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Terms of Use by Scott Allan Morrison
Circles is the most popular social network in the vast, ubiquitous, and constantly evolving. Days before expanding into China, Circles suffers a devastating cyberattack—and a key executive is brutally murdered.As he fights to save the company he helped build, top engineer Sergio Mansour uncovers evidence of a massive conspiracy that turns the power of Circles against its users. But as Sergio investigates, someone is watching his every move—someone ruthless enough to brand him a criminal and set a vicious hit man on his trail.Desperate to clear his name, Sergio turns to Malina Olson, a beautiful and headstrong doctor who has an agenda of her own. Now, he and Malina must survive long enough to expose the truth in a world without hiding places, where a single keystroke can shift the global balance of power.
Hardcover
First published October 27, 2015
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About the author
Scott Allan Morrison
1 book25 followersScott Allan Morrison was a journalist for almost twenty years, covering politics, business, and technology in Mexico, Canada, and the United States. Morrison arrived in Silicon Valley as a reporter for the Financial Times during the darkest days of the dot-com crash. He later wrote about the Web 2.0 boom for Dow Jones Newswires and the Wall Street Journal. Over the course of a decade, Morrison covered most of the world’s top tech companies and chronicled many of Silicon Valley’s greatest stories, including the rise of Internet insecurity and the explosion of social media.
Morrison was born in Toronto and as a child dreamed of playing in the National Hockey League. His playing time was cut short at the tender age of ten when his family moved to Mexico, which at the time had one ice rink in the entire country. Morrison attended the University of Texas at El Paso, where he set his sights on computer science, not realizing that he’d be required to demonstrate, at the very least, a passable proficiency in calculus. He eventually graduated with a degree in journalism from Ryerson University in Canada. In between classes, Morrison waited tables, renovated homes, pulverized mineral samples and guarded inmates at a maximum-security jail. Then he spent four years teaching English and traveling in Southeast Asia. He speaks fluent Spanish and very rusty Mandarin. He lives in Northern California with his wife and his hockey sticks.
Morrison was born in Toronto and as a child dreamed of playing in the National Hockey League. His playing time was cut short at the tender age of ten when his family moved to Mexico, which at the time had one ice rink in the entire country. Morrison attended the University of Texas at El Paso, where he set his sights on computer science, not realizing that he’d be required to demonstrate, at the very least, a passable proficiency in calculus. He eventually graduated with a degree in journalism from Ryerson University in Canada. In between classes, Morrison waited tables, renovated homes, pulverized mineral samples and guarded inmates at a maximum-security jail. Then he spent four years teaching English and traveling in Southeast Asia. He speaks fluent Spanish and very rusty Mandarin. He lives in Northern California with his wife and his hockey sticks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 412 reviews
January 13, 2016
Did not finish. This is supposed to be a smart, hi-tech thriller. The plot is TV movie dumb, not smart. I groaned when a hitman suddenly shows up and starts shooting nerds at a social media company. (groan again) I got halfway through as our heroes evaded the FBI in a crack hotel full of prostitutes in LA by jumping out a window with sheets they tied together. Um, yeah. Done.
Terms of Use isn't a 1-star train wreck, but it isn't worth reading.
2 bill-stars. Not a good read.
Terms of Use isn't a 1-star train wreck, but it isn't worth reading.
2 bill-stars. Not a good read.
December 9, 2015
Good read
I'll admit, this is the first book I've read in a long time. I'm not much of a reader, but I'm trying to make more time for reading. I decided to start with this book because I recently learned about Amazon giving early access to prime members. This book in particular caught my attention because of its thrilling nature and I thought it could keep me entertained. I was not disappointed.
At first I wasn't sure if I liked it or not, possibly due to interruptions I had encountered, but after reading the first quarter of it I was hooked. I read it in two days (because I forced myself to go to sleep and finish it the next day) and I thought it was very well written and extremely suspenseful.
I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good thrill.
I'll admit, this is the first book I've read in a long time. I'm not much of a reader, but I'm trying to make more time for reading. I decided to start with this book because I recently learned about Amazon giving early access to prime members. This book in particular caught my attention because of its thrilling nature and I thought it could keep me entertained. I was not disappointed.
At first I wasn't sure if I liked it or not, possibly due to interruptions I had encountered, but after reading the first quarter of it I was hooked. I read it in two days (because I forced myself to go to sleep and finish it the next day) and I thought it was very well written and extremely suspenseful.
I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good thrill.
December 11, 2015
Incredible book on the possibilities of technology
I gave this book 4 stars taking away one star simply because I reserve 5 stars for books that are just knock my socks off good!
This book is good and suspenseful the story pulls you in and the character development is very well written and thought out.
The intricacies of writing code for social networking sites is way over my head, but I have definitely imagined many of the crimes occurring that happen in this book.
Great book.
I gave this book 4 stars taking away one star simply because I reserve 5 stars for books that are just knock my socks off good!
This book is good and suspenseful the story pulls you in and the character development is very well written and thought out.
The intricacies of writing code for social networking sites is way over my head, but I have definitely imagined many of the crimes occurring that happen in this book.
Great book.
December 15, 2015
This book is OK, perhaps average or a little below average for books I've read. Morrison keeps things moving in a lively manner although some of the events seem a bit improbable to me. I thought the ending was kind of corny, but it was sweet and leaves the reader with a happy feeling. The good guys win, the bad guys lose, and the wicked Republican gets whats coming to him. If you are looking for great literature, this book isn't it, but it will fill an otherwise empty afternoon if you don't have anything better to do.
Full disclosure; I got this book free from the Kindle First program on Amazon. I wavered between giving it 2 or 3 stars. As you can see, I settled on 2, but 3 wouldn't be too unreasonable. I just couldn't bring myself to say "I liked it", which a 3 indicates. If I had known from the beginning how the second half of the book would be, I probably would have passed on it.
Full disclosure; I got this book free from the Kindle First program on Amazon. I wavered between giving it 2 or 3 stars. As you can see, I settled on 2, but 3 wouldn't be too unreasonable. I just couldn't bring myself to say "I liked it", which a 3 indicates. If I had known from the beginning how the second half of the book would be, I probably would have passed on it.
January 23, 2017
Holy Cow! What an AMAZING book! Published in 2015, this is an eerie foreshadowing of what just happened in this presidential election.
In Scott Allan Morrison's version, the bad guys are Chinese instead of Russian. The social media platform involved in trying to influence the election is a fictitious company called Circles that closely resembles Facebook.
This is an absolute PAGE TURNER! Morrison knows his way around Silicon Valley tech culture and demonstrates it here very convincingly. There's a lot of behavioral psychology involved in the plot that mirrors the psychology tech companies use to drive the expansion of social media usage.
Our protagonist, Circles software developer Sergio Mansour, is a good guy with an interesting backstory. He ends up drawn into a complicated mystery with deadly consequences at the same time he meets an attractive ER doctor name Malina Olson. She becomes the book's conscious - bringing up issues of privacy, safety and how much people have given up to big companies who sell their information for profit.
The key word here is "convincing." There was a lot of research done to get the details right. The dialogue and description are well done and the characters believable. This is a fast paced story with international intrigue, narrow escapes, plot twists and surprises right up to the last page.
This is a book that is best read while the debate over possible Russian influence of our recent US Presidential election is still top of mind. It's a thrilling ride!
In Scott Allan Morrison's version, the bad guys are Chinese instead of Russian. The social media platform involved in trying to influence the election is a fictitious company called Circles that closely resembles Facebook.
This is an absolute PAGE TURNER! Morrison knows his way around Silicon Valley tech culture and demonstrates it here very convincingly. There's a lot of behavioral psychology involved in the plot that mirrors the psychology tech companies use to drive the expansion of social media usage.
Our protagonist, Circles software developer Sergio Mansour, is a good guy with an interesting backstory. He ends up drawn into a complicated mystery with deadly consequences at the same time he meets an attractive ER doctor name Malina Olson. She becomes the book's conscious - bringing up issues of privacy, safety and how much people have given up to big companies who sell their information for profit.
The key word here is "convincing." There was a lot of research done to get the details right. The dialogue and description are well done and the characters believable. This is a fast paced story with international intrigue, narrow escapes, plot twists and surprises right up to the last page.
This is a book that is best read while the debate over possible Russian influence of our recent US Presidential election is still top of mind. It's a thrilling ride!
December 13, 2015
A Tantalizing technical Thriller
A wonderful plot, good thriller. However, I was most impressed with the accurate technical details. Reading it reminded me of my first experience with Jurassic Park.
As a programmer, finding good technical writing is almost impossible. The book lays out a dystopian future with a very real sounding Facebook look-a-like. It lays out a future tangibly connected to our zeitgeist. The warning is so convincing that during this election season, the back of my mind will be thinking about it. Who watches the admins?
A wonderful plot, good thriller. However, I was most impressed with the accurate technical details. Reading it reminded me of my first experience with Jurassic Park.
As a programmer, finding good technical writing is almost impossible. The book lays out a dystopian future with a very real sounding Facebook look-a-like. It lays out a future tangibly connected to our zeitgeist. The warning is so convincing that during this election season, the back of my mind will be thinking about it. Who watches the admins?
Read
February 28, 2016Okay, but not great
I think others have pointed out this story reads more like a movie than a book. I'd have to agree. Sometimes the action moves too fast, sometimes the plot twists are jarring, and sometimes the characters commit to their actions too quickly. The explanations of technical aspects are fine but unexpectedly dive into detail in ways that bog down the story.
I got through this book relatively quickly, but that's because it's ultimately a forgettable story.
I think others have pointed out this story reads more like a movie than a book. I'd have to agree. Sometimes the action moves too fast, sometimes the plot twists are jarring, and sometimes the characters commit to their actions too quickly. The explanations of technical aspects are fine but unexpectedly dive into detail in ways that bog down the story.
I got through this book relatively quickly, but that's because it's ultimately a forgettable story.
February 27, 2018
An interesting premise, but poorly executed.
September 14, 2016
Check out this and all my reviews at Brian's Book Blog
The scariest part… is that it could happen
Welcome to a vision of the future that has roots in now. Actually, this isn’t really the future. Circles is the biggest and the best social media platform on the Internet. People log in all day long because they are tied to it in ways that keep them coming back for more. And Circles is trying to keep them there even longer. Suddenly, Circles is hacked and hacked professionally. They didn’t even realize what was going on until it was too late. One of the main people in the innermost part of Circles (called Labs) is then brutally murdered that night. Once Sergio begins to look into what was happening he quickly goes into a rabbit hole like scenario where every turn could cost him his life.
Narration for Terms of Use was done by David Colacci and he absolutely kills it (pardon my pun). Colacci has one of those voices that allows him to talk about a brutal murder scene one minute, and the next explain details about a social bot problem on the Circles network. The quality was perfect, just like every other Brilliance Audio recording that I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.
Well, this book grabbed me by my ankles and pulled me under quick. It just launched me into a world that I’m semi-familiar with (the tech world) and then threw me under a bus when they started revealing some of the back-plot of the story. If you wanted to know what a technothriller was–this is a wonderful example. Taking the techno part is the inner workings of Circles. It’s explained in a way that I think that anyone could understand, but not left too vague so that those that are “in the know” felt tickled as well. The triller part was dead on. You’ve got dead bodies, car chases, gun-fights, hostage situations, and more. What more could one ask for?
Overall, I’m sad that I put this book off for so long (only a month or so). I really enjoyed it and found myself staying up to find out what happened next. The length was perfect, it wasn’t too long where it felt like it was dragging out, or too short where the author left me begging for me — it was just right. The proverbial three little pigs moment.
I will definitely be looking forward to books to come from Morrison.
The scariest part… is that it could happen
Welcome to a vision of the future that has roots in now. Actually, this isn’t really the future. Circles is the biggest and the best social media platform on the Internet. People log in all day long because they are tied to it in ways that keep them coming back for more. And Circles is trying to keep them there even longer. Suddenly, Circles is hacked and hacked professionally. They didn’t even realize what was going on until it was too late. One of the main people in the innermost part of Circles (called Labs) is then brutally murdered that night. Once Sergio begins to look into what was happening he quickly goes into a rabbit hole like scenario where every turn could cost him his life.
Narration for Terms of Use was done by David Colacci and he absolutely kills it (pardon my pun). Colacci has one of those voices that allows him to talk about a brutal murder scene one minute, and the next explain details about a social bot problem on the Circles network. The quality was perfect, just like every other Brilliance Audio recording that I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.
Well, this book grabbed me by my ankles and pulled me under quick. It just launched me into a world that I’m semi-familiar with (the tech world) and then threw me under a bus when they started revealing some of the back-plot of the story. If you wanted to know what a technothriller was–this is a wonderful example. Taking the techno part is the inner workings of Circles. It’s explained in a way that I think that anyone could understand, but not left too vague so that those that are “in the know” felt tickled as well. The triller part was dead on. You’ve got dead bodies, car chases, gun-fights, hostage situations, and more. What more could one ask for?
Overall, I’m sad that I put this book off for so long (only a month or so). I really enjoyed it and found myself staying up to find out what happened next. The length was perfect, it wasn’t too long where it felt like it was dragging out, or too short where the author left me begging for me — it was just right. The proverbial three little pigs moment.
I will definitely be looking forward to books to come from Morrison.
December 29, 2015
Where do I begin? First off, the positives. From a literary standpoint, I think that the topic is relevant, current, and thought provoking. However, as a person who loves to write essays, we should always remember to stick to the thesis. This book had many theses and many different directions it could take. But I'm gonna keep it basic so I don't eat my own words.
As far as what can and will go wrong with the internet and social media, I agree with a lot of the points that come up in this book. A lot of things that happen are a bit far fetched at times, but not impossible. So people should always monitor their online "lives" and be aware of what they are posting. Nothing is ever really private in cyberspace. This story makes you wonder how people can be influenced by the internet and how "realistic" one's online "life" can take over real life. The book does a good job of covering that.
Now to the negatives, I like the thriller aspect of this book, however I think the author tried to be too suspenseful. It was like every 3-5 pages something crazy happened. As I'm thinking "why not call the police?" As far as using social media to influence votes and "rig" elections, I could see where that could play in, but that topic alone could have been its own novel. The other "Lifetimey" aspects of this story I could have also done without. But it's clear that this author was going for entertainment, and some people need the "extra special effects" to keep them interested. So I'm sure other readers enjoyed that, I just thought it cluttered what could have been a great piece of literature. If Morrison would have focused on the potential dangers of using the internet.
All in all, it was a nice little book to read. It was a freebie from Kindle, so you I usually don't set my expectations too high. But it's not bad, it's just a bit much and a bit too dramatic. Also I chose this book amongst others because of the reviews. But now I need to be leery of them because the reviewers either could have been Socialbots (my new word I learned from this book) or friends of the author pimping his book. I was excited by the reviews and after reading this, a bit disappointed. But, you can't win them all.
As far as what can and will go wrong with the internet and social media, I agree with a lot of the points that come up in this book. A lot of things that happen are a bit far fetched at times, but not impossible. So people should always monitor their online "lives" and be aware of what they are posting. Nothing is ever really private in cyberspace. This story makes you wonder how people can be influenced by the internet and how "realistic" one's online "life" can take over real life. The book does a good job of covering that.
Now to the negatives, I like the thriller aspect of this book, however I think the author tried to be too suspenseful. It was like every 3-5 pages something crazy happened. As I'm thinking "why not call the police?" As far as using social media to influence votes and "rig" elections, I could see where that could play in, but that topic alone could have been its own novel. The other "Lifetimey" aspects of this story I could have also done without. But it's clear that this author was going for entertainment, and some people need the "extra special effects" to keep them interested. So I'm sure other readers enjoyed that, I just thought it cluttered what could have been a great piece of literature. If Morrison would have focused on the potential dangers of using the internet.
All in all, it was a nice little book to read. It was a freebie from Kindle, so you I usually don't set my expectations too high. But it's not bad, it's just a bit much and a bit too dramatic. Also I chose this book amongst others because of the reviews. But now I need to be leery of them because the reviewers either could have been Socialbots (my new word I learned from this book) or friends of the author pimping his book. I was excited by the reviews and after reading this, a bit disappointed. But, you can't win them all.
January 26, 2016
Terms of Use is the debut novel by Scott Allan Morrison. It is a cyber/technothriller featuring 50+ year-old Sergio Mansour, an IT engineer at Circles (think Facebook on steroids). He's been with Circles from the start helping to build the worldwide social network that is about to expand into China. He now works in research for Circles and is just about to announce that he's found the ultimate way to protect privacy.
Sergio is an unlikely hero, but he's incredibly resourceful and highly intelligent. Things suddenly start to go badly at Circles - a huge cyberattack and then the murder of his friend/co-worker from Circles. Sergio is framed as a terrorist who is possibly involved in the murder, runs and ends up on the doorstep of Malina Olson. He's had one date with her so I was surprised that he ran to her and even more surprised that she agreed to help him.
Sergio is a very likable and relatable character. His background is interesting and his computer skills are top notch. It is a great deal of fun to watch Sergio try to figure out what is going on with Circles and why he is being framed and by whom. His ability to think ahead and figure things out is just keeping him and Malina safe. Malina Olson is an intelligent woman who I spent much of the novel wondering about. Why was she helping Sergio? Is she also going to act against him? Why does her behavior make no sense? Fortunately the reason is eventually made apparent and it is not at all what I suspected.
There is enough tech in Terms of Use to add layer upon layer of believability without being overwhelming if you are not computer savvy. The secondary characters are well-developed and there are some really scary bad actors who are out to kill Sergio, Malina and anyone who gets in their way.
Terms of Use is a both a cautionary tale regarding tech used against its users and a fun and exciting read. It is crisply written, fast-paced and thrilling. You may never look at social networks the same way again and will definitely be checking your privacy settings.
March 17, 2016
My original Terms of Use audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Circles is the most popular social network in the world. People are drawn to it, not just for the interaction, but because most of their daily lives have some link to it. But when the network is suddenly and professionally hacked, things are suddenly not as good as they seemed.
The narration was done by David Colacci and he does a bang-up job. They really picked a wonderful narrator that fits the work perfectly. The “tone” of the book seemed to work perfectly with Colacci’s narration style and the two really worked off of each other. The quality was what I’ve come to expect from Brilliance audio nothing less than perfect.
Sometimes books take a few minutes for me to get into them. Others take a couple chapters, and some I just have a hard time ever understanding what the author was trying to get to. This book grabbed me from the onset. Granted I work in tech and a lot of what he was writing about I see on a daily basis–but just the overall feel of the book really grabbed me.
The mix of technology and action really makes this the perfect technothriller. There were parts where the action was fast-paced and brutal, then there were parts explaining social bots that were highly technical without being boring. It was really a perfect mix of these two genres.
Overall, I’m sad that I put this book off for so long (only a month or so). I really enjoyed it and found myself staying up to find out what happened next. The length was perfect, it wasn’t too long where it felt like it was dragging out, or too short where the author left me begging for me — it was just right. The proverbial three little pigs moment.
I will definitely be looking forward to books to come from Morrison.
Audiobook was provided for review by the publisher.
Circles is the most popular social network in the world. People are drawn to it, not just for the interaction, but because most of their daily lives have some link to it. But when the network is suddenly and professionally hacked, things are suddenly not as good as they seemed.
The narration was done by David Colacci and he does a bang-up job. They really picked a wonderful narrator that fits the work perfectly. The “tone” of the book seemed to work perfectly with Colacci’s narration style and the two really worked off of each other. The quality was what I’ve come to expect from Brilliance audio nothing less than perfect.
Sometimes books take a few minutes for me to get into them. Others take a couple chapters, and some I just have a hard time ever understanding what the author was trying to get to. This book grabbed me from the onset. Granted I work in tech and a lot of what he was writing about I see on a daily basis–but just the overall feel of the book really grabbed me.
The mix of technology and action really makes this the perfect technothriller. There were parts where the action was fast-paced and brutal, then there were parts explaining social bots that were highly technical without being boring. It was really a perfect mix of these two genres.
Overall, I’m sad that I put this book off for so long (only a month or so). I really enjoyed it and found myself staying up to find out what happened next. The length was perfect, it wasn’t too long where it felt like it was dragging out, or too short where the author left me begging for me — it was just right. The proverbial three little pigs moment.
I will definitely be looking forward to books to come from Morrison.
Audiobook was provided for review by the publisher.
January 9, 2016
I am disappointed in this book and probably not for the same reasons as most would guess. The story was intriguing, and that's why I chose this out of the many Kindle First options for December. It also seemed pretty similar to The Short Drop, which was a Kindle Unlimited option that I quite enjoyed. The two shared a political plotline, which was interesting to me. They are newly published so the political backdrop is probably influenced by the impending election year. What I liked about The Short Drop was that it did not get partisan. Yes, the potential candidate was a sleazy bastard, but it didn't cloud your judgment or experience with the novel by screaming left or right ideals throughout the story. It played its part in the story and stayed out of the way. And then you have Terms of Use, which started out much like The Short Drop, until it decided to portray the Republican presidential candidate as a corrupt and murderous rapist, without giving the Democratic candidate any appearances whatsoever. It wasn't subtle at all. Normally, I can deal with this sort of thing and not care; however, this book was condemning political propaganda via social networking and socialbots, all the while making itself a piece of political propaganda in its own rite. I was really buying into the story, outlandish as it was, until the story became extremely partisan. Then I lost all interest and respect. Better luck next time.
February 5, 2016
Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Terms of Use is about a new social media platform called Circles, one which suffers a devastating cyber attack just days before a major expansion. When the dust settles, a conspiracy threatens the life and safety of Sergio Mansour, the creator of Circles. On the run for his freedom, Sergio has to expose the truth, but he has to stay alive long enough to do it.
Terms of Use suffers, in my opinion, with an identity crisis. It is not really a thriller, a political novel, nor it is a technology/science fiction novel. The technological aspects are described in too much detail for my taste, while the thriller aspects are not detailed enough. Although I do not mind if a book has partisan politics, this aspect might alienate certain readers. The multiple viewpoints were distracting and I found my attention waning for a good portion of this book. Terms of Use just was not a book of my liking, but readers who like to read about technology in a thriller novel might enjoy it.
