craving the next book in this series and hoping for the next Anika book... Seriously where is it!
Ok you'll get that when you get to the end. This left me craving the next book in this series and hoping for the next Anika book... Seriously where is it!
August 1, 2016
Great book
I really enjoyed thus book and this series just keeps getting better and better. I can't wait to see what happens with Fox and Kit next.
I really enjoyed thus book and this series just keeps getting better and better. I can't wait to see what happens with Fox and Kit next.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews