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Darknet
A terrifying new breed of predator evolves...
A dark secret determined to stay hidden...
A prophetic and frighteningly realistic novel set in present-day New York, Darknet is the story of one man's odyssey to overcome a global menace pushing the world toward oblivion, and his incredible gamble to risk everything to save his family.
Jake O'Connell left a life of crime and swore he'd never return, but his new life as a stock broker in New York is ripped away when his childhood friend Sean Womack is murdered. Thousands of miles away in Hong Kong, data scientist Jin Huang finds a list of wealthy dead people in a massive banking conspiracy. Problem is, some of the people don't stay dead. As Jin begins her investigation, she's petrified to discover her own name on the growing list of dead-but-alive...
On the run, they race across continents to uncover a dark secret spreading like a cancer into the world. Why was Sean killed, and how is the list of wealthy dead connected? Are some of them really coming back to life? But all this becomes irrelevant when Jake's wife and daughter are attacked...
MORE ABOUT DARKNET
Darknet follows on the heels of Matthew Mather's bestseller CyberStorm, translated into sixteen languages and now in development for film by 20th Century Fox.
A dark secret determined to stay hidden...
A prophetic and frighteningly realistic novel set in present-day New York, Darknet is the story of one man's odyssey to overcome a global menace pushing the world toward oblivion, and his incredible gamble to risk everything to save his family.
Jake O'Connell left a life of crime and swore he'd never return, but his new life as a stock broker in New York is ripped away when his childhood friend Sean Womack is murdered. Thousands of miles away in Hong Kong, data scientist Jin Huang finds a list of wealthy dead people in a massive banking conspiracy. Problem is, some of the people don't stay dead. As Jin begins her investigation, she's petrified to discover her own name on the growing list of dead-but-alive...
On the run, they race across continents to uncover a dark secret spreading like a cancer into the world. Why was Sean killed, and how is the list of wealthy dead connected? Are some of them really coming back to life? But all this becomes irrelevant when Jake's wife and daughter are attacked...
MORE ABOUT DARKNET
Darknet follows on the heels of Matthew Mather's bestseller CyberStorm, translated into sixteen languages and now in development for film by 20th Century Fox.
346 pages, Unknown Binding
First published March 4, 2015
6361 people are currently reading
3096 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Mather
44 books1,823 followersMatthew is the million-copy bestselling author of CyberStorm and Darknet, and the hit series Nomad and Atopia Chronicles. He started out his career working at the McGill Center for Intelligent Machines, going on to become one of the world's leading members of the cybersecurity community. In between he's worked in a variety of start-ups,everything from computational nanotechnology to electronic health records to weather prediction systems. He spends his time between Montreal and Charlotte, NC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 671 reviews
September 27, 2017
Very cool.
Reminiscent of the best of William Gibson, Neal Stephenson and maybe even a subtle nod to Heinlein in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Matthew Mather’s 2015 close to the chest SF thriller is a fun ride.
Our hero Jake O’Connell is working on Wall Street when everything, and I mean everything goes wrong. Jake had worked his way up from some very tough and humble beginnings so he had some skills from the school of hard knocks to fall back on, but Mather puts him through the wringer.
Essentially, Mather has set up a very sophisticated scenario where global financial markets are being taken over by nefarious and unlikely agents. Jake and friends try to stay alive long enough to turn things around for us all. Mather has also described an online assassins website where people can put down hits on others and there are contractors lined up to take the appointments.
Mather’s pace is exceptional and while his characterization and dialogue are somewhat thin, it is not too bad to offset a very slick and exciting story. Plenty of action and lots to think about, Matthew Mather has served up a winner. I can see this being made into a film.
Reminiscent of the best of William Gibson, Neal Stephenson and maybe even a subtle nod to Heinlein in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Matthew Mather’s 2015 close to the chest SF thriller is a fun ride.
Our hero Jake O’Connell is working on Wall Street when everything, and I mean everything goes wrong. Jake had worked his way up from some very tough and humble beginnings so he had some skills from the school of hard knocks to fall back on, but Mather puts him through the wringer.
Essentially, Mather has set up a very sophisticated scenario where global financial markets are being taken over by nefarious and unlikely agents. Jake and friends try to stay alive long enough to turn things around for us all. Mather has also described an online assassins website where people can put down hits on others and there are contractors lined up to take the appointments.
Mather’s pace is exceptional and while his characterization and dialogue are somewhat thin, it is not too bad to offset a very slick and exciting story. Plenty of action and lots to think about, Matthew Mather has served up a winner. I can see this being made into a film.
May 22, 2015
Scariest book I've ever read!
Wow! What can I say? Incredibly frightening because it's so shockingly real. Matthew Mather had written the first sci-fi book I've read that has zero sci-fi in it ... no aliens, no Ray guns, no time travel ... just a pretty realistic look at what Elon Musk and Steven Hawking were warning the world about just a few months back.
My hackles were up from chapter one. Highly recommended.
Well done and Kudos, Matthew! I look forward to reading more of your work sir.
Wow! What can I say? Incredibly frightening because it's so shockingly real. Matthew Mather had written the first sci-fi book I've read that has zero sci-fi in it ... no aliens, no Ray guns, no time travel ... just a pretty realistic look at what Elon Musk and Steven Hawking were warning the world about just a few months back.
My hackles were up from chapter one. Highly recommended.
Well done and Kudos, Matthew! I look forward to reading more of your work sir.
October 23, 2017
Good science fiction--imaginative idea of the autonomous, fully-AI corporation, what it could do, and how difficult it would be to stop something that could predict one's every move.
January 20, 2016
Excellent story about artificial intelligence.
Very near future we're going live with artificial intelligence. Autonomous corporations, in this book name of the company is Blueridge. Automated trading algorithms for major banks, cryptocurrencies, computers impersonating humans. Excellent book, showing us what could happen in the near future.
Very near future we're going live with artificial intelligence. Autonomous corporations, in this book name of the company is Blueridge. Automated trading algorithms for major banks, cryptocurrencies, computers impersonating humans. Excellent book, showing us what could happen in the near future.
February 23, 2015
Darknet by Matthew Mather is another fast-paced thriller similar to CyberStorm. Not that this is a sequel, Darknet is a new standalone novel entirely but similar in that it is well-written, action-packed, and as another review stated, techno-terror. I’m sure author Mather will be receiving another movie offer for Darknet just as he did for CyberStorm.
Jake O’Connell grew up rough as the saying goes. Jake refers to his father as a psychopath by whom he judges other peoples’ personalities, and his brother Eamon is in prison. So how did a guy like this end up working as a Wall Street trader? Jake works with Danny Donovan CEO of Atlas Capitol in New York, has a beautiful wife and young daughter, and lives in a fabulous apartment on the Upper West Side. His boss, Donovan, and Atlas Capitol are being investigated by the SEC. Donovan admits he has had some shady dealing but nothing like the crimes of which he is accused. Right before Donovan is taken out in handcuffs, he states to Jake that Bluebridge is framing him. Bluebridge?
At home, Jake receives a mysterious voice mail from his friend Sean Womack in London. Sean states that he has something he needs to tell Jake but the message is never completed. Jake soon learns that Sean was killed. What was he trying to tell Jake?
So, dear reader of this review, are you still with me? Because this is the first 10% of the book and I am not going to say anything more except that you need to buy this book and enjoy the thriller that follows. Matthew Mather is a rising author in the world of thrillers, suspense, science fiction and a lot of other genres that are hard to nail down with his writing. I read CyberStorm and stated that author Mather is similar to Hugh Howey and Scott Sigler in his career as an author and I still stand by that statement.
Thank you to author Matthew Mather for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jake O’Connell grew up rough as the saying goes. Jake refers to his father as a psychopath by whom he judges other peoples’ personalities, and his brother Eamon is in prison. So how did a guy like this end up working as a Wall Street trader? Jake works with Danny Donovan CEO of Atlas Capitol in New York, has a beautiful wife and young daughter, and lives in a fabulous apartment on the Upper West Side. His boss, Donovan, and Atlas Capitol are being investigated by the SEC. Donovan admits he has had some shady dealing but nothing like the crimes of which he is accused. Right before Donovan is taken out in handcuffs, he states to Jake that Bluebridge is framing him. Bluebridge?
At home, Jake receives a mysterious voice mail from his friend Sean Womack in London. Sean states that he has something he needs to tell Jake but the message is never completed. Jake soon learns that Sean was killed. What was he trying to tell Jake?
So, dear reader of this review, are you still with me? Because this is the first 10% of the book and I am not going to say anything more except that you need to buy this book and enjoy the thriller that follows. Matthew Mather is a rising author in the world of thrillers, suspense, science fiction and a lot of other genres that are hard to nail down with his writing. I read CyberStorm and stated that author Mather is similar to Hugh Howey and Scott Sigler in his career as an author and I still stand by that statement.
Thank you to author Matthew Mather for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 27, 2015
I had a hard time with this one. It's no fun when you can't connect with a character and you don't really care about most of them.
Parts were interesting and frightening, but overall it was an "ok" read.
July 23, 2022
This had a lot of the elements I loved from the movie Enemy of the State. I enjoyed the mix of psychological & action thriller elements. What’s creepier than knowing your personal information is available to anyone with skills and a computer? How about that info being used to predict your every move, frame you for horrible crimes, or hunt you to your death?
The beginning was a little slow due to the number of main characters and foundational info, but once it got going I really enjoyed it. There were twists and turns as each side tried to predict and thwart the other. I liked that the main characters were every day people who worked together to solve the mysteries and keep each other alive.
The ending was solid and I liked the epilogue-ish chapter. I’ll definitely be checking out more from Mather.
Narration:
I specifically chose this because Tom Taylorson narrates. As always, he does a good job giving all the characters unique voices & accents consistent with the writing. Delivery was seamless. Gripping listen.
The beginning was a little slow due to the number of main characters and foundational info, but once it got going I really enjoyed it. There were twists and turns as each side tried to predict and thwart the other. I liked that the main characters were every day people who worked together to solve the mysteries and keep each other alive.
The ending was solid and I liked the epilogue-ish chapter. I’ll definitely be checking out more from Mather.
Narration:
I specifically chose this because Tom Taylorson narrates. As always, he does a good job giving all the characters unique voices & accents consistent with the writing. Delivery was seamless. Gripping listen.
September 12, 2016
Darknet is a fascinating thriller in a world where autonomous corporations controlled by Artificial Intelligence do whatever they deem necessary to fulfill the measure of their creation: making a profit. At any cost.
I'm a sucker for a good fast techno-thriller, and this book definitely delivered. Mather has tapped into an underworld that doesn't look like it's coming from the distant future but rather our here and now. Add to this the measured psychopathy traits that were interwoven within the tale -- and what couldn't be a truer psychopath than a computer program built to perpetuate greed and profits -- and I was hooked.
That being said, this book is certainly not without it's flaws. The characters are far from complex and difficult to relate to, and there are more than your average book's fair share of "Come on!" moments, complete with hand slapping a shaking forehead. But for whatever reason, it's also one of those novels where it's easier to let those things go.
An entertaining read that will have you contemplating the future of our global economy and financial markets. Definitely worth checking out.
I'm a sucker for a good fast techno-thriller, and this book definitely delivered. Mather has tapped into an underworld that doesn't look like it's coming from the distant future but rather our here and now. Add to this the measured psychopathy traits that were interwoven within the tale -- and what couldn't be a truer psychopath than a computer program built to perpetuate greed and profits -- and I was hooked.
That being said, this book is certainly not without it's flaws. The characters are far from complex and difficult to relate to, and there are more than your average book's fair share of "Come on!" moments, complete with hand slapping a shaking forehead. But for whatever reason, it's also one of those novels where it's easier to let those things go.
An entertaining read that will have you contemplating the future of our global economy and financial markets. Definitely worth checking out.
November 27, 2017
I picked up "Darknet" because I work in AI and automation and I wanted to see what someone who sees the darker possibilities of the technologies would imagine as our future.
Matthew Mather does a good job with the technology. The things he imagines are a "five minutes from now" version of the current technology used for bots, machine learning, pattern recognition, drones and cryptocurrency.
He's also come up with a dark and plausible global conspiracy, powered by an AI technology that happily uses humans to do the wetwork.
The action is set across the world: China, the US, Canada, the UK. There's a surprisingly high body count and the action is relentless.
I'm sure the novel has a clever resolution for dealing with the monstrous entity Matthew Mather's imagination has spawned but I'm never going to find out what it is.
I gave up just before the half-way point because I realised that I really didn't care what happened to any of the people. It was like watching someone else play a video game: great graphics and sound effects but zero emotional engagement.
If you're in it for a fast-paced, action-packed thriller with a plausible extrapolation of current technology then "Darknet" may do it for you. Personally, I'll wait to download the video when the movie is inevitably made.
Matthew Mather does a good job with the technology. The things he imagines are a "five minutes from now" version of the current technology used for bots, machine learning, pattern recognition, drones and cryptocurrency.
He's also come up with a dark and plausible global conspiracy, powered by an AI technology that happily uses humans to do the wetwork.
The action is set across the world: China, the US, Canada, the UK. There's a surprisingly high body count and the action is relentless.
I'm sure the novel has a clever resolution for dealing with the monstrous entity Matthew Mather's imagination has spawned but I'm never going to find out what it is.
I gave up just before the half-way point because I realised that I really didn't care what happened to any of the people. It was like watching someone else play a video game: great graphics and sound effects but zero emotional engagement.
If you're in it for a fast-paced, action-packed thriller with a plausible extrapolation of current technology then "Darknet" may do it for you. Personally, I'll wait to download the video when the movie is inevitably made.
July 7, 2016
I thought I'd like this much more than I ended up liking it. It's a great premise, but I didn't connect with or care about any of the characters and there were many unbelievable and far too convenient thugs that happened throughout the book. It's certainly a light-read thriller, but I couldn't get past the weaknesses to really enjoy that book.
On top of all that, the author's frequent use of over explaining things by using basically dictionary definitions got old very quickly.
On top of all that, the author's frequent use of over explaining things by using basically dictionary definitions got old very quickly.
February 6, 2015
Wheeew! I just finished “Darknet” and it was a wild ride.
Mather can spin a far-out technology in his story, weaving advanced concepts into the plot that play like additional characters.
In “Darknet” we learn about the ‘other’ internet. One filled with bots, hidden market places and cybercurrencies. These technologies are real, but Mather pushes the limits and uses them to extremes. He creates a fast paced cat and mouse story with technology playing the part of the cat. He exposes vulnerabilities we all face in our connected world with cyber-attacks, identify theft, and identity masquerading. It’s all part of a great puzzle that unravels for the reader as the story progresses.
The story takes place internationally: China, Canada, USA. It involves people from many walks of life: the Wall Street high-tech investment geeks, Organized Crime, Hackers and Native Americans.
It’s too easy to write a review that compares one story to another. I don’t think that alone does a story justice. This isn’t “Da Vinci Code”, but there are similarities: the one-step-ahead chase, the next puzzle to solve to proceed to the next step in the story. It’s not “Ocean’s Eleven” but there common elements with the many-layered traps and counter traps.
Mather’s stories are usually fast paced, but “Darknet” accelerates the action to a new level. I liked “Cyberstorm” and I liked the “Atopia/Dystopia” stories. Mather always provide strong character definitions. “Darknet” has similar styles and concepts, but adds a strong action component. It is a well-rounded and complete story. I look forward to what Mather does next.
Mather can spin a far-out technology in his story, weaving advanced concepts into the plot that play like additional characters.
In “Darknet” we learn about the ‘other’ internet. One filled with bots, hidden market places and cybercurrencies. These technologies are real, but Mather pushes the limits and uses them to extremes. He creates a fast paced cat and mouse story with technology playing the part of the cat. He exposes vulnerabilities we all face in our connected world with cyber-attacks, identify theft, and identity masquerading. It’s all part of a great puzzle that unravels for the reader as the story progresses.
The story takes place internationally: China, Canada, USA. It involves people from many walks of life: the Wall Street high-tech investment geeks, Organized Crime, Hackers and Native Americans.
It’s too easy to write a review that compares one story to another. I don’t think that alone does a story justice. This isn’t “Da Vinci Code”, but there are similarities: the one-step-ahead chase, the next puzzle to solve to proceed to the next step in the story. It’s not “Ocean’s Eleven” but there common elements with the many-layered traps and counter traps.
Mather’s stories are usually fast paced, but “Darknet” accelerates the action to a new level. I liked “Cyberstorm” and I liked the “Atopia/Dystopia” stories. Mather always provide strong character definitions. “Darknet” has similar styles and concepts, but adds a strong action component. It is a well-rounded and complete story. I look forward to what Mather does next.
October 23, 2017
Thoroughly Entertaining. This was such a clever and interesting book to read, and I was surprised at how quickly I read it. I was recommended by a friend to try one of Matthew Mather’s books, and I’m certainly glad I did. The characters are great and I certainly enjoyed the plot from start to finish. Jake O’Connell is a great character, and I like his tenacity. He just doesn’t give up.
Jake O’Connell thought his life was pretty good with a great job, a beautiful wife, and adorable young daughter. That was until the day his boss Danny Donovan was clearly in trouble, and advised Jake that he was under investigation for fraud. This certainly surprised Jake, as he though Donovan was pretty much above board. When Donovan was led away by authorities, Jake’s world had suddenly changed, and definitely not for the better. It was almost like someone was cleaning house around the world in the finance industry, with the deaths and disappearances of some high profile people. It didn’t take Jake long to find out he was being targeted, and it seemed that someone either wanted him in jail or better yet, dead. Now he will need to do everything he can to find a way of exposing what is really going on, and find out who is ultimately responsible. It’s always exciting to find a new Author that can grab your attention, with such a well written and entertaining story. Do yourself a favour and read this book, you won’t be disappointed.
Jake O’Connell thought his life was pretty good with a great job, a beautiful wife, and adorable young daughter. That was until the day his boss Danny Donovan was clearly in trouble, and advised Jake that he was under investigation for fraud. This certainly surprised Jake, as he though Donovan was pretty much above board. When Donovan was led away by authorities, Jake’s world had suddenly changed, and definitely not for the better. It was almost like someone was cleaning house around the world in the finance industry, with the deaths and disappearances of some high profile people. It didn’t take Jake long to find out he was being targeted, and it seemed that someone either wanted him in jail or better yet, dead. Now he will need to do everything he can to find a way of exposing what is really going on, and find out who is ultimately responsible. It’s always exciting to find a new Author that can grab your attention, with such a well written and entertaining story. Do yourself a favour and read this book, you won’t be disappointed.
March 7, 2019
An absolutely thrilling book! No one writes a story quite like Matthew Mather does. Creepy, and all too realistic. Not sure what took me so long read this one--but I was HOOKED from the beginning and gripped by suspense throughout the book. Sensational.
January 30, 2020
Stimulating. The protagonist does a great job of making you care.
This type of thriller is unusual and thought provoking. Lots of metaphor. Lots of interest.
This type of thriller is unusual and thought provoking. Lots of metaphor. Lots of interest.
February 17, 2015
Early read in exchange for honest review. This is it.
Getting better all the time...
One thing about MM’s work. The implications stay with you. I get this with Cyber Storm, lately when a mega-storm was forecast for New York and I could imagine possible consequences all too clearly. And now it’s happening with Darknet. It’s not that I haven’t heard of the ‘unofficial’ web, and what it’s used for. It’s not that I’m completely unaware of the interconnectivity of all these devices we carry around or have sitting at home – but when I hear an advert for an app allowing you to control your central heating from your mobile phone – well, let’s just say I look at it in a more sinister way now (thank you MM). Yes, my paranoia rates are rising and are bound to get worse.
Spanning three months Darknet starts in London, moves to New York, skips across to Hong Kong, shimmies up to Canada. Across the world business men are being killed in coincidental enough ways at the most inappropriate times. So are their associates, geeks and anyone who might be in the know. In criminal prosecution cases evidence is being fabricated. And in the middle of it all sits one Company who’s employees are never seen in person. Drawn into a fight against it a small company of friends and family, their common link being Jake O’Connell, a man reluctant to face the frightening, impossible truth though as people he knows get ever more involved and endangered then face it he must. With help from a girl he met once in a bar, old friends from the Mohawk community, his family and even the Yakuza, Jake takes on the nearest thing the world has so far got to Artificial Intelligence and the hit man commissioned to keep him quiet. Along the way he appreciates anew the world and the relationships he has taken for granted, while doing a bit of soul searching himself. Fingers crossed – he seems like a nice guy.
Quote: A simple kiss from your wife on the way to work, your daughter sitting on your lap reading, a call from an old friend – thins taken for granted, now ripped from Jakes life.
MM’s dystopian landscapes are not post-apocalyptic – they are happening now or are being developed out of sight in some bright and shiny IT Start-up. If not now they will be possible in the very near future. If you can record a voice, an iris scan or build a picture of what someone looks like from their Face Book page; if you can copy, click and drag from one site to another then what isn’t possible? If MM didn’t invent Techno Terror he is very good at engendering it.
Getting better all the time...
One thing about MM’s work. The implications stay with you. I get this with Cyber Storm, lately when a mega-storm was forecast for New York and I could imagine possible consequences all too clearly. And now it’s happening with Darknet. It’s not that I haven’t heard of the ‘unofficial’ web, and what it’s used for. It’s not that I’m completely unaware of the interconnectivity of all these devices we carry around or have sitting at home – but when I hear an advert for an app allowing you to control your central heating from your mobile phone – well, let’s just say I look at it in a more sinister way now (thank you MM). Yes, my paranoia rates are rising and are bound to get worse.
Spanning three months Darknet starts in London, moves to New York, skips across to Hong Kong, shimmies up to Canada. Across the world business men are being killed in coincidental enough ways at the most inappropriate times. So are their associates, geeks and anyone who might be in the know. In criminal prosecution cases evidence is being fabricated. And in the middle of it all sits one Company who’s employees are never seen in person. Drawn into a fight against it a small company of friends and family, their common link being Jake O’Connell, a man reluctant to face the frightening, impossible truth though as people he knows get ever more involved and endangered then face it he must. With help from a girl he met once in a bar, old friends from the Mohawk community, his family and even the Yakuza, Jake takes on the nearest thing the world has so far got to Artificial Intelligence and the hit man commissioned to keep him quiet. Along the way he appreciates anew the world and the relationships he has taken for granted, while doing a bit of soul searching himself. Fingers crossed – he seems like a nice guy.
Quote: A simple kiss from your wife on the way to work, your daughter sitting on your lap reading, a call from an old friend – thins taken for granted, now ripped from Jakes life.
MM’s dystopian landscapes are not post-apocalyptic – they are happening now or are being developed out of sight in some bright and shiny IT Start-up. If not now they will be possible in the very near future. If you can record a voice, an iris scan or build a picture of what someone looks like from their Face Book page; if you can copy, click and drag from one site to another then what isn’t possible? If MM didn’t invent Techno Terror he is very good at engendering it.
March 21, 2015
Darknet by Matthew Mather (2014) – The World economy is controlled by a huge corporation named Bluebridge. This company creates its own opportunities for profit and its highly-paid employees enjoy an affluent although stressful lifestyle. However, some of the highly successful employees are being arrested and even disappearing. The story focuses on two very successful Bluebridge employees, Jake and Jin, and their associates, who try to determine what is happening and find themselves in a desperate struggle to survive. This is a complex and fascinating high-tech thriller with very satisfying characters and lots of captivating action. I enjoyed it very much.
September 15, 2017
Too much exposition-by-dialogue near the beginning (as in, characters defining words for each other, out loud) and way too much where-everyone-ended-up exposition at the end. Not bad in the middle though.
May 20, 2017
This is a solid near-future techno-thriller a la Daniel Suarez. One would think that between this and Terminator that all work on AI, self-driving cars, etc. would be halted immediately. Silly humans.
