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Cumulus
"Cumulus is your new favorite surveillance-fueled dystopian novel. It's a future we can all recognize--and one that we should all be genuinely afraid of." -Ars TechnicaIn the not-so-distant future, economic inequality and persistent surveillance push Oakland to the brink of civil war.Lilly Miyamoto is a passionate analog photographer striving to pursue an ever more distant dream. Huian Li is preeminent among the Silicon Valley elite as the founder and CEO of the pervasive tech giant Cumulus. Graham Chandler is a frustrated intelligence agent forging a new path through the halls of techno-utopian royalty. But when Huian rescues Lilly from a run-in with private security forces, it sets off a chain of events that will change their lives and the world.The adventure accelerates into a mad dash of political intrigue, relentless ambition, and questionable salvation. Will they survive to find themselves and mend a broken system?
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 26, 2016
113 people are currently reading
1853 people want to read
About the author
Eliot Peper
14 books356 followersEliot Peper is the author of eleven novels, including, most recently, Foundry.
He's helped build technology businesses, survived dengue fever, translated Virgil's Aeneid from the original Latin, worked as an entrepreneur-in-residence at a venture capital firm, and explored the ancient Himalayan kingdom of Mustang.
The best way to follow Eliot's writing is to subscribe to his newsletter.
He's helped build technology businesses, survived dengue fever, translated Virgil's Aeneid from the original Latin, worked as an entrepreneur-in-residence at a venture capital firm, and explored the ancient Himalayan kingdom of Mustang.
The best way to follow Eliot's writing is to subscribe to his newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
May 20, 2016
Reads as if the rough draft was written on a flight to LA and published on the return trip. I was initially very excited about the idea of a near future Bay Area dystopia, but character development was thin and the plot progression was so predictable and tired that I was glad it shot along at breakneck speeds. Sexual image is shoehorned in randomly, making this book great read for Bay Area moms to give to their sons with short attention spans who spend too much time on the computer.
April 23, 2016
Social science fiction from Oakland. Huian is the ambitious young founder of an ominous technology company Cumulus that having acquired multiple startups, just about oversees every aspect of our near future, from Fleet transport to Security protections. Huian and her execs are in a state of constant power brokering trying to acquire new startups, maintain security and keep lawsuits at bay as Cumulus rises. But even as living has become far easier for the technologentsia thanks to Cumulus on-demand services, Oakland remains broke and the Bay Area has become segregated into zones Green, Fringe and Slums. We’re introduced to Lilly, a broke Lacer, a freelance photographer and catch a glimpse of life on the other side of the highway out in the Slums. Meanwhile Graham, a former agent turned Cumulus fixer is politicking Huian to ensure his indispensability. The novel in set in motion with the execution of a legal activist. Who’s really responsible? Will they get away with their crimes? How will the Slums react to the execution?
Ultimately Cumulus is an intriguing attempt to grapple with our concerns about technology oligarchies and their influence over politics and persons. Along the way it prototypes the social implications of early stage technologies of today but does so with more declaration than dialog.
Ultimately Cumulus is an intriguing attempt to grapple with our concerns about technology oligarchies and their influence over politics and persons. Along the way it prototypes the social implications of early stage technologies of today but does so with more declaration than dialog.
May 3, 2016
As the designer behind all of Eliot Peper's books, from the Uncommon Series to the forthcoming Cumulus, I have had the immense pleasure of reading each of Eliot's books before their publication. It is a rare experience to see an author's work from conception to completion, but I have not grown tired of the process, especially with this author. Rarer still is the speed at which Eliot puts out great content. In two short years, I have designed more books for Eliot than I have for any other author, and it pleases me to say that the speed at which they have been released has in no way hindered their quality. Any person who pursues a craft so intently is bound for improvement, and appropriately, with Cumulus, we see Eliot Peper at his best yet. I'll let you be the judge of the story itself, but will say that it is inspiringly poignant—whether you're interested in advocating economic equity or working to change the world one startup at a time, this is a book that is very much grounded in the present, despite its near-future setting. Other than that, I only wish to say here that it's been an enormous pleasure working with Eliot on the last four books, and I look forward to the development of future storylines he will undoubtedly construct soon.
August 2, 2019
In his near-future thriller Cumulus, Eliot Peper sets his plot in his hometown Oakland around a passionate and talented young analog photographer, the founder and CEO of a tech giant and a frustrated intelligence agent.
If that doesn’t sound intriguing enough, the fact that Eliot Peper is one of the most talented writers of techno-thrillers today, should rush you to grab this book. Haunting startup stories with political intrigues are his specialty and playground, and Cumulus is yet another confirmation of that. Just a warning before you start reading it: you might get addicted!
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Bernard Jan
If that doesn’t sound intriguing enough, the fact that Eliot Peper is one of the most talented writers of techno-thrillers today, should rush you to grab this book. Haunting startup stories with political intrigues are his specialty and playground, and Cumulus is yet another confirmation of that. Just a warning before you start reading it: you might get addicted!
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Bernard Jan
August 3, 2016
Full disclosure, I know the author and I cohabitate with the editor. I loved the book, and I'm not a big contemporary fiction reader. Because there are so many characters and the story is so plot-driven, I had to reread the first few chapters to clearly understand the character relationships. But after that the story picked up pace a lot, and I was sucked into the strangely familiar world that Eliot created. I definitely recommend this book if Bay Area tech boom makes you sometimes feel icky.
May 5, 2016
I was fortunate enough to read an advance copy of Eliot Peper's new book, Cumulus. I enjoyed his first trilogy, but I loved Cumulus.
His new book is a near-future, pre-dystopia thriller that takes place in Oakland. Severe economic disparity and surveillance saturation push Oakland into a city-wide riot. It’s smartly written and race car ride of a read.
Highly recommended.
His new book is a near-future, pre-dystopia thriller that takes place in Oakland. Severe economic disparity and surveillance saturation push Oakland into a city-wide riot. It’s smartly written and race car ride of a read.
Highly recommended.
May 15, 2016
For fans of speculative fiction, the early 21st century has been both a triumph and a challenge: a triumph because our beloved genre has gained popularity and respect, and a challenge because sorting through the ever-increasing surfeit of new works can be paralyzing. It helps immensely when an enterprising author takes the time to identify and approach a prospective reviewer. When I received Eliot Peper’s inquiry about whether I’d be interested in reviewing his new novel, Cumulus, I breathed a sigh of relief; choices can be so much easier when made by someone else.
I’ve been similarly solicited by several authors since becoming an amateur reviewer, and I can honestly say that Peper is the first one to impress me. Cumulus is a fun, intelligent, and thrilling escapade through the mind of a writer who clearly understands much about the culture of Silicon Valley and the future of technology and politics. The book is short enough to digest quickly while still containing plenty of food for thought. And––best of all––it’s not the first in a series. In an era when the standalone novel has been overshadowed by the undeserving serial cash cow, Cumulus exudes a sense of place and purpose that doesn’t require additional installments to prove edifying and rewarding.
Cumulus addresses head-on a question that is harrying technologists the world over: Which technology company, if any, will become the curator of the Internet of Things? Since we are building technology platforms to analyze and optimize nearly every aspect of human life, it seems reasonable to assume that a meta-company might emerge with the goal of bringing all the new platforms together under a single corporate umbrella. This is the vision of Huian Li, the CEO of Cumulus:
"Technology was the only scalable tool available to help shape a better future. The question was whether people chose to participate in that future or not. Huian was a harbinger of that new reality. She would stop at nothing to push forward the inexorable, beautiful, conflicted locomotive of human civilization. Dystopias were the province of the undisciplined." (loc. 1320)
Peper has reduced this perspective to its bare bones, constructing a scenario that feels oversimplified but just plausible enough to be convincing. In a near-future version of the Bay Area, Cumulus gains power and influence by purchasing companies like Fleet (an Uber-for-everything transportation platform), Security (a large-scale privatized police force), and Tectonix (a specialist in geophysical sensors and global data consolidation). Spiraling inequality has caused the Bay Area to splinter into a stable Green Zone populated by those wealthy enough to pay for protection and social services. The Green Zone is surrounded by chaotic Fringes inhabited by the less fortunate. The public sector has all but disappeared, and the private sector has stepped up (or slithered in) to pick up the pieces:
"Like so many other things, leadership and control of previously public infrastructure had been ceded to the private sector. No. Not just the private sector. Cumulus." (loc. 1160)
It’s unclear whether Peper is politically motivated to distrust the public sector or simply believes its marginalization is inevitable. Regardless, he is not alone in his appraisal; there are a great many real-world leaders who think we are headed in this direction.
Instead of playing the unwinnable game of trying to predict what will or won’t come to pass, Peper focuses on how people from different backgrounds might navigate this tenuous landscape. Abstract issues such as geopolitical strategy, the value of analog media in a digital world, socioeconomic inequality, the benefits and dangers of automation, and the mercurial role of privacy/anonymity in a surveillance state come alive as the plot of Cumulus unfolds.
As is the case with most works of speculative fiction, the characters in Cumulus often amount to little more than mouthpieces for Peper’s ideas. Peper makes a sincere effort to render his characters believable and distinct, but characterization is not his strength. The novel’s villain is especially weak––a cliché power player who creates conflict without a proper motive and is too easily dispensed with when the plot demands it. Even so, there is undeniable promise in Peper’s writing; if he wants to ascend to a higher tier of authorship, he should explore with more vigor the idiosyncrasies, inconsistencies, and nuances of human nature.
While it pains me to consider a future in which the public sector is stripped of any real power, Cumulus does offer hopeful suggestions about how the private sector can become more ethically conscious and socially robust. Huian comes to see that the boons of Cumulus technology should ultimately be democratized, and propounds the model of “perpetual beta” as a general framework for the optimization of technological services:
"[Perpetual beta] refers to the idea of constant experimentation that assumes a high level of implicit failure instead of trying to avert every contingency through careful planning. The logic is that careful planning doesn’t work very well because both failure and opportunity arrive from unexpected directions anyway…It’ll be messy and awkward. But so is almost every adolescent. If it’s going to happen, we have to start right now." (loc. 2937-45)
To complement this point of view, Huian undergoes a shift in her ideas about the limits of centralized power:
"The company was too reliant on her. She might have dedicated her life to building the future, but the future couldn’t depend on her. Through careful management of board composition, voting rights, and equity dilution, she had ensured that she remained firmly in control of Cumulus. That had given her the authority to be agile in a world of lethargic institutions, and go boldly where others balked. But it had also made her a critical point of failure. Good leaders made themselves indispensable. Great leaders made themselves expendable. Conflating the two had nearly cost her everything…You might discover that incredible things can happen when you relinquish control." (loc. 2864, 2975, emphasis his)
It is gratifying that this photon of insight has escaped the black hole of egotism called Silicon Valley. As Frederic Laloux has suggested, the successful organizations of the future will be structured like organisms, not machines. Hierarchies should not be extirpated entirely, but absolute top-down control is inefficient and ultimately impossible. We must mimic living systems by cultivating vast networks of data and interpersonal exchange that are both autonomous and interconnected, striking a careful balance between individual self-interest and the common good.
It’s up to each of us to carve the path to a better civilization, and to choose which thinkers we will look to for guidance and inspiration. Put Eliot Peper on your list.
This review was originally published on my blog, words&dirt.
I’ve been similarly solicited by several authors since becoming an amateur reviewer, and I can honestly say that Peper is the first one to impress me. Cumulus is a fun, intelligent, and thrilling escapade through the mind of a writer who clearly understands much about the culture of Silicon Valley and the future of technology and politics. The book is short enough to digest quickly while still containing plenty of food for thought. And––best of all––it’s not the first in a series. In an era when the standalone novel has been overshadowed by the undeserving serial cash cow, Cumulus exudes a sense of place and purpose that doesn’t require additional installments to prove edifying and rewarding.
Cumulus addresses head-on a question that is harrying technologists the world over: Which technology company, if any, will become the curator of the Internet of Things? Since we are building technology platforms to analyze and optimize nearly every aspect of human life, it seems reasonable to assume that a meta-company might emerge with the goal of bringing all the new platforms together under a single corporate umbrella. This is the vision of Huian Li, the CEO of Cumulus:
"Technology was the only scalable tool available to help shape a better future. The question was whether people chose to participate in that future or not. Huian was a harbinger of that new reality. She would stop at nothing to push forward the inexorable, beautiful, conflicted locomotive of human civilization. Dystopias were the province of the undisciplined." (loc. 1320)
Peper has reduced this perspective to its bare bones, constructing a scenario that feels oversimplified but just plausible enough to be convincing. In a near-future version of the Bay Area, Cumulus gains power and influence by purchasing companies like Fleet (an Uber-for-everything transportation platform), Security (a large-scale privatized police force), and Tectonix (a specialist in geophysical sensors and global data consolidation). Spiraling inequality has caused the Bay Area to splinter into a stable Green Zone populated by those wealthy enough to pay for protection and social services. The Green Zone is surrounded by chaotic Fringes inhabited by the less fortunate. The public sector has all but disappeared, and the private sector has stepped up (or slithered in) to pick up the pieces:
"Like so many other things, leadership and control of previously public infrastructure had been ceded to the private sector. No. Not just the private sector. Cumulus." (loc. 1160)
It’s unclear whether Peper is politically motivated to distrust the public sector or simply believes its marginalization is inevitable. Regardless, he is not alone in his appraisal; there are a great many real-world leaders who think we are headed in this direction.
Instead of playing the unwinnable game of trying to predict what will or won’t come to pass, Peper focuses on how people from different backgrounds might navigate this tenuous landscape. Abstract issues such as geopolitical strategy, the value of analog media in a digital world, socioeconomic inequality, the benefits and dangers of automation, and the mercurial role of privacy/anonymity in a surveillance state come alive as the plot of Cumulus unfolds.
