The much endorsed Daemon... and trying to read it

[Andrew]

Long before the author, Daniel Suarez, the 27th episode of 'Sword and Laser' I heard Daemon recommended to me over and over, including Leo Laporte.

Due to some other novels I was reading (Eleanor Rigby, Neverwhere, Good Omens and a few more), but I finally got to reading it after the interview.

Honestly, I could not read it. I found this hard to believe, even being it from myself, as so many people praised this book so highly, but after a dozen attempts, I still could not read it. The sentences were short and distracting, to the point where to get anywhere in the page I had to imagine commas and semicolons.

Also, some people spoke that the author actually knows about the technology he writers about. While I do not doubt this, I found his specific descriptions superfluous,

I also found the plot predictable, but as I never got past chapter 10, I cannot yet accuse it of being so.

Please do not hate me, but am I not the only one here that thought as so?

Daemon

[terpkristin]

I definitely thought that the books had good points and down points. I also seem to remember it was a slow starter for me. I finished it, and really hated the ending, but ended up reading the sequel, too (don't ask why). I wouldn't call it great by any means, and it's certainly not a "must-read" or a book I'll read again.

I think, if I hadn't been fairly isolated on work travel, I probably wouldn't have finished it.

[Wayne]

Andrew wrote: "Long before the author, Daniel Suarez, the 27th episode of 'Sword and Laser' I heard Daemon recommended to me over and over, including Leo Laporte.

Due to some other novels I was reading (Eleano..."

Yes you are the only one ;) I personally could not put it down. I am a software developer for a living so that might be a part of it. I have not read "Freedom" yet, but it will be my next book after "The Windup Girl".

[Scott]

I really enjoyed Daemon and how it starts so simple and ends so out of conrol.

I read Freedom too. Did not like it as much as it has a very strong 'war' sort of slant to it that I didn't like. I found it less technically stimulating, but a good story and I liked the end.

[Shawn]

No, you're not alone. I'm reading it now (based on the same recommendations). While I love the premise, despite being a software developer myself I have many of the same issues with the writing that you do. I'm still relatively early in the first book, as I've only been able to digest it a chapter at a time while reading other things in between.

[Jlawrence, S&L Moderator]

I absolutely gobbled it up - found it a fascinating combo of thriller and extrapolation of current-and-near-future technologies. It's sequel, Freedom, however, did not have that page-turner effect on me -- I still found it interesting, but I did not zoom through it like I did with Daemon.

[Andrew]

terpkristin wrote: "I definitely thought that the books had good points and down points. I also seem to remember it was a slow starter for me. I finished it, and really hated the ending, but ended up reading the sequ..."

I have a bad habit of buying a new book before I finish the one I am reading, so when I did manage to read any of Daemon I was constantly haunted by the covers of so many other books I could be reading

[Nemaruse]

Andrew wrote: "...constantly haunted by other covers..."

Is it that good? :)

[Martin]

Reading the previous comments I realized that you might enjoy the book more if you have a technical background. I'm a programmer myself an really liked Daemon as a technology-heavy detective novel, but in my book (no pun intended) I didn't really see the book as a stand alone novel as it's so tightly coupled with Freedom. Without Freedom Daemon doesn't really make sense. Freedom on the other hand I found a bit too 'political' to be really enjoyable. It was however very thought provoking.

[Patrick]

I would rate myself as a Fanboy, and loved both books. However, I consider this very similar to Accelerando. Many times you've got to stop and do a little research on what's going on. If I ever run out of planned books to read, I'm going to go through the suggested books in the back.

I would love to not have to explain my job to people, and just have a HUD display show me as a LVL X - Computer Technician.

[Chris]

I loved both books but can say not all books appeal to all people. For example, I am forcing myself to read The Once and Future King and am not enjoying it. I am about 1/3 of the way through it and plan to press onward, but I guess my taste for Arthurian legend was spoiled by the many movies and TV shows.

As for Deamon and its sequel, I could not put them down. The use of the dark net and other tech appealed to me enough to overlook any other shortcomings.