What do you think?
Rate this book
Cutting Edge
Cutting Edge follows Travis Edwards, a bright, young LDS programmer, and his wife, Lisa, as they move to Silicon Valley--an area where brainpower and computer power combine in fierce competition. It's the perfect job. A hot new company is in desperate need of his expertise--and they're willing to make it worth his while. But everything changes when Travis discovers that someone has been stealing sensitive files off of his computer, and the person he confides in mysteriously disappears. Before long, Travis realizes that he can't trust anyone; not his coworkers, his boss, not even members of his ward. Travis must use all of the means at his disposal to prove his innocence and keep his family alive. Because in Silicon Valley, while some ideas are worth billions, other ideas can get you killed.
241 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
2 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 6, 2010
The nice thing about LDS authors is that their writing is always so squeaky clean. Of course, that can be a downfall, too, but it's still nice to read something without swearing or gruesome things in it. This doesn't mean he's Grisham or Clancy, but Jeffrey Savage does an admirable job getting Mormon-boy Travis into a real pickle.
It’s Silicon Valley at the height of the Internet company boom when Travis Edwards is hired as a programmer for a company that is about to go public. His dreams of launching into a prestigious career dissolve when he discovers that someone is stealing sensitive files from his computer. Framed for selling secrets to a competitor, Travis must not only clear his name, but protect his family from those threatening them.
That being said it’s the plot and suspense that carries the story more than the prose, which for the most part is sufficient, although occasionally rough. The plot is pretty straight-forward, the most interesting issue for me being the moral dilemma Travis must face regarding what lengths he can go in order to protect himself and his family; although I think Savage could have upped the ante a bit more than he did.
Travis is the only fully fleshed character. His wife felt two-dimensional to me--her stubborn streak felt over-the-top, so I found her annoying. The characters in Travis’s company filled a role and therefore weren’t particularly well-rounded either, which was likely the consequence of a fast-paced plot and relatively short novel (only 240 pages). I did think that Savage portrayed cube-life accurately, the images and behaviors dredging up my own memories of software-company life.
It’s Silicon Valley at the height of the Internet company boom when Travis Edwards is hired as a programmer for a company that is about to go public. His dreams of launching into a prestigious career dissolve when he discovers that someone is stealing sensitive files from his computer. Framed for selling secrets to a competitor, Travis must not only clear his name, but protect his family from those threatening them.
That being said it’s the plot and suspense that carries the story more than the prose, which for the most part is sufficient, although occasionally rough. The plot is pretty straight-forward, the most interesting issue for me being the moral dilemma Travis must face regarding what lengths he can go in order to protect himself and his family; although I think Savage could have upped the ante a bit more than he did.
Travis is the only fully fleshed character. His wife felt two-dimensional to me--her stubborn streak felt over-the-top, so I found her annoying. The characters in Travis’s company filled a role and therefore weren’t particularly well-rounded either, which was likely the consequence of a fast-paced plot and relatively short novel (only 240 pages). I did think that Savage portrayed cube-life accurately, the images and behaviors dredging up my own memories of software-company life.
January 7, 2011
Good book. It was a fun read. Not real "heavy," but good. It is written by a Mormon with a lot of Mormon overtones and themes in it, so there would be some things lost in translation to those who are not of the LDS faith.
It seems as if I have developed a more sophisticated palette for character development, and that seems to be the most lacking in this story. It's not that Savage doesn't develop his characters well, it's just that, compared to Orson Scott Card, J.R.R. Tolkien and Stephen King, the characters seem a little two-dimensional. But, I don't suppose everyone can be multiple award winning authors.
It's a good book, worth the read.
It seems as if I have developed a more sophisticated palette for character development, and that seems to be the most lacking in this story. It's not that Savage doesn't develop his characters well, it's just that, compared to Orson Scott Card, J.R.R. Tolkien and Stephen King, the characters seem a little two-dimensional. But, I don't suppose everyone can be multiple award winning authors.
It's a good book, worth the read.
January 20, 2009
Travis Edwards, computer programmer, and his wife move to Silicon Valley to work. Someone is stealing files from his computer at work and the person he reports it to, disappears.
This is my second time through this book. Couldn't remember it so re-read it. Now I know why I didn't remember it. The technology was beyond me even though they explained it in layman's terms.
This is my second time through this book. Couldn't remember it so re-read it. Now I know why I didn't remember it. The technology was beyond me even though they explained it in layman's terms.