As is the case with most works of speculative fiction, the characters in Cumulus often amount to little more than mouthpieces for Peper’s ideas. Peper makes a sincere effort to render his characters believable and distinct, but characterization is not his strength. The novel’s villain is especially weak––a cliché power player who creates conflict without a proper motive and is too easily dispensed with when the plot demands it. Even so, there is undeniable promise in Peper’s writing; if he wants to ascend to a higher tier of authorship, he should explore with more vigor the idiosyncrasies, inconsistencies, and nuances of human nature.
While it pains me to consider a future in which the public sector is stripped of any real power, Cumulus does offer hopeful suggestions about how the private sector can become more ethically conscious and socially robust. Huian comes to see that the boons of Cumulus technology should ultimately be democratized, and propounds the model of “perpetual beta” as a general framework for the optimization of technological services:
"[Perpetual beta] refers to the idea of constant experimentation that assumes a high level of implicit failure instead of trying to avert every contingency through careful planning. The logic is that careful planning doesn’t work very well because both failure and opportunity arrive from unexpected directions anyway…It’ll be messy and awkward. But so is almost every adolescent. If it’s going to happen, we have to start right now." (loc. 2937-45)
To complement this point of view, Huian undergoes a shift in her ideas about the limits of centralized power:
"The company was too reliant on her. She might have dedicated her life to building the future, but the future couldn’t depend on her. Through careful management of board composition, voting rights, and equity dilution, she had ensured that she remained firmly in control of Cumulus. That had given her the authority to be agile in a world of lethargic institutions, and go boldly where others balked. But it had also made her a critical point of failure. Good leaders made themselves indispensable. Great leaders made themselves expendable. Conflating the two had nearly cost her everything…You might discover that incredible things can happen when you relinquish control." (loc. 2864, 2975, emphasis his)
It is gratifying that this photon of insight has escaped the black hole of egotism called Silicon Valley. As Frederic Laloux has suggested, the successful organizations of the future will be structured like organisms, not machines. Hierarchies should not be extirpated entirely, but absolute top-down control is inefficient and ultimately impossible. We must mimic living systems by cultivating vast networks of data and interpersonal exchange that are both autonomous and interconnected, striking a careful balance between individual self-interest and the common good.
It’s up to each of us to carve the path to a better civilization, and to choose which thinkers we will look to for guidance and inspiration. Put Eliot Peper on your list.
This review was originally published on my blog, words&dirt.
December 5, 2016
Cumulus was a fast paced, futuristic novel that takes place in the California Bay region. Heavily focused on advances in technology, specifically surveillance, Peper creates a detailed, thought provoking look into the world that potentially awaits us in the near future. I would love to know Peper’s actual feelings and opinions with regard to our impending fate concerning the evolution of technology. Specifically, does he currently cover his phone’s camera with tape? Ever since reading this novel I’ve been increasingly tempted to cover my phone’s cameras, and have been pondering our high tech future, which ultimately has left me feeling rather helpless regarding this conceivable outcome. While this world development by Peper was delightfully innovative and detailed, the corresponding character development was shallow in comparison. The story line follows Huian the head of a tech giant in Silicon Valley, Lilly who is a film photographer who has very little interest in technology, and Chandler, an ex clandestine operative, who is a master manipulator. Each of the aforementioned personalities despite being incredibly predictable and stereotypical, become increasingly intertwined as to irrevocably capture the curiosity of the reader. Overall, Cumulus was a highly entertaining read that continues to occupy my thoughts weeks after finishing the novel in question with it serving as a glimpse, if not a warning about the dangerous every day life side effects for humanity as our technology advances seemingly unchecked.
April 20, 2016
This haunting thriller stays with you long after you've read it. I received an advanced copy and really enjoyed it. Books like this help you think through concerns towards the moral problems that self-driving cars and technology present to our society today. Eliot does a really great job of not just telling a great story, but painting a haunting picture with words. Definitely read this book as soon as you get a chance, you won't regret it.
May 5, 2016
I have read the author's other books and have enjoyed them all. Cumulus, however, is my favorite. The first line of the book drew me in instantly. Cumulus has good intrigue and pace with a complex weave of storylines.
May 5, 2016
Another masterpiece from Eliot. Every time I pick up a book from Eliot I can't put it down. The Uncommon Stock series opened my eyes to a new world of tech thrillers. I really enjoyed Eliot's first book and his writing has got even better. It's only a matter of time...
June 27, 2017
A good book gives you a parallel universe you can live in for a little while. A world you step into for 20-30 minute blocks as your train chugs its way from one station to the next. Writers often set fiction books in abstract places, which heightens the escapism. With settings vague enough that they seem like they might be next door -- or in a world far, far away. Sometimes at the same time.
Cumulus isn't one of those books. It's set firmly in Oakland -- with a large proportion of it set in West Oakland. As I'm writing this, I turn my head and look out through my window, and I think I can see "the compound" in the book. Reading a novel playing out in the near future, in a location you know well, is a surreal experience. At one point, I found myself putting the book away as the BART train pulled into West Oakland station, and I started to walk home. The teleportation of me from the fictional world to the real one was jarring and delightful.
Which isn't to say you have to live in the Bay Area to enjoy Cumulus. In fact, it was first recommended to me by a friend who lives 5,000 miles away. It's a universal tale of "what if," and how social good and technology could dovetail nicely - or come crashing into each other. It's the "don't be evil" of Google crashing into whatever Uber's slogan is (I'm going to take a wild guess it isn't "don't be evil"), fictionalized and drawn to the logical extremes.
An absolute delight if you like technology and how it has an effect on our lives. Read it.
Cumulus isn't one of those books. It's set firmly in Oakland -- with a large proportion of it set in West Oakland. As I'm writing this, I turn my head and look out through my window, and I think I can see "the compound" in the book. Reading a novel playing out in the near future, in a location you know well, is a surreal experience. At one point, I found myself putting the book away as the BART train pulled into West Oakland station, and I started to walk home. The teleportation of me from the fictional world to the real one was jarring and delightful.
Which isn't to say you have to live in the Bay Area to enjoy Cumulus. In fact, it was first recommended to me by a friend who lives 5,000 miles away. It's a universal tale of "what if," and how social good and technology could dovetail nicely - or come crashing into each other. It's the "don't be evil" of Google crashing into whatever Uber's slogan is (I'm going to take a wild guess it isn't "don't be evil"), fictionalized and drawn to the logical extremes.
An absolute delight if you like technology and how it has an effect on our lives. Read it.
July 23, 2020
I won this on Goodreads. Fast moving thriller, compelling characters, great plot. I highly recommend it. Interesting take on dealing with the near future and impacts of income inequality. I consider it a companion to Optimal Money Flow - an economist's take on how to handle the near future of self driving cars, and "internet everything."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2017
Pros: plausible future, interesting characters, fast paced
Cons: ending
In the near future, Cumulus controls much of the world’s technology. It’s founder, Huian Li, wants to extend her company’s reach but is frustrated when an important acquisition falls through. Graham Chandler used to work for the Agency until its never ending bureaucracy drove him out. He’s spent the past few years working his way through the ranks of Cumulus and now he’s making himself indispensable to Huian. Soon she’ll be his puppet and he’ll run Cumulus.
Lilly Miyamoto’s first love is film photography but she’s tired of pimping out her life, photographing Greenie weddings, barely able to afford her place in the slums. Two unexpected encounters give her the chance to make her photography mean so much more.
The book isn’t set too far in the future, but the internet has progressed and more things have been automated (cars, for example) and co-ordinated. The rich can afford the better private services of Cumulus, while state operated programs flounder due to reduced budgets. This has created an even larger socio-economic gap between the rich and the poor than currently exists. Graham’s soliloquies about past jobs in foreign countries and how he’s noticed the gap growing at home are quite interesting.
The main players were all fun to read about. They had layers to who they were, with ambitions, faults, habits, etc. I really liked Lilly’s gumption given her unfortunate circumstances.
The book is fast paced with short chapters creating a sense of tension as the story jumps between viewpoints.
I really enjoyed the book right up until the ending, when it all fell apart. Suddenly Graham’s motivation is lacking in a way that makes no sense. And while there’s a sense that the events of the book will have a huge impact on the players, some last minute decisions seemed odd considering what was about to happen. I’ll go into more detail in the spoiler section.
On the whole it was a fun, quick read. I just wish the author had spent more time considering the ending.
***SPOILERS***
Problems I had with the ending:
1) I’m supposed to believe that Graham, who has constant thoughts about socio-political inequality decided to work for the largest tech company in the world - spending years getting to where he needed to be in order to start controlling it from behind the scenes - and had no idea what he wanted to do with the company? I’d assumed he had some plan for fixing the problems he always complained about. He’s simply too meticulous for me to believe he put in so much effort with no end goal in mind.
2) Huian plans to preempt Graham’s leak by leaking the information herself. Does that include the sex tapes he made using Cumulus’s spyware (including his blackmail files)? How about all the private financial, employment, and medical records of her employees? Because that’s all stuff he set up to release. And I doubt anyone will be thrilled to learn about the depth of information Cumulus can access and how lax their security protocols are with regards to the privacy of their customers. I can only imagine how many people would want to cancel their Cumulus service because of this leak.
3) Despite the very obvious legal trouble Huian is about to be in (she even mentions this) and her recent decisions ordering the execution of his lover, Frederick decides Huian should be on the advisory committee overseeing the implementation of bringing Cumulus to the poor. Now, assuming the privacy concerns of #2 don’t make people decide they’re better off without Cumulus recording all their private moments, how is she divorced enough from the company to be part of an independent council? She’d obviously side with the company and what the next CEO thinks is best.
4) Following on #3, how does removing a corrupt mayor help if pretty much everyone in politics and on the police force is equally corrupt? From what the book said, everyone worked with Frederick. And the problem with electing someone who isn’t corrupt is that you’re stuck voting for one of the people running for office, and how do voters know who is and isn’t corrupt?
5) Frederick states at the end of the book that he wants to retire and his organization will survive his leaving. If he had so little control of his operation, how has he not been replaced by someone with more ambition? I’m also a little concerned that the author set up the head of a criminal organization as the sole example of a great leader (following a phrase used just prior to this scene).
Cons: ending
In the near future, Cumulus controls much of the world’s technology. It’s founder, Huian Li, wants to extend her company’s reach but is frustrated when an important acquisition falls through. Graham Chandler used to work for the Agency until its never ending bureaucracy drove him out. He’s spent the past few years working his way through the ranks of Cumulus and now he’s making himself indispensable to Huian. Soon she’ll be his puppet and he’ll run Cumulus.
Lilly Miyamoto’s first love is film photography but she’s tired of pimping out her life, photographing Greenie weddings, barely able to afford her place in the slums. Two unexpected encounters give her the chance to make her photography mean so much more.
The book isn’t set too far in the future, but the internet has progressed and more things have been automated (cars, for example) and co-ordinated. The rich can afford the better private services of Cumulus, while state operated programs flounder due to reduced budgets. This has created an even larger socio-economic gap between the rich and the poor than currently exists. Graham’s soliloquies about past jobs in foreign countries and how he’s noticed the gap growing at home are quite interesting.
The main players were all fun to read about. They had layers to who they were, with ambitions, faults, habits, etc. I really liked Lilly’s gumption given her unfortunate circumstances.
The book is fast paced with short chapters creating a sense of tension as the story jumps between viewpoints.
I really enjoyed the book right up until the ending, when it all fell apart. Suddenly Graham’s motivation is lacking in a way that makes no sense. And while there’s a sense that the events of the book will have a huge impact on the players, some last minute decisions seemed odd considering what was about to happen. I’ll go into more detail in the spoiler section.
On the whole it was a fun, quick read. I just wish the author had spent more time considering the ending.
***SPOILERS***
Problems I had with the ending:
1) I’m supposed to believe that Graham, who has constant thoughts about socio-political inequality decided to work for the largest tech company in the world - spending years getting to where he needed to be in order to start controlling it from behind the scenes - and had no idea what he wanted to do with the company? I’d assumed he had some plan for fixing the problems he always complained about. He’s simply too meticulous for me to believe he put in so much effort with no end goal in mind.
2) Huian plans to preempt Graham’s leak by leaking the information herself. Does that include the sex tapes he made using Cumulus’s spyware (including his blackmail files)? How about all the private financial, employment, and medical records of her employees? Because that’s all stuff he set up to release. And I doubt anyone will be thrilled to learn about the depth of information Cumulus can access and how lax their security protocols are with regards to the privacy of their customers. I can only imagine how many people would want to cancel their Cumulus service because of this leak.
3) Despite the very obvious legal trouble Huian is about to be in (she even mentions this) and her recent decisions ordering the execution of his lover, Frederick decides Huian should be on the advisory committee overseeing the implementation of bringing Cumulus to the poor. Now, assuming the privacy concerns of #2 don’t make people decide they’re better off without Cumulus recording all their private moments, how is she divorced enough from the company to be part of an independent council? She’d obviously side with the company and what the next CEO thinks is best.
4) Following on #3, how does removing a corrupt mayor help if pretty much everyone in politics and on the police force is equally corrupt? From what the book said, everyone worked with Frederick. And the problem with electing someone who isn’t corrupt is that you’re stuck voting for one of the people running for office, and how do voters know who is and isn’t corrupt?
5) Frederick states at the end of the book that he wants to retire and his organization will survive his leaving. If he had so little control of his operation, how has he not been replaced by someone with more ambition? I’m also a little concerned that the author set up the head of a criminal organization as the sole example of a great leader (following a phrase used just prior to this scene).
March 29, 2017
A few days ago, I watched the latest episode of HBO’s series VICE for which they interviewed Edward Snowden on the present state of privacy. Snowden’s response to the interview was that surveillance is more prevalent than ever, and that the government not only has the capability of listening in on our phone conversations, but also has the capability of knowing where we are located and where we go. Snowden also mentioned that the government’s mass collection of metadata is also ineffectual on the war on terror mainly because the amount of data that has been collected is so vast, it is impossible to detect an anomaly that would indicate plans for a possible terrorist attack. The reasoning behind all this is that the state of big data management and analytics, the ability to use computational means to find correlations between large sets of data, is still in its infancy. But that is quickly changing as research into data analysis is fueled by big business which wants to know more about you, so they can make more money off of you. It won’t be long before everything about you, from what you eat for breakfast, to the time you go to bed will be neatly tucked away in the technological cloud to be easily accessed with the touch of a button. The scary part is that government will eventually have that capability too.
Eliot Peper’s new novel, Cumulus, takes a glimpse into the future when the corporate world does finally reach the point when data analytics is good enough to strip every individual of their privacy and use it in very destructive ways. Peper’s fictional corporation is San Francisco based Cumulus, which is headed by CEO Huian Li, a highly driven individual that has only tunnel vision for the corporate success of Cumulus. Li’s short-sighted vision for Cumulus is to achieve an outcome that would better humanity, however she can’t see beyond the bubble that surrounds her which leaves her vulnerable.
One junior executive that takes advantage of Li’s vulnerability is Graham Chandler, an ex-intelligence agent that believed the ‘Agency’ that he had worked with was out of touch with the realities of the world, so Chandler left the Agency to pursue what he felt was ‘real’ espionage and Cumulus was the place to do it. In some ways Chandler’s goals are not different from Li’s in that both believe that what they are doing is in the best interest to society, but unfortunately both can’t see beyond their short-sightedness. It takes a simple photographer, Lilly Miyamoto, to show both of them the error of their ways.
Cumulus is short and sweet, a fun novel that can be read in an afternoon. Overall, I enjoyed Cumulus, but my only complaint is that the ending was rather abrupt. It is a must for those that like futuristic dystopian fiction.
If you enjoyed Cumulus, you may be interested in Eliot Peper's Uncommon Series which you can find more about on my blog A-Thrill-A-Week
Eliot Peper’s new novel, Cumulus, takes a glimpse into the future when the corporate world does finally reach the point when data analytics is good enough to strip every individual of their privacy and use it in very destructive ways. Peper’s fictional corporation is San Francisco based Cumulus, which is headed by CEO Huian Li, a highly driven individual that has only tunnel vision for the corporate success of Cumulus. Li’s short-sighted vision for Cumulus is to achieve an outcome that would better humanity, however she can’t see beyond the bubble that surrounds her which leaves her vulnerable.
One junior executive that takes advantage of Li’s vulnerability is Graham Chandler, an ex-intelligence agent that believed the ‘Agency’ that he had worked with was out of touch with the realities of the world, so Chandler left the Agency to pursue what he felt was ‘real’ espionage and Cumulus was the place to do it. In some ways Chandler’s goals are not different from Li’s in that both believe that what they are doing is in the best interest to society, but unfortunately both can’t see beyond their short-sightedness. It takes a simple photographer, Lilly Miyamoto, to show both of them the error of their ways.
Cumulus is short and sweet, a fun novel that can be read in an afternoon. Overall, I enjoyed Cumulus, but my only complaint is that the ending was rather abrupt. It is a must for those that like futuristic dystopian fiction.
If you enjoyed Cumulus, you may be interested in Eliot Peper's Uncommon Series which you can find more about on my blog A-Thrill-A-Week
May 7, 2016
My first review on Goodreads, so let's hope that I do this right! Full disclosure: I bought this off of Apple iBooks.
Final Rating: 3.5 Stars
Recommendation: Buy It!
Lately I've been reading a good deal of articles about startup and tech culture recently. Dan Lyons' articles giving an inside look at Hubspot is one that stands out sharply. His concerns are that too many of these companies are caught up in the vision, so drunk on successes and high valuations that they never seem to realize very real problems lurking below the surface. Cumulus is an extrapolation of these anxities, set in a near-future Oakland dominated by the Google-analogous Cumulus. Through a series of ruthless acquisitions, Cumulus has established a wide-reaching technological utopia, where all cars are automated and information is available at the touch of a button. Outside its reach - or rather, care - is a slum dominated by violent crime and poverty. When the murder of a prominent activist threatens to blur the lines between the haves and have-nots in Silicon Valley, we're thrown headfirst into a rollicking thriller. Questions of corporate ambition are pressed to the surface, and there are no easy answers.
There are three viewpoint characters: Huian, Cumulus' CEO; Lilly, a young photographer; and Graham, a self-described "problem solver" under Cumulus' auspices. I found Huian by far the most intriguing of the three. Peper sets her up to be a new Jobs or Bezos, and he does an excellent job with looking into the thoughts of a woman who's not only a visionary, but damn well knows it. While unsympathetic at first, her character is intriguing, and I enjoyed reading her voice as her tightly-held grip on her world slowly loosens. The other two were enjoyable as well, albeit not as deeply explored. Lilly played the role of the everywoman being thrown into something well above her, while Peper makes Graham into a wholly unsavory character, almost too much so. He's as slimy as you'd expect.
However, my greatest complaint was the resolution of the book's climax - it felt rushed and abrupt, and relied too heavily on the actions of one character which seemed to contradict everything else we knew about him. While I understand the need for tight writing, there were also a few sections where I felt we had the opportunity more deeply into some of the characters (particularly Lilly) without bloating the novel's length.
This isn't to downsell Cumulus, though. It's a tightly-paced thriller with excellent characters, that moves towards a satisfying conclusion. I definitely hope to read more of Peper's works in the future.
Final Rating: 3.5 Stars
Recommendation: Buy It!
Lately I've been reading a good deal of articles about startup and tech culture recently. Dan Lyons' articles giving an inside look at Hubspot is one that stands out sharply. His concerns are that too many of these companies are caught up in the vision, so drunk on successes and high valuations that they never seem to realize very real problems lurking below the surface. Cumulus is an extrapolation of these anxities, set in a near-future Oakland dominated by the Google-analogous Cumulus. Through a series of ruthless acquisitions, Cumulus has established a wide-reaching technological utopia, where all cars are automated and information is available at the touch of a button. Outside its reach - or rather, care - is a slum dominated by violent crime and poverty. When the murder of a prominent activist threatens to blur the lines between the haves and have-nots in Silicon Valley, we're thrown headfirst into a rollicking thriller. Questions of corporate ambition are pressed to the surface, and there are no easy answers.
There are three viewpoint characters: Huian, Cumulus' CEO; Lilly, a young photographer; and Graham, a self-described "problem solver" under Cumulus' auspices. I found Huian by far the most intriguing of the three. Peper sets her up to be a new Jobs or Bezos, and he does an excellent job with looking into the thoughts of a woman who's not only a visionary, but damn well knows it. While unsympathetic at first, her character is intriguing, and I enjoyed reading her voice as her tightly-held grip on her world slowly loosens. The other two were enjoyable as well, albeit not as deeply explored. Lilly played the role of the everywoman being thrown into something well above her, while Peper makes Graham into a wholly unsavory character, almost too much so. He's as slimy as you'd expect.
However, my greatest complaint was the resolution of the book's climax - it felt rushed and abrupt, and relied too heavily on the actions of one character which seemed to contradict everything else we knew about him. While I understand the need for tight writing, there were also a few sections where I felt we had the opportunity more deeply into some of the characters (particularly Lilly) without bloating the novel's length.
This isn't to downsell Cumulus, though. It's a tightly-paced thriller with excellent characters, that moves towards a satisfying conclusion. I definitely hope to read more of Peper's works in the future.
June 17, 2016
In this book, I enjoyed Eliot's writing and that the topic was relevant and timely: privacy, transparency, and how governments and corporations treat "our" personal data.
With the Bay Area / San Francisco / Oakland as the backdrop, Eliot weaves a story into how society, corporations, governments, and individuals in those institutions can use information for good and for bad. Eliot combines ideas about individual privacy with corporations, society, and government to get the reader to think about what they believe is the limit of privacy at each one of these levels (individual, corporation, society, and government) -- and how transparent or opaque institutions can and should be. This is a timely topic as we work through different issues related to privacy and a freer accessibility of information (electronic information; Apple - FBI, Google power, homeland security, etc.).
As a reader of Cumulus, you look at the situation from multiple perspectives to understand how individuals in each one of the institutions can make decisions that threaten or protect individuals in our society / community. Eliot does this through an easy read that connects all the individuals together (Frederick, Graham, Huian, Lilly, Sara -- and Fleet and Ghost Program) --- and provides hints throughout the story that keep the plot together, while not giving away the end result. Will software be more powerful than man (i.e. will software eat the world?)?
-----
Along with having the opportunity of reading a version of the book before it was published, I had the opportunity to get together with Eliot in person at a coffee shop in Oakland (the main back drop for the book -- Oakland / Bay Area). At a coffee shop a short distance from his house in Oakland, we talked about various aspects of Oakland that he enjoys and why he has come back to the city he grew up in. From that conversation, I can see why he had Oakland be the primary city for the backdrop of Cumulus (as opposed to any of the other cities in the Bay Area) -- the conversation provided me another perspective of the book, and made the story-line more realistic. He loves Oakland, and alludes to this in the "thank you" at the end of the book -- "Cumulus is a kind of twister love letter to my favorite city in the Bay Area....Writing Cumulus allowed me to explore my enthusiasm for my hometown...".
With the Bay Area / San Francisco / Oakland as the backdrop, Eliot weaves a story into how society, corporations, governments, and individuals in those institutions can use information for good and for bad. Eliot combines ideas about individual privacy with corporations, society, and government to get the reader to think about what they believe is the limit of privacy at each one of these levels (individual, corporation, society, and government) -- and how transparent or opaque institutions can and should be. This is a timely topic as we work through different issues related to privacy and a freer accessibility of information (electronic information; Apple - FBI, Google power, homeland security, etc.).
As a reader of Cumulus, you look at the situation from multiple perspectives to understand how individuals in each one of the institutions can make decisions that threaten or protect individuals in our society / community. Eliot does this through an easy read that connects all the individuals together (Frederick, Graham, Huian, Lilly, Sara -- and Fleet and Ghost Program) --- and provides hints throughout the story that keep the plot together, while not giving away the end result. Will software be more powerful than man (i.e. will software eat the world?)?
-----
Along with having the opportunity of reading a version of the book before it was published, I had the opportunity to get together with Eliot in person at a coffee shop in Oakland (the main back drop for the book -- Oakland / Bay Area). At a coffee shop a short distance from his house in Oakland, we talked about various aspects of Oakland that he enjoys and why he has come back to the city he grew up in. From that conversation, I can see why he had Oakland be the primary city for the backdrop of Cumulus (as opposed to any of the other cities in the Bay Area) -- the conversation provided me another perspective of the book, and made the story-line more realistic. He loves Oakland, and alludes to this in the "thank you" at the end of the book -- "Cumulus is a kind of twister love letter to my favorite city in the Bay Area....Writing Cumulus allowed me to explore my enthusiasm for my hometown...".
August 3, 2016
More plausible than most
I often get pretty annoyed by day-after-next thrillers. They often are annoyingly unrealistic, or involve people acting in stupid ways to move the plot forward. Luckily l, this most doesn't do that, and when it does, is mostly forgivable.
Summary: definitely worth a read w/ some thoughtful points and likable characters in a squint a bit and it's pretty plausible setting.
Some thoughts (Spoilers ensue):
* one of the characters is a walking black swan who happens to tie everything together. I guess it works, but two coincidences seems a bit much
* would you give a single ex-CIA operative carte blanche log less root access to Uber-Google? Seems like a pretty bad idea
* Any employee doing any sort of fixer role would still have oversight and a super iron clad employment contract (liability, acceptable conduct policy) or would have actual deniability (subcontracted, not even officially affiliated in any way)
* the spy schemes were just harebrained - as a known employee, why/how could you even imagine you could blackmail someone behind the ceo's back for an m&a w/o it getting back to people? That's just crazy because it assumes people would never bring it up once they came on board? Executing a well connected muckraking lawyer seems like just the least effective way to make something go away (if he was doing it to gain trust and engineered the lawsuit anyway why not just make the evidence go away?)
* if you're building a public service panopticon, probably best not to create backdoors that allows a rogue employee to ruin the organization - not saying it's unrealistic, just a thing to keep in mind - it seems impossible to create the ghost program on that scale w/o it being known and either objected to our being nbd (you could imagine the system being built for national security reasons and being exploited)
* IMO like most tech thrillers, grossly underestimates highest level opsec/security expertise/protocol design resources available at elite tech levels (laughable security design in Ex Machina being something that sticks out)
I often get pretty annoyed by day-after-next thrillers. They often are annoyingly unrealistic, or involve people acting in stupid ways to move the plot forward. Luckily l, this most doesn't do that, and when it does, is mostly forgivable.
Summary: definitely worth a read w/ some thoughtful points and likable characters in a squint a bit and it's pretty plausible setting.
Some thoughts (Spoilers ensue):
* one of the characters is a walking black swan who happens to tie everything together. I guess it works, but two coincidences seems a bit much
* would you give a single ex-CIA operative carte blanche log less root access to Uber-Google? Seems like a pretty bad idea
* Any employee doing any sort of fixer role would still have oversight and a super iron clad employment contract (liability, acceptable conduct policy) or would have actual deniability (subcontracted, not even officially affiliated in any way)
* the spy schemes were just harebrained - as a known employee, why/how could you even imagine you could blackmail someone behind the ceo's back for an m&a w/o it getting back to people? That's just crazy because it assumes people would never bring it up once they came on board? Executing a well connected muckraking lawyer seems like just the least effective way to make something go away (if he was doing it to gain trust and engineered the lawsuit anyway why not just make the evidence go away?)
