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The Boost
Ralf is a software prodigy. He works in the US government office that updates the software in the population's boosts―networked supercomputers contained in a chip implanted within the brains of 99 percent of the world's population. Invented by Chinese researchers in 2032, the boost is credited with leading humanity to its most significant cognitive leap since the discovery of fire. Days before a national upgrade, Ralf notices that the update includes an open surveillance gate―meaning that Americans, who had negotiated high levels of privacy with the Chinese manufacturers, will now be subjected to the invasive Chinese standard. Ralf attempts to hack the boost, but is caught by agents working for Washington's preeminent lobbyist. His boost is ripped from his head, and Ralf barely escapes with his life. Pursued by the lobbyist's mercenary cadre, Ralf flees to the US–Mexico border, where there are others like him―"wild" humans on the fringes of society, unenhanced by technology. It's a frightening and backward world controlled by powerful drug lords. Ralf's only hope is to somehow work with these wild bosses of the analog world―in hopes of winning back freedom in the digital one. The Boost is a fast-paced technothriller set in the near future, written by technology expert Stephen Baker.
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 20, 2014
8 people are currently reading
675 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Baker
6 books51 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Stephen Baker is an American journalist. In 2008, he wrote The Numerati, a book about the Big Data economy. Until 2009 he worked for covered technology for BusinessWeek. In November, he left to go freelance and finish his second book, Final Jeopardy. His first novel, The Boost, is published by Tor Books (May 2014)
His blog for The Boost is:
http://ralflosthisboost.tumblr.com/
Stephen Baker is an American journalist. In 2008, he wrote The Numerati, a book about the Big Data economy. Until 2009 he worked for covered technology for BusinessWeek. In November, he left to go freelance and finish his second book, Final Jeopardy. His first novel, The Boost, is published by Tor Books (May 2014)
His blog for The Boost is:
http://ralflosthisboost.tumblr.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 9, 2014
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...
This book is an interesting look into our not too distant future, perhaps one that is more plausible than we think. Mobile devices have already led to wearables, miniature electronic devices that act as an extension of our minds and bodies. Implants, therefore, are just the next logical step. Called “boosts”, these implants are processors that integrate with the “wet brains” in our heads, allowing us to do incredible things such as record memories for posterity, visit a virtual ballgame while your physical body is lounging in your living room, or even fire up an app to improve the taste of the food you’re eating.
But what happens when so much of the human experience is controlled by a computer, which in turn could be controlled by another person, a corporation, or even a government? In this downright Orwellian scenario envisioned by Stephen Baker, China has become the world leader in this boost technology, though Chinese implants are not subject to the same strict privacy laws as the chips negotiated for use in America. Yet, just days before a national upgrade, US software developer Ralf Alvare notices something troubling in the incoming update – an open gate which would render American chips as vulnerable to surveillance and invasive manipulation as the Chinese chips.
I found myself enjoying the premise of the novel, especially since the issue relating to the regulation of personal information is a pretty hot topic right now, as it pertains to laws regarding the collection, storage or use by governments and other organizations. The themes become even more relevant, considering our society’s love for new and shiny gadgets, and technological advances don’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. The Boost can be viewed as a cautionary tale, perhaps – a warning of what might come to be if we let ourselves relinquish control to our obsession with new tech.
Baker does a good job making his scenario fascinating and believable. In a world where most people are “boosted”, things like telephones, newspapers and even street signs have become relics of bygone era. Even more interesting to note is the attitude towards those who have opted against the implant. Known as “wild”, these people who solely rely on their wet brains to do their thinking and experiencing aren’t looked upon with disdain so much as pity. But really, who should be pitying whom? That was the question I kept asking. In almost all the cases where a boosted character has lost their access to their chip, they become lost, despondent and miserable. Having depended on their implants for so long, they cannot even do simple math in their heads or remember the most basic information. While I don’t recommend being a Luddite, it’s hard to miss the message about the dangers of relying too much on technology. You never know when you’ll be without it, or if it’ll be compromised.
Admittedly, I went into this novel expecting a high-octane techno-thriller, but I was wrong about that. It was probably never meant to be one, though I think I would have liked it more if it had been written in that style. Instead, I found the book lacking a bit in suspense and dramatic intensity, and the pacing also faltered in places due in part to constant insertions of back stories and exposition. In the end, I think I found the novel’s concepts to be way more exciting than the actual plot.
Still, The Boost was an entertaining read. The energy levels were just a couple notches shy of where I would have liked them to be, but otherwise I enjoyed this book. It could change the way you look at technology, and if at first the idea of a boost in your head sounds like a good idea, you might want to think again.
This book is an interesting look into our not too distant future, perhaps one that is more plausible than we think. Mobile devices have already led to wearables, miniature electronic devices that act as an extension of our minds and bodies. Implants, therefore, are just the next logical step. Called “boosts”, these implants are processors that integrate with the “wet brains” in our heads, allowing us to do incredible things such as record memories for posterity, visit a virtual ballgame while your physical body is lounging in your living room, or even fire up an app to improve the taste of the food you’re eating.
But what happens when so much of the human experience is controlled by a computer, which in turn could be controlled by another person, a corporation, or even a government? In this downright Orwellian scenario envisioned by Stephen Baker, China has become the world leader in this boost technology, though Chinese implants are not subject to the same strict privacy laws as the chips negotiated for use in America. Yet, just days before a national upgrade, US software developer Ralf Alvare notices something troubling in the incoming update – an open gate which would render American chips as vulnerable to surveillance and invasive manipulation as the Chinese chips.
I found myself enjoying the premise of the novel, especially since the issue relating to the regulation of personal information is a pretty hot topic right now, as it pertains to laws regarding the collection, storage or use by governments and other organizations. The themes become even more relevant, considering our society’s love for new and shiny gadgets, and technological advances don’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. The Boost can be viewed as a cautionary tale, perhaps – a warning of what might come to be if we let ourselves relinquish control to our obsession with new tech.
Baker does a good job making his scenario fascinating and believable. In a world where most people are “boosted”, things like telephones, newspapers and even street signs have become relics of bygone era. Even more interesting to note is the attitude towards those who have opted against the implant. Known as “wild”, these people who solely rely on their wet brains to do their thinking and experiencing aren’t looked upon with disdain so much as pity. But really, who should be pitying whom? That was the question I kept asking. In almost all the cases where a boosted character has lost their access to their chip, they become lost, despondent and miserable. Having depended on their implants for so long, they cannot even do simple math in their heads or remember the most basic information. While I don’t recommend being a Luddite, it’s hard to miss the message about the dangers of relying too much on technology. You never know when you’ll be without it, or if it’ll be compromised.
Admittedly, I went into this novel expecting a high-octane techno-thriller, but I was wrong about that. It was probably never meant to be one, though I think I would have liked it more if it had been written in that style. Instead, I found the book lacking a bit in suspense and dramatic intensity, and the pacing also faltered in places due in part to constant insertions of back stories and exposition. In the end, I think I found the novel’s concepts to be way more exciting than the actual plot.
Still, The Boost was an entertaining read. The energy levels were just a couple notches shy of where I would have liked them to be, but otherwise I enjoyed this book. It could change the way you look at technology, and if at first the idea of a boost in your head sounds like a good idea, you might want to think again.
May 30, 2015
This had so much potential, but ended up stumbling and ultimately collapsing under its own ambition. THE BOOST raises a very pertinent, contemporary question: what will happen when technology will have conquered its last frontier, the mind of its users? In this world, most people on Earth have a chip in their brain which resembles the OS on your smartphone and that lets its software write the pattern of your thought. I mean, this is really a cool idea for a novel.
The delivery was profoundly underwhelming though and turned into an overly complicated airport thriller. There are too many characters and the plot (the hacking of a system update) implicated so many parties that it lost me sometimes. I would've been more lenient on these flaws if THE BOOST had leaned harder on its techno-philosophical issues and offered more existential scenes where the characters struggled with boost related issues, but the novel's standardness alone ended up being disappointing. Great idea, too poorly executed for its ambitions.
The delivery was profoundly underwhelming though and turned into an overly complicated airport thriller. There are too many characters and the plot (the hacking of a system update) implicated so many parties that it lost me sometimes. I would've been more lenient on these flaws if THE BOOST had leaned harder on its techno-philosophical issues and offered more existential scenes where the characters struggled with boost related issues, but the novel's standardness alone ended up being disappointing. Great idea, too poorly executed for its ambitions.
June 22, 2015
I have seen the future and it is full of whiny,disconnected, disengaged,dopey post-millenials. Or that is just how these characters were written, but boy was it annoying. Way too much over explaining plot points over and over. Too much bouncing between different characters without ever really knowing why they were involved or getting to know someone well enough to care if they were safe or not.
The book's premise is good and very plausible as the rate of people already so attached to their electronics that they walk into fountains, or turn the car onto railroad tracks that making the leap to being biologically attached to a computer is easy.
I enjoyed the story idea, but wish the telling of it was a little different.
The book's premise is good and very plausible as the rate of people already so attached to their electronics that they walk into fountains, or turn the car onto railroad tracks that making the leap to being biologically attached to a computer is easy.
I enjoyed the story idea, but wish the telling of it was a little different.
September 29, 2014
Pros: thought provoking premise, interesting characters, quick paced
Cons: some world-building and logistical issues
Ten days before the national update for the boost, networked supercomputers implanted in people’s brains, Ralf Alvare, a software engineer, finds himself on the run after learning about an open surveillance gate in the program that would allow companies direct access to people’s thoughts and memories. His own boost chip has been ripped out and, newly ‘wild’, he’s heading to see his brother in El Paso, across the border from the infamous drug lord run city of Juarez, where no one has boosts. But John Vallinger, a lobbyist whose spent years working towards this chip update, sends one of his men after Ralf, intent on stopping whatever resistance the programmer can create.
I thought the story was very interesting, with a lot of good questions being asked about privacy vs access to information. Would you put a chip in your head that allowed you to be smarter and access information anywhere, effortlessly, if it meant that someone could track your every move, see what you’re buying, etc.? Would having a brain implant that can affect your thoughts make things better or worse? In the book there’s an app that you can apply to make the tasteless protein they eat taste like anything you program in. There were some great scenes where Ellen, for the first time without the use of her boost, gets to taste actual food and experience other sensations without recourse to a fantasy cover for it. Her observations that some things are better natural while others are better in her imagination, were very interesting.
Ralf’s family’s drama was also pretty fun to read, with the stories getting deeper as more information is revealed. I also liked that his family provided a grounding in how different people reacted to the Boost. His dad rejected and fought against it, his mother helped bring it to the US but then regretted the role she played in making it a ubiquitous thing, his older brother constantly struggled to use it and he spent most of his time in it and is lost without it.
I wasn’t a big fan of Suzy. Though she was a member of the Democratic Movement, she seemed unaware of security issues despite the domestic terrorism she could be accused of and made some odd decisions towards the end of the book.
There’s a scene towards the end of the book that may cause trigger issues for some readers. Though mostly off page, the scene is violent but necessary for the plot and the person attacked is shown as capable of defending themself earlier on. There’s a bit of follow-up in the epilogue that briefly mentions some of the ethical issues surrounding what happened, which I thought was well done.
As for the world-building, I did question, while I was reading the book, the idea that once a chip is damaged or removed that’s it, there’s no fixing or replacing it. Considering the importance of the chips (you can’t pay for things or direct cars without one), and how easily brain injuries can occur that might damage chips, it seems like there should be some alternate options available.
After I finished the book a few other questions came to me about how the world worked. For example, while it’s clear that Juarez isn’t easy to get to or leave, it’s unclear if the Amish wild area is equally blocked off, and if not, how the people there trade with their non-wild neighbours. And does Juarez manufacture all of its needs or does it get a lot of goods through the black market? And if it depends on contraband, how do its citizens pay for it when they don’t have chips and their money is worthless outside their city? I was also surprised by how far money went in Juarez. I would have thought fresh, tasteful food would be harder to grow/raise than the manufactured tasteless food the non-wilds ate. It should therefore be more expensive as the market for things like spices would be non-existent outside of the wilds and are time consuming to make.
The book is told in third person present tense (eg: Ellen blinks her eyes open.), rather than the more common past tense. I personally found the jump between events narrated in past tense and the present tense of the main text jarring. Most readers probably won’t have a problem with it.
This is a quick, entertaining read, and despite the complaints I had with aspects of it, the questions it raises - about letting a government and corporations have control over what information you can access - are relevant ones for our current world.
Cons: some world-building and logistical issues
Ten days before the national update for the boost, networked supercomputers implanted in people’s brains, Ralf Alvare, a software engineer, finds himself on the run after learning about an open surveillance gate in the program that would allow companies direct access to people’s thoughts and memories. His own boost chip has been ripped out and, newly ‘wild’, he’s heading to see his brother in El Paso, across the border from the infamous drug lord run city of Juarez, where no one has boosts. But John Vallinger, a lobbyist whose spent years working towards this chip update, sends one of his men after Ralf, intent on stopping whatever resistance the programmer can create.
I thought the story was very interesting, with a lot of good questions being asked about privacy vs access to information. Would you put a chip in your head that allowed you to be smarter and access information anywhere, effortlessly, if it meant that someone could track your every move, see what you’re buying, etc.? Would having a brain implant that can affect your thoughts make things better or worse? In the book there’s an app that you can apply to make the tasteless protein they eat taste like anything you program in. There were some great scenes where Ellen, for the first time without the use of her boost, gets to taste actual food and experience other sensations without recourse to a fantasy cover for it. Her observations that some things are better natural while others are better in her imagination, were very interesting.
Ralf’s family’s drama was also pretty fun to read, with the stories getting deeper as more information is revealed. I also liked that his family provided a grounding in how different people reacted to the Boost. His dad rejected and fought against it, his mother helped bring it to the US but then regretted the role she played in making it a ubiquitous thing, his older brother constantly struggled to use it and he spent most of his time in it and is lost without it.
I wasn’t a big fan of Suzy. Though she was a member of the Democratic Movement, she seemed unaware of security issues despite the domestic terrorism she could be accused of and made some odd decisions towards the end of the book.
There’s a scene towards the end of the book that may cause trigger issues for some readers. Though mostly off page, the scene is violent but necessary for the plot and the person attacked is shown as capable of defending themself earlier on. There’s a bit of follow-up in the epilogue that briefly mentions some of the ethical issues surrounding what happened, which I thought was well done.
As for the world-building, I did question, while I was reading the book, the idea that once a chip is damaged or removed that’s it, there’s no fixing or replacing it. Considering the importance of the chips (you can’t pay for things or direct cars without one), and how easily brain injuries can occur that might damage chips, it seems like there should be some alternate options available.
After I finished the book a few other questions came to me about how the world worked. For example, while it’s clear that Juarez isn’t easy to get to or leave, it’s unclear if the Amish wild area is equally blocked off, and if not, how the people there trade with their non-wild neighbours. And does Juarez manufacture all of its needs or does it get a lot of goods through the black market? And if it depends on contraband, how do its citizens pay for it when they don’t have chips and their money is worthless outside their city? I was also surprised by how far money went in Juarez. I would have thought fresh, tasteful food would be harder to grow/raise than the manufactured tasteless food the non-wilds ate. It should therefore be more expensive as the market for things like spices would be non-existent outside of the wilds and are time consuming to make.
The book is told in third person present tense (eg: Ellen blinks her eyes open.), rather than the more common past tense. I personally found the jump between events narrated in past tense and the present tense of the main text jarring. Most readers probably won’t have a problem with it.
This is a quick, entertaining read, and despite the complaints I had with aspects of it, the questions it raises - about letting a government and corporations have control over what information you can access - are relevant ones for our current world.
June 26, 2014
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I do not read a lot of sci-fi books, but as soon as I read the synopsis, I knew that the story would please me. The idea of a plot, and a world governed by boosts that each person would own to allow them to live in a virtual world, was very interested. I must say that this is a bit of a caricature of our society, as well as quite plausible possibility for our future.
In this context, we discover Ralf, a man working for the government, a network prodigy whose life will be turned upside down. Indeed, during a meeting with one of his friends, Suzy, he discovers a flaw in the next update of the boosts. After the American population fought for some semblance of privacy, everything seems now to be compromised without anyone knowing it. But Ralf is determined to understand what is happening, if we give him time to do so anyway. Oh yes, because as soon this new problem is discovered, Ralf is kidnapped and his boost is removed before he manages to escape. For a man who has always lived in this virtual world and who works on it, this change is radical. Unable to retrieve the memories he has stored in its chip, it’s impossible for him to do research on the internet or contact another person across the network. Yes Ralf will have to learn how to live, and with his friend Ellen, a young woman in conflict with herself, he will go to South America to find his brother Simon and manage a way to reinstate his boost. But while he has not seen his brother for years, he will realize that he is in fact at the heart of a story that is totally beyond him. Chased by some, helped by others, Ellen and Ralf will discover that their world hides many secrets and they could make a difference.
I loved this story and the world was fascinating to discover. Ralf is a smart guy but determined at all costs to get his boost back. He will also discover many secrets about his family that we did not expect. Indeed, he joined his brother, Simon, a man who has always struggled to accept this life and who lives now on the margins of society. But from there, Ralf will understand that something is going on and that the secret about Juarez where wild men who refused implant live, could be different from want it seems to be. Some lovely ideas are featured here and I was curious to see how it would all end up. I must say that we finally follow this small family in their plans and desires and everyone wants something different. I also enjoyed Ellen. This is a young woman who is ill at ease but despite a first naive impression she will be able to find her place in this new world.
So it was a good story and I’m curious to know if we’ll have a sequel or not. Everything was in any case very interesting.
My English review
I do not read a lot of sci-fi books, but as soon as I read the synopsis, I knew that the story would please me. The idea of a plot, and a world governed by boosts that each person would own to allow them to live in a virtual world, was very interested. I must say that this is a bit of a caricature of our society, as well as quite plausible possibility for our future.
In this context, we discover Ralf, a man working for the government, a network prodigy whose life will be turned upside down. Indeed, during a meeting with one of his friends, Suzy, he discovers a flaw in the next update of the boosts. After the American population fought for some semblance of privacy, everything seems now to be compromised without anyone knowing it. But Ralf is determined to understand what is happening, if we give him time to do so anyway. Oh yes, because as soon this new problem is discovered, Ralf is kidnapped and his boost is removed before he manages to escape. For a man who has always lived in this virtual world and who works on it, this change is radical. Unable to retrieve the memories he has stored in its chip, it’s impossible for him to do research on the internet or contact another person across the network. Yes Ralf will have to learn how to live, and with his friend Ellen, a young woman in conflict with herself, he will go to South America to find his brother Simon and manage a way to reinstate his boost. But while he has not seen his brother for years, he will realize that he is in fact at the heart of a story that is totally beyond him. Chased by some, helped by others, Ellen and Ralf will discover that their world hides many secrets and they could make a difference.
I loved this story and the world was fascinating to discover. Ralf is a smart guy but determined at all costs to get his boost back. He will also discover many secrets about his family that we did not expect. Indeed, he joined his brother, Simon, a man who has always struggled to accept this life and who lives now on the margins of society. But from there, Ralf will understand that something is going on and that the secret about Juarez where wild men who refused implant live, could be different from want it seems to be. Some lovely ideas are featured here and I was curious to see how it would all end up. I must say that we finally follow this small family in their plans and desires and everyone wants something different. I also enjoyed Ellen. This is a young woman who is ill at ease but despite a first naive impression she will be able to find her place in this new world.
So it was a good story and I’m curious to know if we’ll have a sequel or not. Everything was in any case very interesting.
August 29, 2014
This was probably the worst book that I actually finished. Don't get me the wrong, the central idea of the book is extremely interesting. Its just the characters and plot turns are crap.
Imagine Google Glasses have gone far enough that they are actually implanted in your head, and you have all that computer power and everything available. Then, an update comes and there is the ability for "Authority" to command respect via additional brain stimulus. Some people try to stop this from happening - some of them are not actually implanted as some people think its bad. That's all cool. In fact, its really cool general idea.
But the characters are so bad. They're boring. and Winey. And their motivations are completely incongruous with thoughts and actions they've previously had in the book. In one scene, a character risks their entire mission on making sure another character isn't tortured. However, for the previous 20 pages, she'd spent the entire time complaining about how this second character was annoying and wouldn't follow the very specific rules that they needed to to stay safe and in hiding.
