Too Much Information

by David Deane Haskell

In an era of terrorism and pandemics, with constant threats from differing but equally destructive sources, Thermo-Magnetic Imaging machines represent a seemingly perfect solution. But as privacy and health concerns grow ever more complex, this cutting edge technology delivers more than anyone had bargained for. While the forces behind the scenes fight to conceal their true agenda, the public struggles to cope with a new paradigm so invasive their innermost secrets are laid bare under its powerful lens.
Rob Folsom is a civil liberties activist, a staunch defender of privacy rights. Rosa Perez, a government agent specializing in surveillance, seems an unlikely candidate for him to represent. As Rob is pulled into her world, a world of high-tech spying, corporate intrigue, and black ops government agencies, he becomes caught in a perilous game of cat and mouse. As the target of interest switches from client to advocate, Rob has to find a way to stop them before they sabotage everything he has worked for...

Genres: Mystery Thriller, Dystopia, Thriller, Suspense

337 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 9, 2013

About the author

David Deane Haskell is an author of Sweeping Science Fiction Worlds and Deep Recovery Memoirs, exploring the high-stakes intersection of AI Ethics, future technologies, and Inner Child Mindfulness.

Writing from the painful experience of profound transformation, David seeks to bridge the gap between fiction and non-fiction, finding that grounded middle that keeps us healing, and hopeful, through the art of story connection.

His memoir Wounded Angels is a raw, intimate plunge into addiction, self-loathing, and the long road out. His fiction weaves AI futures with ancient echoes, where machines dream and broken hearts remember how to feel. Every word is written for those who’ve tried everything and still ache for truth. If that’s you—welcome home.

Reviews

[Al · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept of this near future technothriller is a good one. With recent revelations about the actions of the NSA, if you can picture the technology depicted as being on the near horizon (not that big a stretch), it is both timely and credible. The potential for a good story is here.

However, the story as delivered fell short of that potential. The reasons are three-fold. First, is the technical, with more polish needed to shake out the numerous typos and grammar errors.

The second area are issues of writing craft, with multiple instances of head hopping, a tendency to tell something that should have been shown, and a character or the narrator magically knowing something that they couldn’t.

The final area of concern were things happening that made no sense. Some were minor. For example when the protagonist saw a squirrel hop from a tree branch as his car was crashing into the tree. Another was a sequence where a couple of the characters had to attend a meeting, sneak into another part of a building (which involves bypassing a security measure to get there), break into a computer, locate and download some files from that computer, and get out of the building, all in thirty minutes. I’m not sure which was less believable, that the characters thought they could do this or that they managed to do it without getting caught.

Others were major, at least to me. For example during a court case a judge allowed the protagonist, Rob, to call a “rebuttal witness” in the middle of the other side putting on their case. Anyone who has watched more than one or two fictional court cases in a movie or on a TV show would be left scratching their head, wondering when the rules changed.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the premise of this book was good - is the government stepping in too much when it comes to our safety and is it really just our safety that they are looking out for, or is it a case of Big Brother?

It did take me at least half the book to get into it...I felt like there was too much flip flopping between characters and scenes and I didn't think that the story didn't flow well until near the end and then it really got my attention.

I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Daniël Crompton · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a first time author this blew me away. Naturally there are many things which could be changed, or tweaked, and they shouldn't be. This is a little gem.

[Shandee E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book navigates the world twisted world of Law, bureaucrats, technology, and conspiracy. All while unfolding in such a realistic way as to draw the reader in and completely messing with their head in the process. In the beginning it is a little slow getting into it. The cut off points between perspectives are rather abrupt, and sometimes downright distracting. It did throw me off a bit at times. I kept reading and then like a massive train at the top of a mountain it took off and smashes through any preconceived ideas I had about this novel.

Around chapters 6-8 I started to really get into the story. The story started to flow much easier. Ten chapters later and I didn't want to put down my iPad to sleep. I appreciate the authors realism in writing a story that could easily be paralleled from near future and current times. Technological insights that I never thought of such as the permanent surveillance systems.

Actually I flew back into Detroit Metro Airport less then a week after the real life "Underwear bomber." I was instantly hooked into and attached to this story line. At the airport screening I was groped in the same way, if not more as when I had visited a high school fling in Prison. Actually the prison guards were nicer than most of the TSA people I've encountered. I found the prison searches to be less invasive then the current screenings. If that doesn't say something about the current state of security I don't know what does. I haven't been through the big scanners at airports. Honestly I'm glad because to me this novel could easily be pulled straight from someone's diary. Which is terrifying!! This story definitely plays off of current public and personal security fears.

I love the intra-character relationships in this story though some of them need to be a bit more rounded. Some of the Many characters can be forgettable. I did notice a few small grammar and punctuation mistakes. Though not many. I feel the author did a great job revising and editing. He definitely spent a lot of time researching. It really shows in the quality and sheer depth of knowledge. Not ashamed to say I had to look up a few words.