* if you're building a public service panopticon, probably best not to create backdoors that allows a rogue employee to ruin the organization - not saying it's unrealistic, just a thing to keep in mind - it seems impossible to create the ghost program on that scale w/o it being known and either objected to our being nbd (you could imagine the system being built for national security reasons and being exploited)
* IMO like most tech thrillers, grossly underestimates highest level opsec/security expertise/protocol design resources available at elite tech levels (laughable security design in Ex Machina being something that sticks out)
October 8, 2016
Another perfectly written technothriller
5 out of 5 stars
Cumulus is a company on the brink of signing another much-needed acquisition to continue building up their massive brand. While this is happening, Lily, a wedding photographer with a dream of being a photojournalist finds out that one of her only friends has been murdered in cold blood. What follows is a story of the near-future where some people are safe and others are considered to be expendable. Well, expendable people don’t always go down without a fight.
The narration for Cumulus was done by Jennifer O’Donnell, who narrated the other three books that I’ve read/listened to by Eliot Peper. She does a wonderful job again. Peper makes it easy by writing dynamic and powerful female characters that allow O’Donnell to narrate from the heart. The production quality was great (as I’ve come to expect from Brickshop Audio).
I definitely have a new go-to for business-centered technothrillers. Eliot Peper does it again. He sucked me in from the first paragraph and didn’t spit me out until the last sentence. Cumulus was a perfectly written book with action, thrills, and a whole lot of cool technology.
This is one of those books that you read and feel something. The thing that I felt was fear. I fear that we are headed towards exactly what Peper wrote about. His world building skills were excellent and he was able to create a world that was pretty scary. It takes place in the near future and it really feels like everything that he wrote could happen.
Every character that Peper wrote and included in Cumulus was needed. They were all hashed out really well too, to the point where as a reader I felt like I personally knew these people or had read about them in the paper.
I just finished the book, normally I take a few minutes to digest everything and formulate what I feel, but with Cumulus it was obvious. The book made me feel so that automatically catapults it to a higher rating. Combine that with the excellent world and character building and you have a hit.
Keep your eyes out for Peper in the future. I see big things coming from him!
5 out of 5 stars
Cumulus is a company on the brink of signing another much-needed acquisition to continue building up their massive brand. While this is happening, Lily, a wedding photographer with a dream of being a photojournalist finds out that one of her only friends has been murdered in cold blood. What follows is a story of the near-future where some people are safe and others are considered to be expendable. Well, expendable people don’t always go down without a fight.
The narration for Cumulus was done by Jennifer O’Donnell, who narrated the other three books that I’ve read/listened to by Eliot Peper. She does a wonderful job again. Peper makes it easy by writing dynamic and powerful female characters that allow O’Donnell to narrate from the heart. The production quality was great (as I’ve come to expect from Brickshop Audio).
I definitely have a new go-to for business-centered technothrillers. Eliot Peper does it again. He sucked me in from the first paragraph and didn’t spit me out until the last sentence. Cumulus was a perfectly written book with action, thrills, and a whole lot of cool technology.
This is one of those books that you read and feel something. The thing that I felt was fear. I fear that we are headed towards exactly what Peper wrote about. His world building skills were excellent and he was able to create a world that was pretty scary. It takes place in the near future and it really feels like everything that he wrote could happen.
Every character that Peper wrote and included in Cumulus was needed. They were all hashed out really well too, to the point where as a reader I felt like I personally knew these people or had read about them in the paper.
I just finished the book, normally I take a few minutes to digest everything and formulate what I feel, but with Cumulus it was obvious. The book made me feel so that automatically catapults it to a higher rating. Combine that with the excellent world and character building and you have a hit.
Keep your eyes out for Peper in the future. I see big things coming from him!
May 14, 2016
I am biased toward books like Cumulus. I'm fascinated by stories that try to describe the impact of technology maybe 10 to 50 years out into the future. For me, it's an interesting mix of today plus tomorrow, and we're living it right now!
So, I like Peper's tech in the book. Cumulus is an omnipresent tech company. It's Google, basically. The surveillance setup described in the book is interesting and completely credible: drones, facial recognition, strong AI automation, global interactive database, etc. All this power, of course, leads to malfeasance, and that's cool.
QOTD
Alas, the story isn't very strong. As I said, I like the nerd stuff. But then (heavy sigh) the plot shifts to violence and hit men and drug lords and shooting and car chases and blah blah blah. This has happened a couple of times now; it's becoming a pet peeve. Why can't you just tell an interesting story about the impact of future tech and an all-powerful tech company without turning it into a cartoon? In 2041, is Google going to be hiring people to shoot their enemies? No. (and yawn)
The ending is very weak. So, Cumulus limped it's way to 3 bill-star worthiness. From the postscript: "I'm an indie author." Huzzah to that! Here's the author's website: http://www.eliotpeper.com/.
A good read. yow, bill
So, I like Peper's tech in the book. Cumulus is an omnipresent tech company. It's Google, basically. The surveillance setup described in the book is interesting and completely credible: drones, facial recognition, strong AI automation, global interactive database, etc. All this power, of course, leads to malfeasance, and that's cool.
QOTD
Cranking up the volume didn't help. He triangulated for other phones in the vicinity. All muffled. Damn. They must be using security precautions. Layering audio feeds from the nearby phones on top of each other, he eliminated all sounds that didn't fall into the human vocal spectrum to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. Knitting the clean files together, he cranked up the volume again. Gotcha.
- the bad guy doing some hi-tech eaves-dropping, Cumulus
Alas, the story isn't very strong. As I said, I like the nerd stuff. But then (heavy sigh) the plot shifts to violence and hit men and drug lords and shooting and car chases and blah blah blah. This has happened a couple of times now; it's becoming a pet peeve. Why can't you just tell an interesting story about the impact of future tech and an all-powerful tech company without turning it into a cartoon? In 2041, is Google going to be hiring people to shoot their enemies? No. (and yawn)
The ending is very weak. So, Cumulus limped it's way to 3 bill-star worthiness. From the postscript: "I'm an indie author." Huzzah to that! Here's the author's website: http://www.eliotpeper.com/.
A good read. yow, bill
August 29, 2016
(Disclosure: Eliot's a friend and he sent me a pre-release copy of Cumulus.)
Really enjoyed this book from Eliot -- he takes the concept of "absolute power corrupts absolutely" and applies it to some present-day tech trends. Cumulus is a plausible (but fantastic) extrapolation of what the Bay Area could look like w/trends un-checked. Found myself nodding at several points at some obvious worst-case scenarios.
I like it when authors tease out a what-if scenario to see where things could go, and really enjoyed Lily (the main character) and her motivations. Her evolution in particular was fun to follow.
The ending is a bit abrupt, but in the end that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story as a whole. It's always a pleasure when authors truly understand the technology that they write about -- which Eliot clearly does. That lends a credibility to the story and to the characters' decisions that is often absent in other thrillers.
Really enjoyed this book from Eliot -- he takes the concept of "absolute power corrupts absolutely" and applies it to some present-day tech trends. Cumulus is a plausible (but fantastic) extrapolation of what the Bay Area could look like w/trends un-checked. Found myself nodding at several points at some obvious worst-case scenarios.