The main character is a winey loner who can't really talk to anyone and who never has enough stimulus to turn over his leaf and switch sides. The only interesting character in the entire story is the broken faced henchman - his motivations are vague and he leaves them vague.
So, um, don't read this.
Imagine Google Glasses have gone far enough that they are actually implanted in your head, and you have all that computer power and everything available. Then, an update comes and there is the ability for "Authority" to command respect via additional brain stimulus. Some people try to stop this from happening - some of them are not actually implanted as some people think its bad. That's all cool. In fact, its really cool general idea.
But the characters are so bad. They're boring. and Winey. And their motivations are completely incongruous with thoughts and actions they've previously had in the book. In one scene, a character risks their entire mission on making sure another character isn't tortured. However, for the previous 20 pages, she'd spent the entire time complaining about how this second character was annoying and wouldn't follow the very specific rules that they needed to to stay safe and in hiding.
The main character is a winey loner who can't really talk to anyone and who never has enough stimulus to turn over his leaf and switch sides. The only interesting character in the entire story is the broken faced henchman - his motivations are vague and he leaves them vague.
So, um, don't read this.
June 30, 2014
Is this worth reading? Yes. Regardless of the flaws, this really is a fantastic exploration of the relationship between humanity and technology. If you’re interested in seeing what could happen in the future where computers become part of us, which is something I could visualize happening, then take a look. I’m anxious to see what sort of novel Baker writes next.
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2014/06/...
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2014/06/...
October 10, 2014
The book started off with a great premise and somewhat believable story (think Michael Crichton). As it progressed though, I found it to be less enjoyable. Some of the more interesting characters were left on the sidelines, and the main characters became less interesting. Great start at the beginning though - hopefully the next book will carry that pace through the whole novel.
November 2, 2019
A good premise, poorly executed.
Over-narrated, not enough dialogue to develop the characters and build a connection to them. Plot devices were shallow and abrupt, with far more "tell" than "show". The reader was not allowed to wonder or use their intelligence for long, as each potential mystery was quickly defused in an overly obvious and overly explained way.
I finished the novel, but mostly to continue finding examples of what not to do when writing a thriller. I was not disappointed, as the "climax" had more shortcuts and failings than pages.
Not the worst book I have read, but for a TOR book I am amazed it got through professional editing in the shape it was published.
Over-narrated, not enough dialogue to develop the characters and build a connection to them. Plot devices were shallow and abrupt, with far more "tell" than "show". The reader was not allowed to wonder or use their intelligence for long, as each potential mystery was quickly defused in an overly obvious and overly explained way.
I finished the novel, but mostly to continue finding examples of what not to do when writing a thriller. I was not disappointed, as the "climax" had more shortcuts and failings than pages.
Not the worst book I have read, but for a TOR book I am amazed it got through professional editing in the shape it was published.
January 3, 2019
Almost post apocalyptic word. Governments control chips in your head, Chinese chips are in US heads, and a businessman who controls the US market tries for nastier control of the brain in coming update. Plucky group of people do standard things and have far too many coincidences. Very standards take on the danger of information control.
May 12, 2017
Eh. Abandoned maybe 1/3 in. Not for me!
January 14, 2022
It was okay years ago but Black Mirror is way better
October 24, 2023
Fun plot. Lacks compelling characters.
February 21, 2016
The book would be a good primer for this kind of thing (a near future quasi cyberpunk mind control story), except that it’s so boring. They also put some weird sex into it, so it wouldn’t be a good YA book either.
Spoilers:
In the future, everyone has super cell phone computers implanted in their heads that they use for pretty much everything computer/phone/social, but no one has figured out that they can be used to spy on them and take over their brains, despite the fact that the technology is from China and that was literally the first thing they did with it.
Decades after the tech was introduced, a computer scientist discovers that, shock, the Chinese are going to push an update that will enable the spying and mind control functions! He and everyone he knows scrambles around the country for most of the book, trick the bad guys into killing themselves, turning the technology back on its masters, and alerting the government. The day is saved!
I have to say this story doesn’t make a lot of sense. The main characters are running around trying to stop technology that’s already active! The endorphin emitting mind control was already working in random apps, the pain portion already worked on whoever they had the phone number for, and everyone was being surveilled through their boost already anyway!
Why do they need any of this anyway? The story said that the stuff was implanted with nanobots or whatever… those would still be in everyones head, right? Ready to do random stuff to your brain and body? Grey goo scenario? But then later they specify that the boost fits into a jack, the damage to the main character’s jack meant he’d need brain surgery to fix it… what happened to the nanobots? Only, later they said that the chip went into a socket… what?
No-one ever gets new implants! Who would put something like that in their head if they couldn’t upgrade the hardware periodically? They only ever do software updates!
So, considering all the scary tech already worked, China could have taken over at any time!
Speaking of which, I’m not buying the ‘South American chip wars’ aspect… if the US knew that China was going to put viruses on their superior chips, they would just put that out there as anti China propaganda. Plus, you’d think they’d have their own virus and antivirus setups!
Why is it so difficult to fit people with new boosts? They can literally remake everyone’s body from the ground up and change their DNA while they’re at it! The real story here is that this is a post health society!
Why are there no drones? With all this VR stuff, you’d think drones would be a big hobby, but not only is that never mentioned, no one in the police or government uses them to search for people!
In fact, I’m not buying that twenty years is enough time for everyone to forget how to do regular detective work! It worked for Niven’s short stories because they were short and sweet! This is a super long, boring book! Not a good combo!
On a lighter note… one of the people stubs their toe while they have a shoe on… Does the author not know how to stub a toe? I’ll give you a hint… its by kicking something unintentionally when you aren’t wearing shoes!
Also, all of the characters who are supposedly super secret sneaky people are just terrible, especially Suzy. Why would she go out jogging every day if she knew that by leaving the shielded house for even an instant would give away her location?
I have to say, I really thought the writing style was boring. Sometimes it was written in such a way as to indicate that people’s thoughts on the boost amounted to making bad google searches where people were too exact about distances and times, but had every third fact be wrong, which was interesting the first one or two times, but not the next hundred or so. There was some action, but a lot of times the author got right up to where the action would happen, then cut away to someone else who would summarize what happened in a very bland way. Pretty boring.
I didn’t buy the ending either. China will probably just push their update (since they have everyone’s personal info already and they’ve already shown it can be done). Also, it’s pretty weird that the good guys have a mind slave on hand. That’s just wrong.
Spoilers:
In the future, everyone has super cell phone computers implanted in their heads that they use for pretty much everything computer/phone/social, but no one has figured out that they can be used to spy on them and take over their brains, despite the fact that the technology is from China and that was literally the first thing they did with it.
Decades after the tech was introduced, a computer scientist discovers that, shock, the Chinese are going to push an update that will enable the spying and mind control functions! He and everyone he knows scrambles around the country for most of the book, trick the bad guys into killing themselves, turning the technology back on its masters, and alerting the government. The day is saved!