November 25, 2022
Wat een spannend verhaal! Echte actie! Goed geschreven 👍🏽.
September 10, 2018
Great book. Well researched and exciting plot. The first book I read from the author. Will definitely check out his other works.
October 19, 2025
A pretty compelling story and a good cast of characters. When dealing with artificial intelligence, you always have the problem of stories not being believable, and this teetered on the edge.
March 21, 2018
May be it wouldn't be as bad if you only heard of Bitcoin on the news.
June 29, 2018
A day and 364 terrible pages I will never get back- that is how I will describe my experience with Darknet. Though Matthew Mather’s story lacks plot, cohesion, and character development, I will review this book for the sake of Sci-Fi Friday. To be honest, I don’t even know why this was in the Sci-Fi section of the amazon marketplace. The actual genre of this book is conspiracy theorist fantasy. The book centers around Jake O’Connell in North America and Jin and Shen both of whom go between Hong Kong and China. I do not consider them characters so much as people miraculously escape countless times from the all powerful Bluebridge server/software taking over the world financial market.
In this novel, the main characters are not subject to the laws of time and space even though this is a supposedly realistic book. In one chapter, Jake survives an assassin with a sniper rifle, an explosion, and then another assassin with an assault rifle. Yes, this is counting the amount of times he survived miraculously in just one chapter. I can’t put myself through counting over the course of the whole book. Maybe if this guy was Arnold Schwarzenegger, he could live through all this, but Mather does not even give details on the characters’ builds or gym regiments. All Mather emphasizes about Jake is his Irish roots.
On that note, Mather does a poor job writing setting, cultures, and dialects. He gives street names at the beginning of chapters to make it look like he’s done this, but real books goes into great detail about the setting or lack thereof. And this is a pretty hard thing to mess up due to the following: google maps and half the book taking place on a Mohawk reservation in the middle of nowhere. He raves about Jake and Eamon’s Irish roots and how they have connections, but Mather just gives us some stereotyped names like Paddy in terms of these connections. I am not going to mention how he botches all understanding of Chinese and Hong Kong society, because that would require another paragraph this book does not deserve for me to write. As for the dialects, all these characters talk the same whether they are from New York City or Hong Kong. Besides describing how Elle says y’all once, she could be from Southern China instead of the American south for all I know!
All in all, read this book at your own risk. Some “reviewers” on goodreads and amazon call it a complex thriller and incredible frightening. This story is not complex or incredible, it is only convoluted in its layers of stupidity Mather lets the reader to sift through. I need a drink and some Dostoevsky after dealing with that pile of verbal diarrhea. It's not even worth a one star here or amazon.
If you liked this review, check out my blog:
In this novel, the main characters are not subject to the laws of time and space even though this is a supposedly realistic book. In one chapter, Jake survives an assassin with a sniper rifle, an explosion, and then another assassin with an assault rifle. Yes, this is counting the amount of times he survived miraculously in just one chapter. I can’t put myself through counting over the course of the whole book. Maybe if this guy was Arnold Schwarzenegger, he could live through all this, but Mather does not even give details on the characters’ builds or gym regiments. All Mather emphasizes about Jake is his Irish roots.
On that note, Mather does a poor job writing setting, cultures, and dialects. He gives street names at the beginning of chapters to make it look like he’s done this, but real books goes into great detail about the setting or lack thereof. And this is a pretty hard thing to mess up due to the following: google maps and half the book taking place on a Mohawk reservation in the middle of nowhere. He raves about Jake and Eamon’s Irish roots and how they have connections, but Mather just gives us some stereotyped names like Paddy in terms of these connections. I am not going to mention how he botches all understanding of Chinese and Hong Kong society, because that would require another paragraph this book does not deserve for me to write. As for the dialects, all these characters talk the same whether they are from New York City or Hong Kong. Besides describing how Elle says y’all once, she could be from Southern China instead of the American south for all I know!
All in all, read this book at your own risk. Some “reviewers” on goodreads and amazon call it a complex thriller and incredible frightening. This story is not complex or incredible, it is only convoluted in its layers of stupidity Mather lets the reader to sift through. I need a drink and some Dostoevsky after dealing with that pile of verbal diarrhea. It's not even worth a one star here or amazon.
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January 23, 2018
Now that was kind of a mess. Darknet is one of those Kindle lending library picks I sometimes getting sucked into, one of those not quite self-published books that is, well not so great, a mostly mindless fast-paced techno-thriller built around a somewhat interesting concept.
In this story, a Wall Street computer AI becomes autonomous and starts to run amok, trying to take over the stock market, manipulating banks, law enforcement and the sinister “darknet” to stop anything is its’ way. Well, Jake O’Connell is one of those things, and the craziness starts immediately as he and then all of his friends and family get sucked in. It becomes increasingly convoluted as Jake taps his old buddies, his brother and parents, and his new-found geeky friends in an attempt to stop the program, and the story quickly degrades into a long series of improbable and silly chases, kidnappings and killings. The end, as one would anticipate, is all nicely wrapped up and sappy. 2 stars ‘cause is was kind of fun, I guess.
In this story, a Wall Street computer AI becomes autonomous and starts to run amok, trying to take over the stock market, manipulating banks, law enforcement and the sinister “darknet” to stop anything is its’ way. Well, Jake O’Connell is one of those things, and the craziness starts immediately as he and then all of his friends and family get sucked in. It becomes increasingly convoluted as Jake taps his old buddies, his brother and parents, and his new-found geeky friends in an attempt to stop the program, and the story quickly degrades into a long series of improbable and silly chases, kidnappings and killings. The end, as one would anticipate, is all nicely wrapped up and sappy. 2 stars ‘cause is was kind of fun, I guess.
February 7, 2017
Whoa! Want to know how the machines took over in the "Terminator", well here's a possibility!
April 23, 2017
Very good techno-thriller. The title is a bit of a misnomer as the Darknet is only a small aspect of the plot which is much more intricate and novel. Kept me interested throughout and while it has all the tropes of techno-thrillers, they are done well and are what makes for a good techno-thriller in the first place.
October 8, 2019
We are all "Persons of Interest"
My wife read this first and highly recommend it. It's scary to think that your being hunted by something that does not answer to the law enforcement, judicial, legislative, or administrative structures of our society. I enjoyed Mather's style and he kept the tension amped up throughout the book.
My wife read this first and highly recommend it. It's scary to think that your being hunted by something that does not answer to the law enforcement, judicial, legislative, or administrative structures of our society. I enjoyed Mather's style and he kept the tension amped up throughout the book.
August 28, 2017
Not too shabby but his other stuff is better.
June 5, 2019
This book peels back the outer layer of reality and shows us what could be (what is?) happening in our world with autonomous corporations and artificial intelligence. The real strength of this book is the plot, which is intricate and compelling. The characters were a bit confusing at times, because there was a fairly large cast, and they could've been a bit more layered - however, I thought Jake, the main character, was well written. I loved the way his background was woven into the story, and how it affected the ending.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys thrillers (particularly for those who enjoy a bit of a sci fi bent). I nearly missed the end of my lunch hour several times because of this book!
I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys thrillers (particularly for those who enjoy a bit of a sci fi bent). I nearly missed the end of my lunch hour several times because of this book!
December 25, 2018
This is my assessments of this book Darknet by Matthew Mather according to 6 criteria:
1. Too long and Strenuous action - exciting - 3 stars
2. Boring - fun - 5 stars
3. not difficult to read (as for non English native speaker] - 4 stars
4. predictable (common) - good story (unusual) - 4 stars
5. Shalow story - has a deeper meaning - 5 stars
6. The story is mass and Unfinished - The story is clear, understandable and well rounded story - 3 stars
Total 4.0 stars.
1. Too long and Strenuous action - exciting - 3 stars
2. Boring - fun - 5 stars
3. not difficult to read (as for non English native speaker] - 4 stars
4. predictable (common) - good story (unusual) - 4 stars
5. Shalow story - has a deeper meaning - 5 stars
6. The story is mass and Unfinished - The story is clear, understandable and well rounded story - 3 stars
Total 4.0 stars.
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