I like it when authors tease out a what-if scenario to see where things could go, and really enjoyed Lily (the main character) and her motivations. Her evolution in particular was fun to follow.
The ending is a bit abrupt, but in the end that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story as a whole. It's always a pleasure when authors truly understand the technology that they write about -- which Eliot clearly does. That lends a credibility to the story and to the characters' decisions that is often absent in other thrillers.
July 11, 2016
Cumulus is dystopian fiction set in a near future where class division, data tracking, and electronic surveillance have taken over the world. The story beautifully explores how technological changes have the potential to create and escalate social tensions. Progress always comes with birthing pains. History has shown that this happens and Peper imagined what changes contemporary tech might cause. The four main characters are mostly vehicles that let us see this world through four different perspectives -- that of a leader of progress, that of a misfit, that of someone who set out to exploit the system, and that out someone who seeks to provide a voice to the people disenfranchised by the system. The contrast among their ideals and goals makes for an interesting read.
One of the biggest problems I had with the book was that it was too small and focussed on the plot and the world that the author ended up depriving the readers of deeper character development.
One of the biggest problems I had with the book was that it was too small and focussed on the plot and the world that the author ended up depriving the readers of deeper character development.
May 8, 2016
Get in pre-IPO!
This is the perfect summer read for 2016. A timely yet dystopian thriller which is hard to put down. Finished it across two sessions in the sun over the weekend, after picking it up based on tweet recommendations.
Like the Blue Ant books by William Gibson, it feels like the story is happening right now, even if some of the tech isn't really here yet. Or maybe it is, but just now evenly distributed...
Some of the bit characters could have been a bit more fleshed out or less typical, but it does leave more than enough quirks and wtf for the two or three main characters. A dash of Enemy of the State, a helping of Social Network. But most importantly a solid dose Cumulus. Sign in or sign up, then buckle down.
This is the perfect summer read for 2016. A timely yet dystopian thriller which is hard to put down. Finished it across two sessions in the sun over the weekend, after picking it up based on tweet recommendations.
Like the Blue Ant books by William Gibson, it feels like the story is happening right now, even if some of the tech isn't really here yet. Or maybe it is, but just now evenly distributed...
Some of the bit characters could have been a bit more fleshed out or less typical, but it does leave more than enough quirks and wtf for the two or three main characters. A dash of Enemy of the State, a helping of Social Network. But most importantly a solid dose Cumulus. Sign in or sign up, then buckle down.
September 9, 2016
Gripping near future thriller about a futuristic Oakland which is divided into guarded Green Zones (for the rich) and slums for the rest. The community is run by Cumulus, a former startup that now has morphed into a mix between Facebook and a Super State and tries to make the world a better place (heh, don't they all?)
The author clearly focuses on characters and storytelling and leaves out the technical side. And even though the main character is an analogue photographer freelancer, the author switches between the antagonist and the CEO of the all-powerful Cumulus to show different view points about the inequality conflict.
If you like near future thrillers like Dave Eggers' The Circle, and/or start-up culture with a sci-fi twist, you'll enjoy this fast-paced and short read.
The author clearly focuses on characters and storytelling and leaves out the technical side. And even though the main character is an analogue photographer freelancer, the author switches between the antagonist and the CEO of the all-powerful Cumulus to show different view points about the inequality conflict.
If you like near future thrillers like Dave Eggers' The Circle, and/or start-up culture with a sci-fi twist, you'll enjoy this fast-paced and short read.
June 4, 2016
I really enjoyed this book!! A book where it's hard to distinguish the "good guys" from the "bad guys" and makes you feel the entire range of emotions on one hell of a roller coaster ride! I think this would make one great "nail biting" movie too! Eliot does a wonderful job of making you feel what the characters are feeling and never disappoints from beginning to end! His attention to detail helps make this book feel "real" and has you thinking about it days after you've finished reading it! You won't be disappointed you picked up this book to read!
May 7, 2016
Eliot Peper's new novel, Cumulus, a standalone story of the Bay Area in the not-so-distant future was a fabulous read.
I half expected a continuation of his trilogy but this was a brand new world he presents to us, with heroes, villains, insiders, and those who've opted out of the system.
I loved reading this great story and found myself excited, interested, and frightened (both for the characters and for our future).
This is Mr. Peper's best yet! He's found his voice and style and embraces it in his newest novel.
I half expected a continuation of his trilogy but this was a brand new world he presents to us, with heroes, villains, insiders, and those who've opted out of the system.
I loved reading this great story and found myself excited, interested, and frightened (both for the characters and for our future).
This is Mr. Peper's best yet! He's found his voice and style and embraces it in his newest novel.
September 29, 2016
A 4.5 review.
I'm a fan of dystopias but, unfortunately you can get some dodgy ones. I'm glad to say that Cumulus was a nice surprise ( My girlfriend gave it to me as a gift). It's basically a spy thriller set in an America where people are monitored by major companies and technology dominates all aspects of life.
There are a couple of plot twists, some gripping moments and although the ending is a bit corny, I enjoyed reading Cumulus. If you're a fan of Maxx Barry's novels or Ready Player One then I'm sure you'll like this little gem.
I'm a fan of dystopias but, unfortunately you can get some dodgy ones. I'm glad to say that Cumulus was a nice surprise ( My girlfriend gave it to me as a gift). It's basically a spy thriller set in an America where people are monitored by major companies and technology dominates all aspects of life.
There are a couple of plot twists, some gripping moments and although the ending is a bit corny, I enjoyed reading Cumulus. If you're a fan of Maxx Barry's novels or Ready Player One then I'm sure you'll like this little gem.
May 15, 2016
Cumulus started out strong, but then the story started to be driven by coincidence and character interactions that (to me) felt half complete.
The company that is the namesake of the book has widespread power over every facet of their customers lives and is working to spread that power further. While I liked how this is a morally grey part of the story, it was frustrating that the implications of extreme mis-use of Cumulus capabilities wasn't explored further.
The company that is the namesake of the book has widespread power over every facet of their customers lives and is working to spread that power further. While I liked how this is a morally grey part of the story, it was frustrating that the implications of extreme mis-use of Cumulus capabilities wasn't explored further.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2016
A provocative imagining of Oakland and San Francisco in the near future. Long on ideas (technology, privacy, politics, etc.) but short on characterization. If you've read Peper's _Uncommon Stock_, look for a few Easter eggs referencing it.
For a much more comprehensive review I largely agree with: http://www.words-and-dirt.com/words/r...
For a much more comprehensive review I largely agree with: http://www.words-and-dirt.com/words/r...
July 24, 2017
I really enjoyed this. The near future vision of society using a variety of linked up technologies run by 'The Cloud' seems eerily plausible in the coming years.
It moved on a little too quickly for my liking. Could have spent a little more time adding some depth but it didn't stop me for enjoying it for what it was. A decent read in the techno-thriller (ish) genre
It moved on a little too quickly for my liking. Could have spent a little more time adding some depth but it didn't stop me for enjoying it for what it was. A decent read in the techno-thriller (ish) genre
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