I have to say this story doesn’t make a lot of sense. The main characters are running around trying to stop technology that’s already active! The endorphin emitting mind control was already working in random apps, the pain portion already worked on whoever they had the phone number for, and everyone was being surveilled through their boost already anyway!
Why do they need any of this anyway? The story said that the stuff was implanted with nanobots or whatever… those would still be in everyones head, right? Ready to do random stuff to your brain and body? Grey goo scenario? But then later they specify that the boost fits into a jack, the damage to the main character’s jack meant he’d need brain surgery to fix it… what happened to the nanobots? Only, later they said that the chip went into a socket… what?
No-one ever gets new implants! Who would put something like that in their head if they couldn’t upgrade the hardware periodically? They only ever do software updates!
So, considering all the scary tech already worked, China could have taken over at any time!
Speaking of which, I’m not buying the ‘South American chip wars’ aspect… if the US knew that China was going to put viruses on their superior chips, they would just put that out there as anti China propaganda. Plus, you’d think they’d have their own virus and antivirus setups!
Why is it so difficult to fit people with new boosts? They can literally remake everyone’s body from the ground up and change their DNA while they’re at it! The real story here is that this is a post health society!
Why are there no drones? With all this VR stuff, you’d think drones would be a big hobby, but not only is that never mentioned, no one in the police or government uses them to search for people!
In fact, I’m not buying that twenty years is enough time for everyone to forget how to do regular detective work! It worked for Niven’s short stories because they were short and sweet! This is a super long, boring book! Not a good combo!
On a lighter note… one of the people stubs their toe while they have a shoe on… Does the author not know how to stub a toe? I’ll give you a hint… its by kicking something unintentionally when you aren’t wearing shoes!
Also, all of the characters who are supposedly super secret sneaky people are just terrible, especially Suzy. Why would she go out jogging every day if she knew that by leaving the shielded house for even an instant would give away her location?
I have to say, I really thought the writing style was boring. Sometimes it was written in such a way as to indicate that people’s thoughts on the boost amounted to making bad google searches where people were too exact about distances and times, but had every third fact be wrong, which was interesting the first one or two times, but not the next hundred or so. There was some action, but a lot of times the author got right up to where the action would happen, then cut away to someone else who would summarize what happened in a very bland way. Pretty boring.
I didn’t buy the ending either. China will probably just push their update (since they have everyone’s personal info already and they’ve already shown it can be done). Also, it’s pretty weird that the good guys have a mind slave on hand. That’s just wrong.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2014
Haven’t really read sci-fi in a while, I was really excited at the chance to read The Boost by Stephen Baker. I love sci-fi, I love the ideas that classic sci-fi represents. The cover of The Boost says ‘A fast, Orwellian vision of a future’, which got me clambering to read this. 1984 is one of the classic sci-fi books that everyone should read.
The Boost is a small electronic device that is implanted in your brain. It allows you access essentially “the internet” all by thought. You can instant message people, look up information, use maps, all through thinking. The down side is, your “wet” brain, the majority of the brain does not retain any of this information if you do not specifically attempt to.
Right at the beginning of the story our main character Ralf, gets into trouble. A colleague of his finds a security flaw in the boost just before a major nationwide update. The day after uploading this information to his Boost, he is hauled off by security guards. The next thing he remembers is waking up in a building, not remembering anything and not having access to his Boost. He feels his head. The boost was surgically removed from his head! Everyone in the world has a boost. To not have one, to go “wild” is unthinkable, especially to Ralf who has had it since he was 1 year old. A Chinese man appears, gives Ralf his possessions and waves him goodbye without a word. Soon, Ralf realises that whoever did this to him, isn’t done with him yet. He needs to flee and figure out what is going on.
I really enjoyed the old school feel of this book. Too many sci-fi books these recent years is about space and aliens, rather than philosophy and ideals. This one touches on what the future might be like and has a story line. I can see why this book can be compared to 1984.
I really wished that Baker focused more on the philosophy behind the boosts rather than having his book centred around the characters. The more it progressed the more the characters outlook changed but rarely did I think and reflect about myself or my world (which all good sci-fi books do in my opinion).
Another thing about Baker’s book is I felt that he didn’t go far enough with his technology and his world building. If you had essentially an all knowing chip inside your head, plus drug, sex and food apps, why would you ever need to live your outside of your apartment? Wouldn’t everything be done in “cyber space?” There would be no point in procreation as a virtual baby would do and the government could artificially select the human population so they become more intelligent yet docile and subservient.
Yet saying all that, I did enjoy the book and read it quickly. There could be good things in the future for Stephen Baker.
- See more at: http://bestfantasybooks.com/blog/revi...
The Boost is a small electronic device that is implanted in your brain. It allows you access essentially “the internet” all by thought. You can instant message people, look up information, use maps, all through thinking. The down side is, your “wet” brain, the majority of the brain does not retain any of this information if you do not specifically attempt to.
Right at the beginning of the story our main character Ralf, gets into trouble. A colleague of his finds a security flaw in the boost just before a major nationwide update. The day after uploading this information to his Boost, he is hauled off by security guards. The next thing he remembers is waking up in a building, not remembering anything and not having access to his Boost. He feels his head. The boost was surgically removed from his head! Everyone in the world has a boost. To not have one, to go “wild” is unthinkable, especially to Ralf who has had it since he was 1 year old. A Chinese man appears, gives Ralf his possessions and waves him goodbye without a word. Soon, Ralf realises that whoever did this to him, isn’t done with him yet. He needs to flee and figure out what is going on.
I really enjoyed the old school feel of this book. Too many sci-fi books these recent years is about space and aliens, rather than philosophy and ideals. This one touches on what the future might be like and has a story line. I can see why this book can be compared to 1984.
I really wished that Baker focused more on the philosophy behind the boosts rather than having his book centred around the characters. The more it progressed the more the characters outlook changed but rarely did I think and reflect about myself or my world (which all good sci-fi books do in my opinion).
Another thing about Baker’s book is I felt that he didn’t go far enough with his technology and his world building. If you had essentially an all knowing chip inside your head, plus drug, sex and food apps, why would you ever need to live your outside of your apartment? Wouldn’t everything be done in “cyber space?” There would be no point in procreation as a virtual baby would do and the government could artificially select the human population so they become more intelligent yet docile and subservient.
Yet saying all that, I did enjoy the book and read it quickly. There could be good things in the future for Stephen Baker.
- See more at: http://bestfantasybooks.com/blog/revi...
June 10, 2014
I was provided an advance copy by Tor. Spoiler free review.
I think this is a fairly solid 3 for me. Like another recent reviewer here, I went into this thinking I was getting a techno-thriller. I think that other potential readers should know right out of the gate that this is NOT what you'll get. While the 'techno' is the lynchpin here, there is very little thriller; no suspense to be found.