Love the little Harry Potter nods! As well as the paraphrasing from A Few Good Men by Adler.
The last 11 chapters are amazing! I ended up reading through the night and on into the dawn. This is one of those fantastic books that leaves you sitting there slack-jawed for a moment after you turn that last page, all you can do is say "Oh my God," and set the book down. In my case kindle for iPad. Then proceed to want to check your room for bugs.

I am honestly amazed that this is Mr. Haskell's debut novel! He seems like he's been writing novels for years. Thank you for making me thoroughly paranoid after reading this book. Holy Cow, please write a sequel! I have so many questions as to what happens next. In any case it is a great book and I really enjoyed reading it.

It's a very interesting book and I recommend everyone give it a read. It just may surprise you.

[Shannon Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read the teaser for this book I knew I had to read more. I'm a huge fan of suspense novels and I love writers that really pull the reader in and hold their attention throughout the book.

David Haskell's 'Too Much Information' keeps you on your toes from beginning to surprising end. I found myself not able to put the book down because I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. The plot of the movie is so realistic and very close to what we are experiencing in our society today. The characters of the book were very complex and realistic as well.

This book really reminded me of Enemy of the State and Eagle Eye both of which were very great movies. I hope that this one could be a feature film one day also as it was very well written and a joy to read.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

[Denise Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creatively descriptive in painting the scene for the captivating story that is yet to unfold, Too Much Information reels you in from the first chapter and keeps you hooked until the very last word. David Haskell's newest political thriller, Too Much Information brings a well-developed plot and cleverly crafted characters to a precarious existence. The progressive pace of action is steadily peaking to a brilliant conclusion that will leave residual thoughts of governmental conspiracy theories in the mind of readers. Too Much Information is a certainly a thought-provoking work of white collar conspiracy and suspense.


With the revealing of each intriguing detail of the suspenseful twists and shocking turns of events, Rosa, Rob and the climate of governmental secrecy and cover-ups captivates. As I read Too Much Information, the mundane everyday world that I encounter on a daily basis became secondary. The skilled writing style of Haskell is first-class, Too Much Information is a stand out in its genre. Surprising conspirators, innovative technologies and brilliant writing combine to make Too Much Information a must-read novel.
- See more at: http://niecyisms.blogspot.com/search?...

[Virginia Louden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of receiving a free copy in order to review a new techno thriller book titled 'Too Much Information' by David Haskell. I haven't been able to read much over the last year since the twins were born. I can also be so indecisive when trying to decide what book to read when I actually get the chance, so when an opportunity comes up to read a new book by a new author, I will jump at the chance to check them out. This time I was pleasantly surprised.

I have always enjoyed the techno thriller genre and David Haskell does not disappoint. What do we do when technology advances faster than we are ready to accept? How can we live in a world where security practices start to cross that fine line between being "for the greater good" and alienating the basic privacy rights of the masses? 'Too Much Information' paints an exciting and believable picture.

David Haskell's writing is similar to the style of Michael Crichton. I love the way David can take seemingly random and unrelated characters, get you hooked on each one and then slowly weave them all together. I enjoyed this new book very much. www.ginnylouden.blogspot.com

[Leila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the description I “glanced” over when I signed up to review this book, I thought it was something that would be right up my alley.

It sounded mysterious, dramatic, suspenseful.

Unfortunately, I found myself really struggling with this book.

I felt that it jumped around too much and I had a difficult time following the who’s, the what’s, and the where’s.

In the book’s defense, I struggled with reading comprehension so I’m not saying the book was bad at all. The jumping around from people to people just created too much confusion for me to keep straight and follow along.

The book sounds like it is a great read, but unfortunately, after trying for more than a week and not being able to get further than a quarter of the way through the book, I gave up.

If you can follow along, it sounds like it is exactly as I thought – mysterious, dramatic and suspenseful.

[Tiffany Joly · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a world where society is technologically advanced, we worry more and more about our privacy. A bomber in his effort to terrorise the nations sets off a huge chain of events. It brings up the ideas of what kind of security measures could we come up with to prevent this from happening again. This technothriller pushes the limits in ways most of us would not even imagine. How would you feel if suddenly our whereabouts were no longer a secret. How would someone track us?

We follow lead characters thur scene after scene of lies and deception and no one knows where to turn. If you want to read my full review you can check it out here.... http://www.thejolylife.blogspot.com/2...

I give this a review of 5/5 and let me tell you hold onto your seats! its a wild ride to the end!