Terms of Use is about a new social media platform called Circles, one which suffers a devastating cyber attack just days before a major expansion. When the dust settles, a conspiracy threatens the life and safety of Sergio Mansour, the creator of Circles. On the run for his freedom, Sergio has to expose the truth, but he has to stay alive long enough to do it.
Terms of Use suffers, in my opinion, with an identity crisis. It is not really a thriller, a political novel, nor it is a technology/science fiction novel. The technological aspects are described in too much detail for my taste, while the thriller aspects are not detailed enough. Although I do not mind if a book has partisan politics, this aspect might alienate certain readers. The multiple viewpoints were distracting and I found my attention waning for a good portion of this book. Terms of Use just was not a book of my liking, but readers who like to read about technology in a thriller novel might enjoy it.
March 25, 2016
I am the queen of 3 star reviews lately. I have mixed feelings about this book. It was a good book overall, but I did have a few issues. It was suspenseful, fast paced and realistic. The social media aspects are things that could and probably do happen with today's technology. It makes you wonder how secure all of our social media and online privacy settings really are. There is a lot of technical jargon that had me skimming a bit to get past it. It was written so I could understand it, but this is a very technical based book that can be overwhelming. The main characters are interesting, but sometimes it felt forced between the main two characters. There are a lot of secondary characters to keep up with as well. The end felt a bit rushed and endings are a big deal to me. I think if you like technical and suspenseful books that are fast paced that you will enjoy this book.
December 31, 2015
This is a fast-paced thriller, that was easy to read, and equally easy to “over read.” I was constantly doing the “just one more chapter” thing as I read. The technical jargon is for the most part correct, but I did spot an error or two. The rest of the story is believable, and I enjoyed the read. The only issue I had with the book was that the “computer text” displayed here and there on my kindle app was unreadable. At first I would stop, and try to figure out what the text was supposed to read, but I eventually just gave up, and skipped the text.
February 22, 2016
The book is a so-so thriller involving computer coders who work at a fictional version of Facebook, and bad guys who want to control government and wealth. The writing style flows easily enough, and the plot is entertaining enough, although, I'm never a fan of chase scenes and shootouts and fights in a book. I did put the book aside for a while, but then returned and finished it. In other words, it's not compelling reading, but it's good enough to finish, and did its job of keeping me entertained.
December 4, 2015
Very good thriller.
Social network site Circles, bigger than Facebook. A breach in trust with personal data. When we sign on to a site, Terms of Use page comes on, but we quickly scroll down and click on the Agree box. After reading this book, you'll think twice. Big data tools and potential mischief. China, rear earth materials, U.S. Presidential election. Can't wait for the next book from this author.
Social network site Circles, bigger than Facebook. A breach in trust with personal data. When we sign on to a site, Terms of Use page comes on, but we quickly scroll down and click on the Agree box. After reading this book, you'll think twice. Big data tools and potential mischief. China, rear earth materials, U.S. Presidential election. Can't wait for the next book from this author.
March 25, 2016
This book was perfectly entertaining for reading in stolen moments on my Kindle app while nursing or rocking my baby. It moved fast enough to keep me entertained with limited time to focus, and the complexity of the thriller kept me guessing to a certain extent. A fun little read and an interesting story looking into our dependency on social media (clearly the social network "Circles" is actually Facebook) and how easily people can manipulate us through these platforms.
June 14, 2016
I was dubious at first. Murder mystery based on some techie plot of the day. I feared it would be too kitschy, too nerdy, too topical, just too too. I was wrong. After a somewhat stumbling beginning, Morrison managed to tie most of the loose ends together, come up with a plausible plot and ride it to a fairly satisfying end. It's a murder mystery, but it's also a cautionary tale of what could happen-- or probably does happen -- when you lay your life bare on social media.
January 13, 2016
Imagine your social media program creating millions of phony accounts (social bots) who infiltrate your friend list, learn everything they can about you and your friends, then are programmed to influence the presidential election. Science fiction? You may feel differently about that after reading this book. It was fast paced and exciting to read.
December 17, 2015
Fast paced and oiginal
Four stars for this book because it was a fast and entertaining read. Was not as predictable as most thrillers. Unique premise that makes the readers question their own behavior.
Four stars for this book because it was a fast and entertaining read. Was not as predictable as most thrillers. Unique premise that makes the readers question their own behavior.
May 1, 2016
Solid 3.5. You have to suspend disbelief a little bit to read thia book but very interesting concepts and storyline.
August 10, 2017
Terms of Use by Scott Allan Morrison is a hugely compelling and engaging suspense thriller. With elements such as mystery, politics, spies, crime and murder as the driving force of the story, you are in for a rollercoaster ride in this Scott Allan Morrison’s debut novel. The complexity of the characters, the pacing of the story, the ingenuity and originality of this superbly imagined plot and fresh writing style of the author will hook you from cover to cover.
In Terms of Use, Scott Allan Morrison follows a fifty-year-old former Silicon Valley whiz kid, Sergio Mansour, who created a social networking site which is more powerful than Facebook. Though Sergio is committed to his creation, he is also deeply concerned about online privacy and devoted much time to research in order to develop a system that would ensure total privacy. But things started to go wrong suddenly and Sergio finds himself on the run. He must embark on a mission to thwart the designs of those who are bent on destroying his work and reputation, and in turn save mankind from their clutches.
Author Scott Allan Morrison’s debut novel is a supreme work of confidence. Though not without its flaws, it is an amazing debut work guaranteed to engage and entertain readers. The characters are properly fleshed, and Morrison has the habit of planting his characters at the appropriate time and place all over the book. Readers who love the glitz and glamour of technology will most definitely enjoy the work of this new author.
In Terms of Use, Scott Allan Morrison follows a fifty-year-old former Silicon Valley whiz kid, Sergio Mansour, who created a social networking site which is more powerful than Facebook. Though Sergio is committed to his creation, he is also deeply concerned about online privacy and devoted much time to research in order to develop a system that would ensure total privacy. But things started to go wrong suddenly and Sergio finds himself on the run. He must embark on a mission to thwart the designs of those who are bent on destroying his work and reputation, and in turn save mankind from their clutches.
Author Scott Allan Morrison’s debut novel is a supreme work of confidence. Though not without its flaws, it is an amazing debut work guaranteed to engage and entertain readers. The characters are properly fleshed, and Morrison has the habit of planting his characters at the appropriate time and place all over the book. Readers who love the glitz and glamour of technology will most definitely enjoy the work of this new author.
July 25, 2021
Please... keep politics out of it.
Simply not identifying which party the presidential candidate was from, would have satisfied left leaners who would have assumed the candidate was from the right, and right leaners who would have assumed the candidate was from the left. This would have been a case where "less is more." The author clearly projected his bias, which became increasingly distracting as the story progressed.
As a former IT professional specializing in networks, I found most of the technical descriptions of equipment were okay. Some descriptions displayed an abject lack of networking knowledge, especially with the composition and range of IP addresses (Mr. Morrison, do research or don't attempt to be so specific). That said, this is a nitpick that non technical readers will likely miss. The computer configurations date the book, as those configurations intended to sound impressive have quickly become ho-hum.
Overt political bias aside, the story was at times engaging. Then, at times, it was difficult to stay engaged without my mind drifting--I had to backtrack and review often. It seemed the relationship between the protagonist and the female he met at a theater established far too quickly. This nagged me throughout the story and held a tinge of not being believable. There were good twists and some enjoyable action scenes.
Simply not identifying which party the presidential candidate was from, would have satisfied left leaners who would have assumed the candidate was from the right, and right leaners who would have assumed the candidate was from the left. This would have been a case where "less is more." The author clearly projected his bias, which became increasingly distracting as the story progressed.
As a former IT professional specializing in networks, I found most of the technical descriptions of equipment were okay. Some descriptions displayed an abject lack of networking knowledge, especially with the composition and range of IP addresses (Mr. Morrison, do research or don't attempt to be so specific). That said, this is a nitpick that non technical readers will likely miss. The computer configurations date the book, as those configurations intended to sound impressive have quickly become ho-hum.
Overt political bias aside, the story was at times engaging. Then, at times, it was difficult to stay engaged without my mind drifting--I had to backtrack and review often. It seemed the relationship between the protagonist and the female he met at a theater established far too quickly. This nagged me throughout the story and held a tinge of not being believable. There were good twists and some enjoyable action scenes.
August 8, 2018
This book should come with every computer. The backbone of the story is how personal information on social media may be used subtlety to alter user opinions. As one character said "this means the end of free will". The chase of the people who need to prove their innocence by finding the guilty party provides the action in the book. But the real terror occurs between the readers ears. For something published in 2015, before the 2016 election, it is amazingly relevant to today's news and politics. Social bots invade a major social media network and start improving the approval ratings of a presidential candidate. The problem is that it is hard to detect and prove the little things a user sees that moves their opinion. As in real life there is not big news worthy story to point to the source of the problem. We give up so much in the way of personal information that we then lose control over how it will be used. Read the book and be very afraid.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2016
I borrowed this book from a friend of mine. I can say I enjoyed the lecture. It was fast-peaced.
At first, I think the book is kind of boring for people that are not in the IT environment. Nonetheless, as the book progress, it really gets so good. Full of action and plot twists.
I think that the character of Sergio was very good developed: he's smart, brave and courageous. Nonethless, I think that the final action of Malina's character [SPOILER ALERT] didn't fit full enough with the personality that she showed through all the novel.
Finally, I didn't like the end: it was so abrupt and everything "was solved" in 2 chapters. And how they ended the characters of Liu, Predercick and Ko (whose were strong characters all the novel) was so unsatisfying: they didn't even get to speak in the final.
So, 3 stars for that abrupt final :/
At first, I think the book is kind of boring for people that are not in the IT environment. Nonetheless, as the book progress, it really gets so good. Full of action and plot twists.
I think that the character of Sergio was very good developed: he's smart, brave and courageous. Nonethless, I think that the final action of Malina's character [SPOILER ALERT] didn't fit full enough with the personality that she showed through all the novel.
Finally, I didn't like the end: it was so abrupt and everything "was solved" in 2 chapters. And how they ended the characters of Liu, Predercick and Ko (whose were strong characters all the novel) was so unsatisfying: they didn't even get to speak in the final.
So, 3 stars for that abrupt final :/
January 28, 2017
Better than expected
I chose this as a Kindle first pick back in 2015, but I wasn't really interested reading it, I just wasn't interested in ANY of the choices for that particular month. I finally picked it up and read it now. (Jan. 2017) So glad I waited. It wouldn't have had the same impact then as it did now. The plot concerns a social media company, and an attempt to rig an election. Great explanation of how it could be possible, (not how I would have thought). So many similarities with the things that have happened in recent news. Lots of action. I expected this to be a novel for nerdy types. I WAS SO WRONG!
I chose this as a Kindle first pick back in 2015, but I wasn't really interested reading it, I just wasn't interested in ANY of the choices for that particular month. I finally picked it up and read it now. (Jan. 2017) So glad I waited. It wouldn't have had the same impact then as it did now. The plot concerns a social media company, and an attempt to rig an election. Great explanation of how it could be possible, (not how I would have thought). So many similarities with the things that have happened in recent news. Lots of action. I expected this to be a novel for nerdy types. I WAS SO WRONG!
November 20, 2016
This was a Kindle First freebie of the month a few months back that I'd considered choosing but ended up going with a different choice (I can't remember which one, but do remember it was during the stretch where I was hoping to pick something good for a change and realizing I hadn't). It came up as a deeply discounted deal of the day later and I hopped on board, but still ended up leaving it sitting in my to-read queue for a long time.
So, I ended up reading it in the time-frame surrounding the 2016 US Presidential Election, which probably added to some of the resonance of certain aspects of the story (it's really not so much a political thriller, really, just involves a presidential election where certain insights in the novel felt... eerie!).
The hacking and computer stuff was handled quite well for fiction - not overly simplified, not ridiculous unrealistic stuff, and not so complex you couldn't follow it. The obvious commentary on society, social media, politics, privacy, etc. was usually handled well, though at times a bit heavy handed. There were only a couple of times that the protagonist's ability to get out of trouble felt forced. Good page turner that didn't broadcast everything from the outset.
The ending, though, could have been fleshed out better and perhaps given a little less "wrapped up with a perfect Martha Stewart bow" feeling - the falling action could have been expanded significantly to feel a more complete.
So, I ended up reading it in the time-frame surrounding the 2016 US Presidential Election, which probably added to some of the resonance of certain aspects of the story (it's really not so much a political thriller, really, just involves a presidential election where certain insights in the novel felt... eerie!).
The hacking and computer stuff was handled quite well for fiction - not overly simplified, not ridiculous unrealistic stuff, and not so complex you couldn't follow it. The obvious commentary on society, social media, politics, privacy, etc. was usually handled well, though at times a bit heavy handed. There were only a couple of times that the protagonist's ability to get out of trouble felt forced. Good page turner that didn't broadcast everything from the outset.
The ending, though, could have been fleshed out better and perhaps given a little less "wrapped up with a perfect Martha Stewart bow" feeling - the falling action could have been expanded significantly to feel a more complete.
June 19, 2017
Disappointing. This should have been a great book but fell so far short of the mark it is difficult to find in the weeds. Way too much gratuitous technology was injected too often; in the end an absurdly low-tech fix is required. The characters are one-dimensional, shallow, and unconvincing (most readers, for example, will probably find the named FBI agents to be completely interchangeable). I think there were three major intertwined plots. One would have been enough, none of them was done well. Ripped from the headlines is fine. Cut and pasted from the headlines is not.
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