The overall premise here, that we will one day (almost) all have embedded chips which have taken the place of our cellphones and laptops, feels scarily realistic. The potential of this story actually occurring in our future or a permutation of it, to me, seems more than possible. It is quite clear that the author is a technology expert, as the technology, it's history, how it works, etc... all have strong basis; it makes sense and feels accurate. Unfortunately, I think that there is too much explanation and re-explanation in this. I had to skim some sections as they were literally repeated to another person. Come on, I can remember from last time, give me more credit.
Characters were fairly well done. I was relieved to see our 'hero' wasn't the typical snarky Han Solo. I would think that with the length of the book, we'd have more foundation built for these characters, but in the end I don't feel like I know very much still. Just the same basic facts drilled in a few times. Very few cliched character types, I think. We do have the typical corporate bad guy though.
The overall plot was ok... I didn't find anything special there. I feel like this was mainly a vehicle to showcase what is possible in our future and why it should be prevented or mitigated. I think a good hundred pages could have been cut from this and I would have walked away with the same idea. Despite being a quick read, it felt like we were going nowhere fast; easy reading, but not much was getting accomplished along the way. Could use editing.
I have to say, this ended very poorly, in my opinion. I got the impression that the towel was thrown in on the last five pages. It just suddenly ended, and I actually had an out loud "what...?" moment there when the final event happened. It suddenly made no sense and no valid explanation was given. And then the final page or so was pure cheesefest. Laughably happy ending that kind of embarrassed me. Not at all happy with the conclusion. I could see potential for another book in a series, but I would not visit it.
As far as recommendations go, I think I would only suggest it to IT/ techy friends who were already interested in this subject.
I think this is a fairly solid 3 for me. Like another recent reviewer here, I went into this thinking I was getting a techno-thriller. I think that other potential readers should know right out of the gate that this is NOT what you'll get. While the 'techno' is the lynchpin here, there is very little thriller; no suspense to be found.
The overall premise here, that we will one day (almost) all have embedded chips which have taken the place of our cellphones and laptops, feels scarily realistic. The potential of this story actually occurring in our future or a permutation of it, to me, seems more than possible. It is quite clear that the author is a technology expert, as the technology, it's history, how it works, etc... all have strong basis; it makes sense and feels accurate. Unfortunately, I think that there is too much explanation and re-explanation in this. I had to skim some sections as they were literally repeated to another person. Come on, I can remember from last time, give me more credit.
Characters were fairly well done. I was relieved to see our 'hero' wasn't the typical snarky Han Solo. I would think that with the length of the book, we'd have more foundation built for these characters, but in the end I don't feel like I know very much still. Just the same basic facts drilled in a few times. Very few cliched character types, I think. We do have the typical corporate bad guy though.
The overall plot was ok... I didn't find anything special there. I feel like this was mainly a vehicle to showcase what is possible in our future and why it should be prevented or mitigated. I think a good hundred pages could have been cut from this and I would have walked away with the same idea. Despite being a quick read, it felt like we were going nowhere fast; easy reading, but not much was getting accomplished along the way. Could use editing.
I have to say, this ended very poorly, in my opinion. I got the impression that the towel was thrown in on the last five pages. It just suddenly ended, and I actually had an out loud "what...?" moment there when the final event happened. It suddenly made no sense and no valid explanation was given. And then the final page or so was pure cheesefest. Laughably happy ending that kind of embarrassed me. Not at all happy with the conclusion. I could see potential for another book in a series, but I would not visit it.
As far as recommendations go, I think I would only suggest it to IT/ techy friends who were already interested in this subject.
November 1, 2014
Giving this book 3 stars is VERY generous.
It is not a bad book. It actually starts out very strong and the initial idea, is amazing. It seems like I have read books with similar technology, but it still felt intriguing and exciting. It is just that the details of the technology can't carry the book alone; it needs as good a plot to go with it and it doesn't get it. After setting up the conflict, the plot that is supposed to move toward the resolution isn't very exciting. There are a couple of not-so-subtle nods to today's pop culture but they are dropped and easily forgotten. By the time you get to the last 40-50 pages, things start moving so fast that it makes the rest of the book feel like a colossal waste of time. And the end is not very satisfactory. It is a perfect Hollywood ending and the only possible outcome given the direction of the book, but arriving there just feels like getting out of a car after a 5 hour drive. You are just excited that it is over.
The idea of the boost however is very well flushed out. It seems futuristic yet acceptable and a perfectly logical step from today's phones and iPads. The potential for abuse is more than a bit scary and even scarier that China is a leader in the field and a MAJOR world power and influential force. It feels VERY real.
Sex. Why does the future have to be painted with sex being so prevalent. I didn't really understand its place in the story at all. I mean, I understand that it facilitated some of the plot points, but they are plot points that could have been easily sidestepped or shown with less emphasis and we could still have arrived at the same conclusion. It wasn't gratuitous in any real way but yet it felt like a publisher or editor felt that they could appeal to more people if they included it. Kinda like sprinkling in a timely F-bomb in a movie to achieve that R rating. If you can work it into the plot to where it makes sense (and a bit more respectfully), then I believe it could serve the plot, but in the end, it really served no purpose in this book.
The jacket of the book was enough to draw me in but the actual book barely held me on. This could easily have been two stars.
It is not a bad book. It actually starts out very strong and the initial idea, is amazing. It seems like I have read books with similar technology, but it still felt intriguing and exciting. It is just that the details of the technology can't carry the book alone; it needs as good a plot to go with it and it doesn't get it. After setting up the conflict, the plot that is supposed to move toward the resolution isn't very exciting. There are a couple of not-so-subtle nods to today's pop culture but they are dropped and easily forgotten. By the time you get to the last 40-50 pages, things start moving so fast that it makes the rest of the book feel like a colossal waste of time. And the end is not very satisfactory. It is a perfect Hollywood ending and the only possible outcome given the direction of the book, but arriving there just feels like getting out of a car after a 5 hour drive. You are just excited that it is over.
The idea of the boost however is very well flushed out. It seems futuristic yet acceptable and a perfectly logical step from today's phones and iPads. The potential for abuse is more than a bit scary and even scarier that China is a leader in the field and a MAJOR world power and influential force. It feels VERY real.
Sex. Why does the future have to be painted with sex being so prevalent. I didn't really understand its place in the story at all. I mean, I understand that it facilitated some of the plot points, but they are plot points that could have been easily sidestepped or shown with less emphasis and we could still have arrived at the same conclusion. It wasn't gratuitous in any real way but yet it felt like a publisher or editor felt that they could appeal to more people if they included it. Kinda like sprinkling in a timely F-bomb in a movie to achieve that R rating. If you can work it into the plot to where it makes sense (and a bit more respectfully), then I believe it could serve the plot, but in the end, it really served no purpose in this book.
The jacket of the book was enough to draw me in but the actual book barely held me on. This could easily have been two stars.