December 30, 2017
My husband and I read this together, so it took us a while to coordinate our schedule. My husband liked it more than I did because I hated the wife’s constant whining. She whined about everything and didn’t understand anything about supporting her husband or teamwork or marriage. She seemed pretty one dimensional.
This book was written in the early years of computers, so it provided my computer husband some fun retro moments, although you could tell the author did not know much about how computer companies work. Programmers on deadlines spend very little time in meetings-they spend it programming, not talking about scheduling. In this book, they spent hours on meetings. That is not reality.
Not a bad book, but Savage’s later books are better.
This book was written in the early years of computers, so it provided my computer husband some fun retro moments, although you could tell the author did not know much about how computer companies work. Programmers on deadlines spend very little time in meetings-they spend it programming, not talking about scheduling. In this book, they spent hours on meetings. That is not reality.
Not a bad book, but Savage’s later books are better.
March 21, 2019
This was a suspensful book about a newly married couple who take a job in Silicon Valley. He is a programmer and discovers that someone is stealing what he programs. He sets up a security camera on his computer. Several people at his work end up dead. It turns out that one of his coworkers is giving information to a competing company to try and affect the launch of their personal assistant software. In the end, they find out that their home teacher works for the FBI and has had them under surviellance for their protection. They end up getting paid a sum of money and moving back to Utah near their family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2017
The book Cutting Edge by Jeffrey S. Savage is about mormans named Travis and Lisa. Travis joins a company called Open Door and finds out someone is stealing there information, so he goes to the head of the company and gets now where, which he gets fired because the person he was convicting to be the criminal beat him to it. He wins the battle and gets his job back and the company tells him to keep it to himself.
This book is valueable because it shows that there are criminals every where especially at your work. I found it slow when he was talking to his wife when he was home from work. I didn't like how there wasn't much action, it was mostly detecive work. I agree with the author purpose of telling us that there are bad people out there and we could go through just like Travis did. This book wasn't as interesting as the tv shows NCIS or CSI, but this is just my Opionion. It matters because if there was no author no book no main character no book.
This book is valueable because it shows that there are criminals every where especially at your work. I found it slow when he was talking to his wife when he was home from work. I didn't like how there wasn't much action, it was mostly detecive work. I agree with the author purpose of telling us that there are bad people out there and we could go through just like Travis did. This book wasn't as interesting as the tv shows NCIS or CSI, but this is just my Opionion. It matters because if there was no author no book no main character no book.
April 23, 2022
This turned out to be a really good and thrilling read. I could hardly put it down! Funny how things that seemed so advanced and cutting edge in technology when this was written are now common and real and it’s only been two decades!!! Kind of like how futuristic things from Star Trek have become reality. Maybe medical tricorders are still in our future?
August 30, 2017
I really like this book and I would like to read it again if I can find it to read.
March 2, 2021
Story of the bad guys of start ups. Bit wordy at the beginning but gets better
September 20, 2025
This book was somewhat predictable but kept me engaged and needing to finish the story. It was a scary reminder about how money can corrupt people.
November 4, 2011
I absolutely loved this book. It is action-packed, and a great read for anyone craving adventure. Once I picked up this book and started reading it, I could not put it down. It draws you in to a pit of suspense that you cannot climb out of.
This book is about a man named Travis Edwards. He is LDS, and he is a computer programmer. He and his wife, Lisa, move to Silicon Valley. Once he starts his job in Silicon Valley, all these crazy things start happening. Jeffery soon discovers that someone has been stealing confidential files off of his computer, and his best friend goes missing. Travis realizes that he cant trust anyone but his wife. He now has to prove his innocence and keep his family alive. While at church one day, someone tries to kill him. "Some ideas in Silicon Valley can be worth billions of dollars, others get you killed". As many attempts on his life are made, he must prove his innocence to survive.
This book is clean from all innapropriate launguage, and it is full of adventure. There isnt really a theme in this book. Its just a book of suspense and entertainment. The writing of this book was a pretty easy read, reading level is 8.0.
This book is about a man named Travis Edwards. He is LDS, and he is a computer programmer. He and his wife, Lisa, move to Silicon Valley. Once he starts his job in Silicon Valley, all these crazy things start happening. Jeffery soon discovers that someone has been stealing confidential files off of his computer, and his best friend goes missing. Travis realizes that he cant trust anyone but his wife. He now has to prove his innocence and keep his family alive. While at church one day, someone tries to kill him. "Some ideas in Silicon Valley can be worth billions of dollars, others get you killed". As many attempts on his life are made, he must prove his innocence to survive.