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The techno thriller Too Much Information by David Haskell is a fantastic read. Haskell delves into what;s possible if the government and private sector goes to far in protecting their people. After terror attacks on the United States, security is at an all high is there a such thing a too much security and invasion of a person's privacy. Haskell takes the reader on a ride of mystery, drama, and action. The reader will not want to put this book down for fear of missing a critical piece to the puzzle. I was pleasantly pleased in how Haskell was able to use some of today's fears and events in the novel with ease. Too Much Information really makes one think what is being stored about us all and for what purpose.

[A.C. Haury · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was immediately intrigued by the premise of Too Much Information by David Haskell. We live in a world where our ever move can be tracked, time-stamped and chronicled. It is for this reason that I found Haskell's novel to be so intriguing. The themes in this novel really hit home for me. It is no longer sci-fi to think that "Big brother is watching." The story is relevant, well-written, and thrilling to say the least. If you love a great thriller set in a realistic (almost too realistic) setting with a devious cat and mouse game, then Too Much Information is for you! 4/5 stars. Great job David!

[Megan Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The issue of freedom in this age of constant surveillance is a challenge for us all."

David Haskell keeps the reader in just the right amount of suspense, confusion, and intrigue. This combination caused me to not be able to put this down and to feel that I HAD to know what was going on. It also prompted a good discussion (and will possibly aid future ones).

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Please visit me at http://www.theproductschool.org to view my full review.

[Bambi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an awesome read that kept me reading. The author made the way control has been given up in exchange for a feeling of security very interesting. The characters were realistic and make the story more believable. The book is written in a way to give you small bits of information at a time and definitely keeps your reading to find out the truth. I recommend this book to everyone.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassandra's Review- Too Much Information this book will grip you , hold you for a few hours and then let you go softly but with a lot of thinking for the week after. I would pick up a copy to enjoy for yourself. This is an easy to digest story line with a spin on new age technology and a tad of old but effective concepts and I enjoyed reading it very much.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an intense read that kept me hitting the next page button on my Kindle all through the night until I finished the book. I am not much into tech stuff but the author made it very interesting. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a well-written story that never stops surprising.

[Chené Tuck]

DNF, The book is well written and I appreciated all the research that went into writing an interesting book like this.
I will not be posting a review.

[Liz Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read!

[Kurt · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was, quite simply, awful. I'm angry with myself for powering through until the end, which I found to be entirely unsatisfying in nearly every way. But it's not just the ending that earns this book a one star review -- the whole thing is awful. The premise is mildly interesting -- another "big brother is watching you" sort of plot line. But the writing is simply horrible. The author tries to tell the story in a series of vignettes, which isn't new, but whereas most other (good) authors can tie the vignettes together with a common thread (or set of threads), this one is a meandering, purposeless miasma of mediocrity. Snippets are thrown in to casually and clumsily explain otherwise glaring plot holes, but they lack any sort of cohesion with the overall flow of the book. In fact, there is no flow, but rather a series of jerky, stuttering blurbs that do their level best to tell a story.

So, yeah, I didn't like the book.

[Chiyaa Pasal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was an interesting story. Fans of John Grisham would probably like this. While the writing was good, there were two points which ultimately distracted from the novel. First, the dialogue which, while not really bad, wasn’t the most convincing. Secondly, and most egregious, was the “unbelievable” coincidences towards the end and what the main group of characters did. This latter point, for me, really took away from the book making it good but not great. Still, I’d recommend it.

[Jenelle Compton · Rating 3 out of 5]

sooooo I liked this a lot, actually. It was well written, interesting, and I liked a lot of the characters. But it felt to big. I don't know how else to say that? Too many angles, too many characters...if the story had stayed with Rob and maybe Rosa I think it would have been better off. I'm not against massive character lists and intricate plots, I just feel like this story suffered for it.

This book was bigger than it needed to be, and that ending....gah. Too realistic? I think that was it.

But I actually did really enjoy parts of this, and I think the story flowed well and I liked the way it was written.

[Kathleen Becker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept of too much invasive technology. Seemed wordy to me and by chapter 8, I was thoroughly confused. Like I ask my GP - explaib it in layman's terms so I don't gave to spend hours on information that is irrelevant and too technical.

[Debi Pico · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting idea and the concept is a good one. It certainly holds your interest, I couldn't put it down. It was a bit confusing in the beginning but I think you can expect good things from the author. I recommend it.

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall 3.5

Some very nice concepts in this dystopian thriller set in the near future where surveillance paranoia has gone to extreme lengths.

This theme is of obvious interest since the Snowden revelations, but this focuses less on the technology and more on the legal battles, which I did find a little tedious and seemed to make the timeline overextended. This would have knocked the review down, but the writing and characterization were good. There was a little too much innocence in the face of known surveillance techniques that was brushed away too easily but then suddenly became critical.

Good effort

[Deb Gulbranson]

Not my norm but it caught my interest about 2/3rds of the way through.