January 13, 2015
The story starts out strong, with a near-future world where almost everyone has a special chip in their brain, allowing them to store memory and access a highly evolved, future version of the Internet in their own heads. The titular boost augments every function of the brain, but it quickly becomes apparent that heavy dependence renders people less capable in some ways than they might be without it. What results is a story where many characters with a boost comes across as at least slightly autistic, prone to losing themselves in virtual worlds, with little thought given to what they do in the real one. They are often perplexed by what would seem like the simplest details to us (one person in hiding just doesn't seem to comprehend that, when in hiding, you don't go for morning jogs around the neighborhood).
For all that, the story loses steam early. Everyone seems either incompetent or lackadaisical. One of the richest men in the world can apparently only retain the services of a few bumblers, who are incapable of succeeding at easy tasks. It appears this is meant to further illustrate how reliant everyone is on the boost for getting anything done, but even when it's used, they don't accomplish much. The protagonists don't convey any sense of urgency when dealing with their problems, and there's rarely any sense of danger to anyone. The few moments of conflict are hampered by the total lack of menacing, dangerous characters. There are also a few too many unbelievable coincidences; apparently, the eight or nine remotely important characters all have some previous connection to someone on the opposing side, which is understandable in some instances, but is frankly ludicrous in at least one.
I did enjoy the read, and the fear of having your entire life open to whatever government agency wants to peer through it is certainly relevant these days. The story would simply have benefited from a bit more danger, and a faster pace. A solid story, good if you like a simple conspiracy and conjecture about the next step in human advancement.
For all that, the story loses steam early. Everyone seems either incompetent or lackadaisical. One of the richest men in the world can apparently only retain the services of a few bumblers, who are incapable of succeeding at easy tasks. It appears this is meant to further illustrate how reliant everyone is on the boost for getting anything done, but even when it's used, they don't accomplish much. The protagonists don't convey any sense of urgency when dealing with their problems, and there's rarely any sense of danger to anyone. The few moments of conflict are hampered by the total lack of menacing, dangerous characters. There are also a few too many unbelievable coincidences; apparently, the eight or nine remotely important characters all have some previous connection to someone on the opposing side, which is understandable in some instances, but is frankly ludicrous in at least one.
I did enjoy the read, and the fear of having your entire life open to whatever government agency wants to peer through it is certainly relevant these days. The story would simply have benefited from a bit more danger, and a faster pace. A solid story, good if you like a simple conspiracy and conjecture about the next step in human advancement.
May 22, 2014
Audiobook Review
3 5/8 Stars
How would you like to have your smartphone chip jammed into your brain with a non-stop Twitter feed via a heads-up display courtesy of a microchip-neural interface? Well, it would be cool until it was controlled by the Chinese, the puppet US Government, and of course evil Corporate interests. Welcome to The Boost.
Stephen Baker takes this not-so-far in the future possibility on to Reality Street in 2072. Ralf, a US software developer for the chip, finds a flaw in the next software update that will allow the powers that be to control the minds of billions in a subservient fashion. Joining the ranks of "The Wild" when his chip is removed, he runs to his brother at the US-Mexico border where people live in the "Wild" state. An entire underground movement is identified and is instrumental in bringing down the powers that have taken over humanity's decision-making capabilities.
Halfway through The Boost, it seemed like Baker was actually writing a parody of all of the technological and sociological dysfunction of the current era. His bigger-than-life characters and scene setting would translate well to a graphic novel. There are humorous situations and dialogues that keep it light. By the end, this humor becomes almost slapstick, with shallow, forced scenes and dialogue.
In the main, I enjoyed this book until it became ridiculous. There is a believable element to the technical evolution of neural implants. The potential for malicious software manipulation also exists. The plot was there. The story line devolved into nonsense. I wish Baker would have continued to deal with the scientific aspects rather than ending up in the Cartoon Network.
3 5/8 Stars
How would you like to have your smartphone chip jammed into your brain with a non-stop Twitter feed via a heads-up display courtesy of a microchip-neural interface? Well, it would be cool until it was controlled by the Chinese, the puppet US Government, and of course evil Corporate interests. Welcome to The Boost.
Stephen Baker takes this not-so-far in the future possibility on to Reality Street in 2072. Ralf, a US software developer for the chip, finds a flaw in the next software update that will allow the powers that be to control the minds of billions in a subservient fashion. Joining the ranks of "The Wild" when his chip is removed, he runs to his brother at the US-Mexico border where people live in the "Wild" state. An entire underground movement is identified and is instrumental in bringing down the powers that have taken over humanity's decision-making capabilities.
Halfway through The Boost, it seemed like Baker was actually writing a parody of all of the technological and sociological dysfunction of the current era. His bigger-than-life characters and scene setting would translate well to a graphic novel. There are humorous situations and dialogues that keep it light. By the end, this humor becomes almost slapstick, with shallow, forced scenes and dialogue.
In the main, I enjoyed this book until it became ridiculous. There is a believable element to the technical evolution of neural implants. The potential for malicious software manipulation also exists. The plot was there. The story line devolved into nonsense. I wish Baker would have continued to deal with the scientific aspects rather than ending up in the Cartoon Network.
March 1, 2016
The author watched the old UK series "tripods", copied the concept of being "capped", transferred it to the town he lives in at the mexican border and uses all of his Spanish vocabulary - voila.
The most interesting character was actually a guy who didn't care about the main plot at all, only about eating more food. He seemed a really nice guy, and I was actually interested what he would do next - but for the main characters, not so much.
The writing style is very solemn. I think it's his first novel, and you can tell by the lack of flow in the descriptions. It's like a list of sentences describing what the character does starting each sentence with "He" - no flow, no color, no rhythm, no heart. His writing focus is too much on the plot, and not enough on creating the magic of imaginary realms with words.
The division of the characters into the good, the evil and the opportunistic was a pain to watch. Also, you can clearly see that this was written by a man because of the very shallow characters of all female characters in the book. But even when the male characters get more attention by the writer, they are not much deeper either. Won't read it again, can't really recommend it either, but maybe it is interesting if you've never watched the tripods before and like dystopias.
The most interesting character was actually a guy who didn't care about the main plot at all, only about eating more food. He seemed a really nice guy, and I was actually interested what he would do next - but for the main characters, not so much.
The writing style is very solemn. I think it's his first novel, and you can tell by the lack of flow in the descriptions. It's like a list of sentences describing what the character does starting each sentence with "He" - no flow, no color, no rhythm, no heart. His writing focus is too much on the plot, and not enough on creating the magic of imaginary realms with words.
The division of the characters into the good, the evil and the opportunistic was a pain to watch. Also, you can clearly see that this was written by a man because of the very shallow characters of all female characters in the book. But even when the male characters get more attention by the writer, they are not much deeper either. Won't read it again, can't really recommend it either, but maybe it is interesting if you've never watched the tripods before and like dystopias.
June 2, 2014
This is not my normal read, an adult techno-thriller, so it was interesting to divert from my norm and read something entirely different. The book takes place in 2072 in a world where the majority of the population has a boost chip in their head that does about everything. Map to where you're going- it will tell you, need to pay for a purchase- money is on the chip, the food you eat- they're pellets but the chip can make it taste like whatever you want, meet someone on the street- the chip gives you their bio. I found this to be the most interesting part of the book. I like to see how different authors imagine the future to be. I don't want to give too much away but the book follows a guy named Ralf who has had his boost removed against his will. Ralf seeks out his brother Simon for help. In the meantime, different parties are trying to find Ralf and other members in his circle of family and friends. The book takes place over ten days. I would read only 25 pages at a time, this wasn't a page turner for me but the end does ramp up. I'm not sure if there will be more books set in this world but it ends like there could be and it would make for an interesting series.
June 29, 2014
An interesting and thought-provoking look at our potential future as mobile computing becomes more and more connected to our physical selves. I found myself thinking of the implications of living in that world and alternating between wishing that I, myself, had a boost (computer in my brain) and feeling thankful that this particular future has not yet come true.
With scenes of stressful intensity interwoven with some moments of light humor, it's certainly a page turner. However, at first, I found the author's narrative style a bit jarring as each chapter abruptly changes perspective from one character to another. Although, after some getting used to, it's a useful device which kept me right at the edge of my seat towards the end of the novel.
If you're at all interested in a plot centered in a world where everyone has a computer implanted in their head, the government is a corrupt oligarchy run by the corporate elite, and the citizens of the US are facing a seemingly inevitable invasion of their very minds... then this book is for you.
With scenes of stressful intensity interwoven with some moments of light humor, it's certainly a page turner. However, at first, I found the author's narrative style a bit jarring as each chapter abruptly changes perspective from one character to another. Although, after some getting used to, it's a useful device which kept me right at the edge of my seat towards the end of the novel.
If you're at all interested in a plot centered in a world where everyone has a computer implanted in their head, the government is a corrupt oligarchy run by the corporate elite, and the citizens of the US are facing a seemingly inevitable invasion of their very minds... then this book is for you.
June 18, 2014
Set in 2072, ‘The Boost’ by Stephen Baker imagines a world in which everyone has a networked computer, called a “boost,” installed in his or her brain. Baker is a gifted futurist whose first stab at fiction is remarkably well written, although his inexperience does show in a few places. But Baker compensates with a fast pace and solid scientific grounding. ‘The Boost’ is a fun and thought-provoking exploration of the long-term effects of the ever-shrinking computer.
Read my full review at Pop Mythology
Matt Hlinak
Author of DoG
Read my full review at Pop Mythology
Matt Hlinak
Author of DoG
December 27, 2014
This book is about what happens in the not too distant future in regards to nano-chip technology. A "chip" or boost is implanted into almost everyone's brain. This makes everyone a walking breathing computer. Every year there is an update to the boost, but there is something wrong with the next update. The main character, Ralf, is going to try and fix it but is way laid. His boost ends up being taken out of his head. This leads to an adventure he wasn't expecting, being reunited with his estranged brother and other members of his family.
Overall it is a good book, however, the ending seemed rushed. I think the author could have done a lot more instead of ending the book the way he did. He had a very good premise and a good three quarters of a book. I saw most of the ending coming a mile away and I think most people will too.
Overall it is a good book, however, the ending seemed rushed. I think the author could have done a lot more instead of ending the book the way he did. He had a very good premise and a good three quarters of a book. I saw most of the ending coming a mile away and I think most people will too.
March 11, 2015
This book is a fantastic sci fi concept. What a great idea. I agree with other reviewers that something didn't quite work about the book, but I can't put my finger on what it was. Still, a great idea is a great idea. Set in the future, our iphones are now in a chip in our heads -- a "boost" if you will. So we can access all the information in the world, plus all our memories, etc. We can take perfectly nutritional tablets and make them taste like whatever we want via an app. But....what if an update comes that has things we don't want in our head? This book is worth a read, if only to scare you to death about the downsides of technology.
April 3, 2015
Brilliantly Written, in Major and Minor Key
This is not just a novel written by a very good writer of non-fiction technology books, trying his hand at fiction. It is well woven and multi-layered novel which delivers on all fronts. It is a fast-paced detective story, which is really a book about modern families, which is really a Carl Hiasssen-esque ironic look into the future, but it is also an intricate metaphor for the world in which we live at this very moment. You will not be able to put it down, while you laugh and think and worry about the two-edged sword that is our technology. Buy it. Read it. You will be glad you did.
This is not just a novel written by a very good writer of non-fiction technology books, trying his hand at fiction. It is well woven and multi-layered novel which delivers on all fronts. It is a fast-paced detective story, which is really a book about modern families, which is really a Carl Hiasssen-esque ironic look into the future, but it is also an intricate metaphor for the world in which we live at this very moment. You will not be able to put it down, while you laugh and think and worry about the two-edged sword that is our technology. Buy it. Read it. You will be glad you did.
May 20, 2016
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from a goodreads giveaway.
I really liked the premise around mind expansion technology, and thought that the book had a great start. I started to lose interest near the end where it became a bit too predictable. Overall, it was still an enjoyable read, and a solid 3/5.
I would *really* like to see a prequel set in the early days with competing chip programs, and the chip wars. I think there's a lot more interesting material there.
I really liked the premise around mind expansion technology, and thought that the book had a great start. I started to lose interest near the end where it became a bit too predictable. Overall, it was still an enjoyable read, and a solid 3/5.
I would *really* like to see a prequel set in the early days with competing chip programs, and the chip wars. I think there's a lot more interesting material there.
June 19, 2014
I'm rounding up a bit, but after a bit of uncertainty early on, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I'm generally more drawn to likable and interesting characters than to plot, but while I gradually became engaged with several of the characters, it was the plot that pulled me in more and more as I kept reading. I also appreciated the many small well-imagined details about what life would be like in a society where almost everyone carried the successor to the Internet in a brain implant.
I'm generally more drawn to likable and interesting characters than to plot, but while I gradually became engaged with several of the characters, it was the plot that pulled me in more and more as I kept reading. I also appreciated the many small well-imagined details about what life would be like in a society where almost everyone carried the successor to the Internet in a brain implant.
February 10, 2015
This story contains a wonderfully detailed vision of what it will be like when we connect to the internet through a chip embedded in the brain. The characters are really well done, too. The plot, well, it helps give the vision context.
I am both excited and horrified by the idea. And the author does a good job of bringing out both aspects of being really connected.
I am both excited and horrified by the idea. And the author does a good job of bringing out both aspects of being really connected.
July 14, 2015
Pretty interesting premise...once I sort of understood it. Basically, most people in the world are on a "boost" system....implanted in your head with constant contact with all virtual sites!! From food to sex to news and controlled by a Central group that wants to add another update that would make all addicted, in a way, to the program. Fairly entertaining.
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