This book is clean from all innapropriate launguage, and it is full of adventure. There isnt really a theme in this book. Its just a book of suspense and entertainment. The writing of this book was a pretty easy read, reading level is 8.0.
April 24, 2009
This was another tentative step into the world of contemporary LDS fiction. This one is a dot com mystery set in Silicone Valley. Travis and his wife, Lisa have left the secure and comfortable confines of their Utah home for the somewhat foreign world of San Jose, California to enable Travis to avail himself of the exciting prospects of working for a software company that is about to become a hot new IPO. Travis, a brilliant computer programmer, soon discovers that someone is downloading his files from his work computer. Before the mystery is solved, a company head honcho and his wife die in a mysterious accident, Travis starts receiving threatening notes, and he begins to suspect one of his home teachers as being part of a large conspiracy. I found myself being moved to tears in a couple of places in this story, primarily when Travis is compelled to seek the Lord's help in dealing with his problems.
Read
April 15, 2015This was a great book. The writer is a mormon writer so it is nice that it ties in with my religion, but still it is an interesting book. Travis and his wife Lisa have a perfect life with all their family in Utah until Travis loses his job in Utah which he promised his wife where the would live forever. But when a big shot company comes along and asks travis to be a part of their company how can he say no with all the money they are offering him. So they pack up and head to California. Everything seems to be good in is great new job his new assistants are coming along quite nice. But once he notices someone is stealing his files he realizes he and his wife may be in danger. Can he save his reputation and his new job without getting himself and his wife killed? To find out you will have to read the book.
August 3, 2011
This is not my genre. But...excellent technology thriller.Mormon couple are offered a job in SIlicon Valley (san Jose) and it's too perfect to pass u p. Maybe too perfect. Will Travis have to defend himself against someone steeling sensitive files from his computer? He can't trust anyone at work, or church. He has to prove his innocence and keep his family alive.
I liked this book, because even though it was very "techy" I was still able to follow what was going on. I thought the characters were well developed, and I enjoyed the story line. I am in love with romance novels, this wasn't one. My mom gave it to me and it sat for a long time before I picked it up, but it kept me interested and I enjoyed it. Very worth the read. I would read another J. S. Savage.
I liked this book, because even though it was very "techy" I was still able to follow what was going on. I thought the characters were well developed, and I enjoyed the story line. I am in love with romance novels, this wasn't one. My mom gave it to me and it sat for a long time before I picked it up, but it kept me interested and I enjoyed it. Very worth the read. I would read another J. S. Savage.
August 3, 2012
Books like this is why people don't like LDS fiction. The characters were soooooooo annoying. They were so unrealistic and very hard to relate to. Especially Lisa; I wanted to punch her in the face. The mystery aspect of it got good in the last 30 pages, but for the first 200 it put me to sleep.
February 8, 2009
Very fast paced and somewhat intense towards the end. I definitely did not see the (somewhat) twist ending coming. The book definitely made me glad that no one in my family is in a cutthroat, highly competative business.
April 20, 2009
Some of the computer jargon confused me, but most of it was dumbed down for people who aren't in the computer business. I liked that it wasn't cheesy, and it was suspensful. I couldn't put it down until I was done! And the ending was so surprising, and unexpected.
July 1, 2008
he rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
he is soo cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i know him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
he is soo cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i know him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 7, 2009
Takes a while to get started but then picks up.
September 1, 2010
So, this book was a bit boring if you ask me. It had the potential to be a good story, but it was way too predictable and descriptive in areas it really didn't need to be.
November 1, 2010
suspenseful ending.
July 2, 2011
good book suspenseful
September 9, 2012
Very good book but too scary for me at this time in my life. It had me on edge the entire time and I was glad to finish it and read something else before I went to bed. :>)
December 11, 2013
I read this book 10 or so years ago, but it was the best LDS suspense novel I had read up to that point. Well written without being cheesy.
October 30, 2016
2.5 stars. I give an A for effort, but it was just a little too cheesy for me.
October 21, 2008
Great Book!
April 3, 2017
This was a story that kept me on the edge of my seat--lots of twists and turns, who do you trust, and how can Travis defend himself.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews