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Factor Man
One man holds the key to the most revolutionary and powerful technology since the invention of the atom bomb.
The press wants to interview Factor Man. The Chinese government wants to kill him. And the FBI wants to protect him.
But first, they need to find him.
William Burkett is a statistics-savvy journalist, but he isn't qualified to judge the extraordinary claims in an anonymous email he receives from "Factor Man." Is FM a crackpot, or has he discovered what computer scientists call "God's algorithm?" As FM solves increasingly complex math problems in a public countdown to the day his identity will be revealed, the momentous consequences of his apparent invention draw the attention of a Chinese assassin. Will Factor Man survive until his coming-out party, or will his technology die with him?
PRAISE FOR FACTOR MAN
"A vivid tech thriller ... compelling, well-written and thought-provoking." --DAVID BRIN, Hugo and Nebula award-winning author of The Postman, The Uplift Trilogy, and much more.
"Factor Man gives us a hero for our a tech genius with common sense and a commitment to social responsibility. An original, smart thriller that stretches your imagination and keeps you engaged to the end."--AMY ROGERS, author of Petroplague
"A fantastic job of taking us on a ride featuring engaging characters, exciting action and deep-thinking heroes and villains of a type all too rare in the genre. I greatly enjoyed this book." --BART MASSEY, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Portland State University
"A real page-turner, thanks to the characters, plot twists and humor. Even though I'm nicer than the guy in the book, I still loved it." --BRIAN FINN, ex-president of Credit Suisse
"A classy and clever thriller best read with your phone off and your brain on."--MARK BLACKABY, author of You'll Never Be Here Again
The press wants to interview Factor Man. The Chinese government wants to kill him. And the FBI wants to protect him.
But first, they need to find him.
William Burkett is a statistics-savvy journalist, but he isn't qualified to judge the extraordinary claims in an anonymous email he receives from "Factor Man." Is FM a crackpot, or has he discovered what computer scientists call "God's algorithm?" As FM solves increasingly complex math problems in a public countdown to the day his identity will be revealed, the momentous consequences of his apparent invention draw the attention of a Chinese assassin. Will Factor Man survive until his coming-out party, or will his technology die with him?
PRAISE FOR FACTOR MAN
"A vivid tech thriller ... compelling, well-written and thought-provoking." --DAVID BRIN, Hugo and Nebula award-winning author of The Postman, The Uplift Trilogy, and much more.
"Factor Man gives us a hero for our a tech genius with common sense and a commitment to social responsibility. An original, smart thriller that stretches your imagination and keeps you engaged to the end."--AMY ROGERS, author of Petroplague
"A fantastic job of taking us on a ride featuring engaging characters, exciting action and deep-thinking heroes and villains of a type all too rare in the genre. I greatly enjoyed this book." --BART MASSEY, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Portland State University
"A real page-turner, thanks to the characters, plot twists and humor. Even though I'm nicer than the guy in the book, I still loved it." --BRIAN FINN, ex-president of Credit Suisse
"A classy and clever thriller best read with your phone off and your brain on."--MARK BLACKABY, author of You'll Never Be Here Again
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2018
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121 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 8, 2018
Now hear this: My mathematics skills are limited to basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division - and even then, there's an even chance I won't get it right. Change the problem to apples vs. oranges or trains passing in the night, and well, you might as well be speaking ancient Greek. So it was with more than a little trepidation that I started this book, written by a guy with (gasp!) a Ph.D. in astrophysics.
Oh what the heck, I said, I sailed through Neil deGrasse Tyson's Astrophysics for People in a Hurry without sinking - how bad could this one be? As it turns out, not bad at all; in fact, it was so engrossing that I took my Kindle to bed to finish the last chapter and epilogue (for the record, something I never, ever do). The final verdict? Wow!
The very creative and clever story focuses on "Factor Man," who claims to have resolved the "number factoring" that's used to encrypt information on the Internet and what's called "God's algorithm." Making available these heretofore impossible solutions, it is believed, will allow those who know the code to solve virtually any problem known to humankind (as of 2017, when initial announcement of availability was made). The benefits for business and industry, the government and the future of the entire world may well lie in the applications made possible by this discovery simply because the implications and applications are unlimited - and, needless to say, highly coveted.
That is, if he's right. And if he is, the man who has gone to great lengths to remain anonymous until "FMCOP" (Factor Man Coming Out Party) stands to become the wealthiest human on the planet. So first, he's got to convince key people that he can do what he says he can. Assuming the answer is yes, his intent is to sell the code to the highest bidder - with some very interesting exceptions - then give it to the U.S. government and, ultimately, to anyone who wants it, free of charge. Initially, he reveals his plan to New York Times reporter William Burkett, explaining that he will factor increasingly higher numbers as evidence that his claims are for real; at a certain point, the numbers will reach the level currently considered unfactorable by experts. Factor Man will accept submissions at his blog at his discretion (the names of those whose suggestions are accepted are in and of themselves pretty doggone cool).
But of course, there's many a slip between cup and lip. The Chinese, who have been prohibited from bidding, are, shall we say, not happy. The only good Factor Man, they decide, is a dead Factor Man. But there's that pesky "anonymous" thing; before they can eliminate him, they must identify him. Meanwhile in the United States, the FBI has become quite interested in identifying him as well; they don't want to kill him, of course, but once they learn the Chinese are after him, they pull out all the stops to ensure that they find him first.
Sp the chase is on; and holy camoly, what a chase it is! Please note that as a mostly retired journalist who is on the whole proud of her spelling ability, I regrettably admit to not being sure how to spell "camoly." I've found it written as "comoly" and "cannoli" (the latter as in the popular Italian dessert), but I'll go with Urbanthesaurus.org's version above. In any event, what struck me most about this book is that I can't imagine what kind of mind could conjure up such a clever, well-thought-out plot - especially one that involves a subject that under normal circumstances is like a foreign language to me. It was amazing, thrilling, educational and, in spots, downright chuckle-producing. But most important to me besides loving it, math-challenged me "got" it. Many thanks to the author, who provided a review copy to me (via NetGalley). I second what I said in the second paragraph above: Wow!
Oh what the heck, I said, I sailed through Neil deGrasse Tyson's Astrophysics for People in a Hurry without sinking - how bad could this one be? As it turns out, not bad at all; in fact, it was so engrossing that I took my Kindle to bed to finish the last chapter and epilogue (for the record, something I never, ever do). The final verdict? Wow!
The very creative and clever story focuses on "Factor Man," who claims to have resolved the "number factoring" that's used to encrypt information on the Internet and what's called "God's algorithm." Making available these heretofore impossible solutions, it is believed, will allow those who know the code to solve virtually any problem known to humankind (as of 2017, when initial announcement of availability was made). The benefits for business and industry, the government and the future of the entire world may well lie in the applications made possible by this discovery simply because the implications and applications are unlimited - and, needless to say, highly coveted.
That is, if he's right. And if he is, the man who has gone to great lengths to remain anonymous until "FMCOP" (Factor Man Coming Out Party) stands to become the wealthiest human on the planet. So first, he's got to convince key people that he can do what he says he can. Assuming the answer is yes, his intent is to sell the code to the highest bidder - with some very interesting exceptions - then give it to the U.S. government and, ultimately, to anyone who wants it, free of charge. Initially, he reveals his plan to New York Times reporter William Burkett, explaining that he will factor increasingly higher numbers as evidence that his claims are for real; at a certain point, the numbers will reach the level currently considered unfactorable by experts. Factor Man will accept submissions at his blog at his discretion (the names of those whose suggestions are accepted are in and of themselves pretty doggone cool).
But of course, there's many a slip between cup and lip. The Chinese, who have been prohibited from bidding, are, shall we say, not happy. The only good Factor Man, they decide, is a dead Factor Man. But there's that pesky "anonymous" thing; before they can eliminate him, they must identify him. Meanwhile in the United States, the FBI has become quite interested in identifying him as well; they don't want to kill him, of course, but once they learn the Chinese are after him, they pull out all the stops to ensure that they find him first.
Sp the chase is on; and holy camoly, what a chase it is! Please note that as a mostly retired journalist who is on the whole proud of her spelling ability, I regrettably admit to not being sure how to spell "camoly." I've found it written as "comoly" and "cannoli" (the latter as in the popular Italian dessert), but I'll go with Urbanthesaurus.org's version above. In any event, what struck me most about this book is that I can't imagine what kind of mind could conjure up such a clever, well-thought-out plot - especially one that involves a subject that under normal circumstances is like a foreign language to me. It was amazing, thrilling, educational and, in spots, downright chuckle-producing. But most important to me besides loving it, math-challenged me "got" it. Many thanks to the author, who provided a review copy to me (via NetGalley). I second what I said in the second paragraph above: Wow!
March 20, 2018
This is an excellent book! My review can be read here ---> https://wp.me/p5t5Tf-1tc
May 29, 2018
If you are a mathematician and love numbers, this is absolutely the book for you. I loved that the writer went in depth to create the storyline and keep everything in perfect order. Patience seems to truly be his virtue.
I felt the book to be a bit lengthy for my taste in numbers. Words are my cup of tea and for myself it was a little long. That being said, if it wasn't a topic that has always been a torment for me, it would have been right up my alley.
I felt the book to be a bit lengthy for my taste in numbers. Words are my cup of tea and for myself it was a little long. That being said, if it wasn't a topic that has always been a torment for me, it would have been right up my alley.
March 14, 2018
When I review a book, I usually do one of two things; if I’m not captivated by the first chapter I stop reading and give it, at best a tepid review or I don’t review it at all, or I skim through the rest, and give it my best shot at an honest review. With Matt Ginsberg’s Factor Man, though, my technique was turned on its ear. I was thoroughly hooked on the book from the first few paragraphs but found that skimming was not an option. I had to read it slowly and carefully, absorbing every word, lest I miss some crucial piece of information. For the first time since I started reviewing books regularly (again, after a long hiatus) I found myself reading every word.
The cast of characters in this book is a long one, and each character is given full play. The reader is not only shown their actions and words, but their motivations, desires, and fears. From William Burkett, a savvy tech journalist who introduces Factor Man (FM) to the world; the Chinese spy, Janet Liu, who wants to destroy FM in order to save h er beloved country; as well as an eclectic assortment of characters, major and minor. But, the most intriguing character, the one from whom the title is derived, is FM himself. A scientist with a strong sense of integrity, caught up in a complex politically motivated world, his only wish is to do the right thing, and survive the experience.
This book has it all—in spades! A hero who has the world arrayed against him, he has to learn spy tradecraft, while preparing the world for his discovery of ‘God’s algorithm’, a code that will make obsolete all efforts at keeping electronic files secret. Can he survive long enough to attend his ‘coming-out party’, or will his secret die with him? If you want to know the answer to that question, I strongly recommend that you get a copy of this book and do what I did—read it carefully. It will change your views on Internet privacy and government’s concern for the welfare of its citizens in fundamental ways.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I give it a resounding five stars!
The cast of characters in this book is a long one, and each character is given full play. The reader is not only shown their actions and words, but their motivations, desires, and fears. From William Burkett, a savvy tech journalist who introduces Factor Man (FM) to the world; the Chinese spy, Janet Liu, who wants to destroy FM in order to save h er beloved country; as well as an eclectic assortment of characters, major and minor. But, the most intriguing character, the one from whom the title is derived, is FM himself. A scientist with a strong sense of integrity, caught up in a complex politically motivated world, his only wish is to do the right thing, and survive the experience.
This book has it all—in spades! A hero who has the world arrayed against him, he has to learn spy tradecraft, while preparing the world for his discovery of ‘God’s algorithm’, a code that will make obsolete all efforts at keeping electronic files secret. Can he survive long enough to attend his ‘coming-out party’, or will his secret die with him? If you want to know the answer to that question, I strongly recommend that you get a copy of this book and do what I did—read it carefully. It will change your views on Internet privacy and government’s concern for the welfare of its citizens in fundamental ways.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I give it a resounding five stars!
March 26, 2018
Factor Man by Matt Ginsberg
Enjoyed this book because of all the up to date knowledge of technology.
Wondreed what 256 bit encryption was all about as we choose new passwords and some are lower bits then others. Lots of math and science and an all around good read.
Mix that controversy with the Chinese government-retaliaiton for what they think is a US citizen shutting down their internet for 11 seconds and you have a story.
So much travel as FBI agent and newspaper reporter is on the trail to linking clues and to who comitted murder. Love all the hints and clues and especially the encyption used.
Well thought out in the present and future days. Learned so much about net private conversations and which agency is allowed to ask for what in solving crimes. Alternating chapters so you hear the story from multiple views.
Can really see something like this happening in our lifetime.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Enjoyed this book because of all the up to date knowledge of technology.
Wondreed what 256 bit encryption was all about as we choose new passwords and some are lower bits then others. Lots of math and science and an all around good read.
Mix that controversy with the Chinese government-retaliaiton for what they think is a US citizen shutting down their internet for 11 seconds and you have a story.
So much travel as FBI agent and newspaper reporter is on the trail to linking clues and to who comitted murder. Love all the hints and clues and especially the encyption used.
Well thought out in the present and future days. Learned so much about net private conversations and which agency is allowed to ask for what in solving crimes. Alternating chapters so you hear the story from multiple views.
Can really see something like this happening in our lifetime.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
May 22, 2018
I feel a little dumb. I am an intelligent person but this book seemed a little above my head for me. Although, I will comment by saying that this is a good techno thriller. So fans of these types of books will enjoy this book. Yet, this book may not be for everyone. It may miss the mark for some readers who like me it will be above their heads.
Despite my lack on the subject matter, I did like the fast pace of this story. Plus, the story did seem believable. Although, another thing that did take away from the story was that I never fully was invested in the characters. So, all I was let was the story. It is kind of like having apple pie but without the French vanilla ice cream. These two things just go together. If you don't have both, than the results are just alright. That is how I felt reading this book.
Despite my lack on the subject matter, I did like the fast pace of this story. Plus, the story did seem believable. Although, another thing that did take away from the story was that I never fully was invested in the characters. So, all I was let was the story. It is kind of like having apple pie but without the French vanilla ice cream. These two things just go together. If you don't have both, than the results are just alright. That is how I felt reading this book.
March 21, 2018
Factor Man is a computer genius who has calculated the solution to innumerable mathematical problems with one system, the one that is called “God’s Algorithm,” the one that makes problems like artificial intelligence child’s play. It’s a simple plot, really, but one that keeps the readers flipping the pages because it’s so engaging. In the beginning, there’s a great deal of explanation in computer and mathematical jargon that might be disconcerting to some but it soon becomes as clear as possible and the reader is hooked!
First, Factor Man invites various blog watchers to submit a number to which he offers a mathematical solution. That is all very amusing until the hunt begins. William Burkett, a journalist, sees the possibilities of a potential Pulitzer Prize if he can figure out who Factor Man is and whether he’s for real or a “crackpot.”
Then we have two opposing sides vying to discover Factor Man’s real identity with the hope of controlling or stopping him. One is the FBI and the other is a Chinese special agent named Janet Liu. The system Factor Man has devised is one that could solve the problems of hacking into business and governmental programs, solving scientific problems such as which proteins and chemical compounds could cure cancer, and on and on. As the complexity of possibilities increases, the search for Factor Man becomes more frustrating and tense. Factor Man is a cool customer who plans carefully but at the same time acknowledges he’s no genius with “spy” behavior. Meanwhile, he is making a fortune and decides to share his information with those he thinks deserve to treat it with socially conscious programs. It’s nice to read about such altruistic motives, even though it’s in fiction.
Factor Man is an unusual work of science fiction or computer fiction that is quite different from what’s on the current best seller and even unknown market. There’s a hint of reality that someday this might just be the future of computers, finance and government. Nicely done, Matt Ginsberg.
First, Factor Man invites various blog watchers to submit a number to which he offers a mathematical solution. That is all very amusing until the hunt begins. William Burkett, a journalist, sees the possibilities of a potential Pulitzer Prize if he can figure out who Factor Man is and whether he’s for real or a “crackpot.”
Then we have two opposing sides vying to discover Factor Man’s real identity with the hope of controlling or stopping him. One is the FBI and the other is a Chinese special agent named Janet Liu. The system Factor Man has devised is one that could solve the problems of hacking into business and governmental programs, solving scientific problems such as which proteins and chemical compounds could cure cancer, and on and on. As the complexity of possibilities increases, the search for Factor Man becomes more frustrating and tense. Factor Man is a cool customer who plans carefully but at the same time acknowledges he’s no genius with “spy” behavior. Meanwhile, he is making a fortune and decides to share his information with those he thinks deserve to treat it with socially conscious programs. It’s nice to read about such altruistic motives, even though it’s in fiction.
Factor Man is an unusual work of science fiction or computer fiction that is quite different from what’s on the current best seller and even unknown market. There’s a hint of reality that someday this might just be the future of computers, finance and government. Nicely done, Matt Ginsberg.
May 30, 2018
[[ASIN:B0792L494H Factor Man]]
The tightest writing and editing I've read in a while. What a delight!
Story Summary
Mad scientist to unleash upon the world the P=NP complexity solving solution for all things and some governments don't like that idea. Factor Man, as he is known, becomes the target. From the Chinese, who want to kill him...the press who want to hound him...US gov to protect him, and all Factor Man wants is to remain anonymous until FCOP.
How Ginsberg gets his reader from the introduction of the story to its action-packed thriller end is through tight writing and expert editing. Not one wasted word. Any aspiring writers delight. A technique to study.
Once I started reading Factor Man it was difficult to put it down and as the chapters whizzed past, the pace of the story...its suspense intensified quantitatively as did my heart rate. The last five chapters, page-by-page rivet the reader into a frenzy with suspense and mystery. We, as much as any character in the novel want to know who is Factor Man? Will he live? Or his technology be ripped by mega-corporations, the government, or die with him? You just don't know how this one is ending and all along, Ginsberg only gives his reader the possibility for several.
This is an awesome book. Worth the bucks to buy and time to read. You won't be disappointed.
RECOMMENDED.
The tightest writing and editing I've read in a while. What a delight!
Story Summary
Mad scientist to unleash upon the world the P=NP complexity solving solution for all things and some governments don't like that idea. Factor Man, as he is known, becomes the target. From the Chinese, who want to kill him...the press who want to hound him...US gov to protect him, and all Factor Man wants is to remain anonymous until FCOP.
How Ginsberg gets his reader from the introduction of the story to its action-packed thriller end is through tight writing and expert editing. Not one wasted word. Any aspiring writers delight. A technique to study.
Once I started reading Factor Man it was difficult to put it down and as the chapters whizzed past, the pace of the story...its suspense intensified quantitatively as did my heart rate. The last five chapters, page-by-page rivet the reader into a frenzy with suspense and mystery. We, as much as any character in the novel want to know who is Factor Man? Will he live? Or his technology be ripped by mega-corporations, the government, or die with him? You just don't know how this one is ending and all along, Ginsberg only gives his reader the possibility for several.
This is an awesome book. Worth the bucks to buy and time to read. You won't be disappointed.
RECOMMENDED.
August 17, 2018
When Factor Man was initially sent to me, I cringed both inwardly and outwardly. Some titles get sent to me without my request in the sender’s hope that I will read and review at my discretion, and this was one of them. I value the time that publicists and publishers take when sending out an ARC; it’s time consuming and it also costs money, and so I really try to read as many of them as I can so that I can provide an accurate and honest review – for platforms like GoodReads and Instagram – in return. Readers around the world flock to these sorts of websites and apps in search of their next best read, and there are so many amazing novels that get lost in the endless amount of books listed. Reviews help an author more than almost anything else, so I really do my best to pay attention to the books sent my way.
Factor Man. The synopsis had a whole lot of math words in it and I was instantly turned off. I liked the graphics on the front, but the idea of reading a novel surrounded by the dense fog of math . . . could I do it? Would I even understand it? I’ll admit something I’m not exactly proud of – I have failed a lot of math classes. It took me three tries to get through remedial math in college. Three. I barely skated by that third time and it was 90% due to my teacher being a completely awesome person who met me at Panera Bread once a week to tutor me in her spare time and I completely dominated that class, asking questions about literally very single problem and studying every spare minute I had at home. I got a B in that class, and I earned that B. So yes, I count with my fingers. I can’t calculate sales prices with percentages. I can’t tally numbers without checking it 17 times. In short, I am a math dummy.
I tend to shy away from books that have computer-based plots or anything too science-y. The Martian? The single most boring book I have ever read, and it made me feel incredibly stupid when my husband raved about the math and the science involved. What are the odds that a creatively-minded-writer-and-lover-of-words would marry an engineer-nerd who builds BitCoin mines in his spare time? I have no idea, because I suck at math.
So not only did Factor Man rely heavily on math and science and computers for its plot, but it . . . no, that was enough to make me cringe. Cringe hard. And then load up on cold-brew coffee and double-fudge brownies before diving in.
Anyway, back to the actual novel. Factor Man is written by Matt Ginsberg. On the back of the book, next to a photo of an attractive older man is the first sentence of his bio – “Matt Ginsberg got a PhD in astrophysics from Oxford when he was 24.” Again, cringe. Not because the guy doesn’t sound cool, but because he sounds TOO cool – like ACTUALLY too cool for school. I began to assume that this novel would have gigantic words thrown in with a convoluted science plot, and probably some misogynistic tendencies (believe it or not, the latter is extremely prevalent in a lot of male-written work, especially when it’s tech or science-fiction based).
But alas, I was so very wrong.
The plot was instead, fast moving, engaging, and full of tiny and delicious morsels of carefully crafted humor plucked straight from a hot oven and served piping hot. The characters were relatable: the villain was wonderfully cruel and eerily confident (the only thing missing from this person was a delightfully high-pitched cackle), the journalist was a bit bumbling and adorably nerdy, and the math and science? It wasn’t a big deal at all. I got through it just fine. Ginsberg has a way of explaining mathematics and science that pulls the reader/listener in and keeps them rapt. It’s an art. It made me actually want to *gasp* learn more about math.
(did I really just say that?)
William Burkett is a journalist of the very basic variety. He writes political and statistical articles for a nondescript website that doesn’t get too much traction, but he’s a hard worker. He believes in what he writes and what he researches. Nothing gets by him without an immense supply of due diligence, and he is always eager for the next chapter in which he can submit to his call of journalistic integrity. Clark Kent has nothing on William Burkett, except perhaps a red cape and a phonebooth. And laser vision.
When Burkett is approached via email by a person who calls themselves Factor Man, he is intrigued. So-called Factor Man claims to have discovered a long-believed mythical slice of code commonly referred to as God’s Algorithm. This code is supposedly the answer to every question ever put forth; it can render each and every computer program completely perfect and devoid of bugs or quirks. It can solve any problem, any puzzle, any mathematical entanglement. It is essentially a cure for the modern world that we live in – an answer to lives that are so completely wrapped up in technology – from our mobile phones to our vehicles, to traffic lights and hospital equipment, God’s Algorithm can master them all and essentially, make the world a better place.
The owner of such technology can either be hailed a God or a Devil. There will be no more unbreakable codes, the possibility of anything being actually protected while this technology is in existence is next to nil. It’s a dangerous business, and Factor Man has reached out to Burkett to help chronicle his story and the progression of the program’s deliverance and also – to help garner Factor Man a bit of legitimacy.
First, Factor Man must prove himself to the public. He sets up a website where he claims he will factor any numbers sent in to the site (that fit the parameters he has set, of course). Factor Man will increase the bit of the numbers to be factored incrementally, beginning with 64-bit numbers and ending, in three years, with 255-bit numbers. It is his hope that in these few years, not only will the public come to understand that he is serious about the technology he claims to have, but also certain governments and companies that rely on privacy technology can find another way to protect their data.
When that time is up, an auction will take place, and at the end of that auction one bidder will be granted the license for the technology, allowing it to become their own exclusive code for one year. After that one year, the technology will additionally be provided to the government of the United States. And after that, it will be released to the general public – and Factor Man will identify himself (consequentially throwing a huge, ticket-only blow-out bash that he hopes Iron Man will attend). He promises that any attempt to hinder this process or alter the plan set forth will be met with dire consequences that will damage the perpetrator both domestically and publicly (and he means it; don’t cross this guy). And of course, William Burkett will be there for the ride of a lifetime, the sole journalist with direct access (of a sort) to the man everyone is talking about.
With great power, of course, come great responsibility. Through Factor Man’s point-of-view, readers will see that he has literally thought of everything; his family, his friends, his environment, his country. The best part about his character is his tangible humanity – there is literally zero ego with the man who has invented God’s Algorithm. He just wants to take his kids to Disney World.
The story pushes and pulls like the tide as readers follow along with Factor Man, the journalist Burkett, and a Chinese operative set upon a mission to eliminated Factor Man at any costs. Fast-paced and thrilling, the novel comes to a stunning crescendo at Factor Man’s coming out party, where all will be revealed and perhaps, all will be lost.
Factor Man is the first novel by Matt Ginsberg, a former Stanford professor and an expert in the field of artificial intelligence. A crossword aficionado and a published playwright, Ginsberg hit the ball out of the park with his literary debut. The writing was smooth and easy, engaging and whimsical. It felt like stepping into the workshop of Tony Stark or the laboratory of Ray Palmer and having a chair drawn up for you, with a glass of whiskey offered so you can sit and have a good visit.
I have to give the novel 5 out of 5 stars, which is something I don’t do *too* often. It was SO fun. I loved it and then immediately passed it on to my husband, who loved it as well. I recommend it to nearly everyone, going so low as ages 13+. The writing has such an easy flow that nearly anyone can follow along with ease, and the plot is devoid of any bad language or sexual exploits. It’s a great, clean thriller complete with one heck of a hero.
Factor Man. The synopsis had a whole lot of math words in it and I was instantly turned off. I liked the graphics on the front, but the idea of reading a novel surrounded by the dense fog of math . . . could I do it? Would I even understand it? I’ll admit something I’m not exactly proud of – I have failed a lot of math classes. It took me three tries to get through remedial math in college. Three. I barely skated by that third time and it was 90% due to my teacher being a completely awesome person who met me at Panera Bread once a week to tutor me in her spare time and I completely dominated that class, asking questions about literally very single problem and studying every spare minute I had at home. I got a B in that class, and I earned that B. So yes, I count with my fingers. I can’t calculate sales prices with percentages. I can’t tally numbers without checking it 17 times. In short, I am a math dummy.
I tend to shy away from books that have computer-based plots or anything too science-y. The Martian? The single most boring book I have ever read, and it made me feel incredibly stupid when my husband raved about the math and the science involved. What are the odds that a creatively-minded-writer-and-lover-of-words would marry an engineer-nerd who builds BitCoin mines in his spare time? I have no idea, because I suck at math.
So not only did Factor Man rely heavily on math and science and computers for its plot, but it . . . no, that was enough to make me cringe. Cringe hard. And then load up on cold-brew coffee and double-fudge brownies before diving in.
Anyway, back to the actual novel. Factor Man is written by Matt Ginsberg. On the back of the book, next to a photo of an attractive older man is the first sentence of his bio – “Matt Ginsberg got a PhD in astrophysics from Oxford when he was 24.” Again, cringe. Not because the guy doesn’t sound cool, but because he sounds TOO cool – like ACTUALLY too cool for school. I began to assume that this novel would have gigantic words thrown in with a convoluted science plot, and probably some misogynistic tendencies (believe it or not, the latter is extremely prevalent in a lot of male-written work, especially when it’s tech or science-fiction based).
But alas, I was so very wrong.
The plot was instead, fast moving, engaging, and full of tiny and delicious morsels of carefully crafted humor plucked straight from a hot oven and served piping hot. The characters were relatable: the villain was wonderfully cruel and eerily confident (the only thing missing from this person was a delightfully high-pitched cackle), the journalist was a bit bumbling and adorably nerdy, and the math and science? It wasn’t a big deal at all. I got through it just fine. Ginsberg has a way of explaining mathematics and science that pulls the reader/listener in and keeps them rapt. It’s an art. It made me actually want to *gasp* learn more about math.
(did I really just say that?)
William Burkett is a journalist of the very basic variety. He writes political and statistical articles for a nondescript website that doesn’t get too much traction, but he’s a hard worker. He believes in what he writes and what he researches. Nothing gets by him without an immense supply of due diligence, and he is always eager for the next chapter in which he can submit to his call of journalistic integrity. Clark Kent has nothing on William Burkett, except perhaps a red cape and a phonebooth. And laser vision.
When Burkett is approached via email by a person who calls themselves Factor Man, he is intrigued. So-called Factor Man claims to have discovered a long-believed mythical slice of code commonly referred to as God’s Algorithm. This code is supposedly the answer to every question ever put forth; it can render each and every computer program completely perfect and devoid of bugs or quirks. It can solve any problem, any puzzle, any mathematical entanglement. It is essentially a cure for the modern world that we live in – an answer to lives that are so completely wrapped up in technology – from our mobile phones to our vehicles, to traffic lights and hospital equipment, God’s Algorithm can master them all and essentially, make the world a better place.
The owner of such technology can either be hailed a God or a Devil. There will be no more unbreakable codes, the possibility of anything being actually protected while this technology is in existence is next to nil. It’s a dangerous business, and Factor Man has reached out to Burkett to help chronicle his story and the progression of the program’s deliverance and also – to help garner Factor Man a bit of legitimacy.
First, Factor Man must prove himself to the public. He sets up a website where he claims he will factor any numbers sent in to the site (that fit the parameters he has set, of course). Factor Man will increase the bit of the numbers to be factored incrementally, beginning with 64-bit numbers and ending, in three years, with 255-bit numbers. It is his hope that in these few years, not only will the public come to understand that he is serious about the technology he claims to have, but also certain governments and companies that rely on privacy technology can find another way to protect their data.
When that time is up, an auction will take place, and at the end of that auction one bidder will be granted the license for the technology, allowing it to become their own exclusive code for one year. After that one year, the technology will additionally be provided to the government of the United States. And after that, it will be released to the general public – and Factor Man will identify himself (consequentially throwing a huge, ticket-only blow-out bash that he hopes Iron Man will attend). He promises that any attempt to hinder this process or alter the plan set forth will be met with dire consequences that will damage the perpetrator both domestically and publicly (and he means it; don’t cross this guy). And of course, William Burkett will be there for the ride of a lifetime, the sole journalist with direct access (of a sort) to the man everyone is talking about.
With great power, of course, come great responsibility. Through Factor Man’s point-of-view, readers will see that he has literally thought of everything; his family, his friends, his environment, his country. The best part about his character is his tangible humanity – there is literally zero ego with the man who has invented God’s Algorithm. He just wants to take his kids to Disney World.
The story pushes and pulls like the tide as readers follow along with Factor Man, the journalist Burkett, and a Chinese operative set upon a mission to eliminated Factor Man at any costs. Fast-paced and thrilling, the novel comes to a stunning crescendo at Factor Man’s coming out party, where all will be revealed and perhaps, all will be lost.
Factor Man is the first novel by Matt Ginsberg, a former Stanford professor and an expert in the field of artificial intelligence. A crossword aficionado and a published playwright, Ginsberg hit the ball out of the park with his literary debut. The writing was smooth and easy, engaging and whimsical. It felt like stepping into the workshop of Tony Stark or the laboratory of Ray Palmer and having a chair drawn up for you, with a glass of whiskey offered so you can sit and have a good visit.
I have to give the novel 5 out of 5 stars, which is something I don’t do *too* often. It was SO fun. I loved it and then immediately passed it on to my husband, who loved it as well. I recommend it to nearly everyone, going so low as ages 13+. The writing has such an easy flow that nearly anyone can follow along with ease, and the plot is devoid of any bad language or sexual exploits. It’s a great, clean thriller complete with one heck of a hero.
March 31, 2018
‘But once those twenty-one words were out there, I could never get them back.’
California author Matt Ginsberg earned a PhD in astrophysics from Oxford and subsequently turned his attention of Artificial Intelligence – a course he has been teaching at Stanford University. His book - ESSENTIALS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE has been adopted at numerous universities and colleges offering introductory AI courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Based on the author's course at Stanford University, the book is an integrated, cohesive introduction to the field. Matt has served as a political columnist and published playwright, and constructs crosswords for the Times. He has written about a hundred technical papers as well as this his first novel – FACTOR MAN.
Matt Ginsberg has that rare gift of encouraging readers to learn as he entertains. AI is a very popular topic for conversation and for exploration at the moment and the manner in which he introduces this subject is mesmerizing. This writing gift is evident in the PROLOGUE ’ Burkett July 9, 2021 In the four years since appearing on the Internet, the individual known as Factor Man has reached out to exactly five human beings. In spite of this minimal contact, he (or she) is now one of the best known, richest and most powerful men (or women) on the planet. Of those lucky five, all but one are now ridiculously famous. There is the New York lawyer, Robert Hasday. Concierge services for Factor Man are provided by the social organizer Jess MacMurray, known to the world as Pepper Potts. No one knows the name of the member of the hacking group Anonymous who has worked with Factor Man, but everyone knows what that hacker did. And there is the reporter William Burkett, who has very mixed feelings about all of it. The fifth person is not so famous. He’s a banker named Brian Finn. The fifty-something retired ex-president of Credit Suisse. Balding. Overweight in spite of his best efforts not to be. An extremely good guy, as far as I can tell. Finn and I met over coffee about six months ago. I have no idea if I was followed or not. Sometimes I’m followed, sometimes I’m not followed. I don’t really care either way any more. Finn gave me an envelope, and then we talked about Finn’s role in the leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco in the 1980’s. I wrote a story comparing the buyout frenzy of the 1980’s to the Internet bubble of today, and no one seemed to realize that my meeting with Finn wasn’t about the 1980’s at all. It was all about the envelope. Inside was the story of Finn’s interaction with Factor Man. Brian told me it was okay to write about it, provided that no one learned of his involvement until the day before FCOP. Factor Man’s instructions, he said. I agreed to not even look at it until a week before FCOP. Finn isn’t Factor Man. He doesn’t have the background. I don’t think Finn even knows who Factor Man is. He might, though. But it doesn’t matter. Tomorrow, we’ll all know. FCOP. Pronounced Eff-COP. The Factor Man Coming Out Party. And Brian Finn is going to be one rich son of a bitch. My name is William Burkett, and I’m the reporter. People claiming to be my friends call me Wilbur. Orville would be worse, I suppose. This is the story of the last four years. And if we hadn’t all lived through it together, no one would believe a word of it.’
The brilliant plot is summarized for us – ‘One man holds the key to the most revolutionary and powerful technology since the invention of the atom bomb. The press wants to interview Factor Man. The Chinese government wants to kill him. And the FBI wants to protect him. But first, they need to find him. William Burkett is a statistics-savvy journalist, but he isn’t qualified to judge the extraordinary claims in an anonymous email he receives from “Factor Man.” Is FM a crackpot, or has he discovered what computer scientists call “God’s algorithm?” As FM solves increasingly complex math problems in a public countdown to the day his identity will be revealed, the momentous consequences of his apparent invention draw the attention of a Chinese assassin. Will Factor Man survive until his coming-out party, or will his technology die with him?’
Read this book for entertainment (it glows in the dark!) but also for educating us all about the realities of the Internet power and of Artificial Intelligence. Highly Recommended.
California author Matt Ginsberg earned a PhD in astrophysics from Oxford and subsequently turned his attention of Artificial Intelligence – a course he has been teaching at Stanford University. His book - ESSENTIALS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE has been adopted at numerous universities and colleges offering introductory AI courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Based on the author's course at Stanford University, the book is an integrated, cohesive introduction to the field. Matt has served as a political columnist and published playwright, and constructs crosswords for the Times. He has written about a hundred technical papers as well as this his first novel – FACTOR MAN.
Matt Ginsberg has that rare gift of encouraging readers to learn as he entertains. AI is a very popular topic for conversation and for exploration at the moment and the manner in which he introduces this subject is mesmerizing. This writing gift is evident in the PROLOGUE ’ Burkett July 9, 2021 In the four years since appearing on the Internet, the individual known as Factor Man has reached out to exactly five human beings. In spite of this minimal contact, he (or she) is now one of the best known, richest and most powerful men (or women) on the planet. Of those lucky five, all but one are now ridiculously famous. There is the New York lawyer, Robert Hasday. Concierge services for Factor Man are provided by the social organizer Jess MacMurray, known to the world as Pepper Potts. No one knows the name of the member of the hacking group Anonymous who has worked with Factor Man, but everyone knows what that hacker did. And there is the reporter William Burkett, who has very mixed feelings about all of it. The fifth person is not so famous. He’s a banker named Brian Finn. The fifty-something retired ex-president of Credit Suisse. Balding. Overweight in spite of his best efforts not to be. An extremely good guy, as far as I can tell. Finn and I met over coffee about six months ago. I have no idea if I was followed or not. Sometimes I’m followed, sometimes I’m not followed. I don’t really care either way any more. Finn gave me an envelope, and then we talked about Finn’s role in the leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco in the 1980’s. I wrote a story comparing the buyout frenzy of the 1980’s to the Internet bubble of today, and no one seemed to realize that my meeting with Finn wasn’t about the 1980’s at all. It was all about the envelope. Inside was the story of Finn’s interaction with Factor Man. Brian told me it was okay to write about it, provided that no one learned of his involvement until the day before FCOP. Factor Man’s instructions, he said. I agreed to not even look at it until a week before FCOP. Finn isn’t Factor Man. He doesn’t have the background. I don’t think Finn even knows who Factor Man is. He might, though. But it doesn’t matter. Tomorrow, we’ll all know. FCOP. Pronounced Eff-COP. The Factor Man Coming Out Party. And Brian Finn is going to be one rich son of a bitch. My name is William Burkett, and I’m the reporter. People claiming to be my friends call me Wilbur. Orville would be worse, I suppose. This is the story of the last four years. And if we hadn’t all lived through it together, no one would believe a word of it.’
The brilliant plot is summarized for us – ‘One man holds the key to the most revolutionary and powerful technology since the invention of the atom bomb. The press wants to interview Factor Man. The Chinese government wants to kill him. And the FBI wants to protect him. But first, they need to find him. William Burkett is a statistics-savvy journalist, but he isn’t qualified to judge the extraordinary claims in an anonymous email he receives from “Factor Man.” Is FM a crackpot, or has he discovered what computer scientists call “God’s algorithm?” As FM solves increasingly complex math problems in a public countdown to the day his identity will be revealed, the momentous consequences of his apparent invention draw the attention of a Chinese assassin. Will Factor Man survive until his coming-out party, or will his technology die with him?’
Read this book for entertainment (it glows in the dark!) but also for educating us all about the realities of the Internet power and of Artificial Intelligence. Highly Recommended.
March 26, 2018
Matt Ginsberg’s Factor Man is a cerebral read that seems targeted for a selective audience, namely techno-geeks and nerds, especially those knowledgeable in advanced math and science. This is especially true for the first third of the book where Ginsberg lays out the background of what Factor Man can do, how he hides from the entire planet, and just how important his factoring is. Ginsberg’s book couldn’t be timelier with its use of e-mails and blog entries to partially tell the story of online issues with security and privacy and the powers of companies like Google and Apple.
The plot centers on the world-famous “Factor Man” who claims
he can break the 256-bit encryption codes making online privacy and secrets completely impossible. There’s lots to worry about if “FM” has really discovered what computer scientists call “God’s algorithm.” The evidence for his claims builds up as the unknown genius who solves increasingly complex factor problems in a public countdown to the day he plans to reveal his identity. Day after day, all sorts of individuals including Will Wheaton, Sylvester Stallone, and Jimmy Fallon submit long strings of numbers for Factor Man to factor—you’d think every celebrity in the world was interested in complexity theory.
Assuming FM can survive to the day he is willing to lose his anonymity is no sure thing. FM sets up a schedule to sell his technology first to the highest bidder, one year later to the U.S. Government, and finally make it available to everyone. The Chinese, with the most to lose, are deeply unhappy and send out an assassin to track him down. The FBI and NSA follow the lead of Congress who pass laws attempting to block FM from selling his tech to any private entity. So law enforcement agents conduct annoying surveillance on innocent citizens in the Texas desert while the Chinese agent kills two innocent Americans. Throw in an investigative reporter who also chases FM all over Europe, especially in Austria and Switzerland. It’s this section of the book where readers don’t need a math or science background to get into what is essentially an espionage thriller.
Along the way, we hear Factor Man telling his own story, including his clever journey to evade discovery and capture. Layered into the tale are the accounts of the reporter, Chinese operative, and officers from various government agencies and other characters sharing their roles in the hunt they tell in the first person.
When I said the book is timely, that’s on several levels. The story opens in 2017 and concludes in 2021. You’d think the short trip into the future would qualify the story as science fiction. However you classify the novel, Factor Man is an original work of fiction with subject matter that is fresh with a mostly lively approach and tone. I admit I could live without the interruptive series of numbers e-mailed to FM which all readers, I presume, will quickly skim over. I also admit I have a hard time buying into a large media event I can’t fairly describe here. On the other hand, the thrill-ride that leads up to this event is as suspenseful a chase as you’ll ever read. Best of all, we get a warm, positive ending. I love it when I’m not experiencing a dystopian future. I like it when the good guys win.
This review first appeared at BookPleasures.com on March 26, 2018:
http://1clickurls.com/ZdpNTdq
April 4, 2018
It's been a long time since I last started reading a book in the early afternoon and finished it before bedtime. Talk about a page turner…
This is a novel for nerds! As nerds go, I guess I qualify. I'm not a computer scientist or programmer, but it did spend two decades as an IT support specialist. I might not know all the ins and outs of 128-bit encryption, but I was able to simply absorb quite a bit. Did you read THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO? That started out as a pretty dry recounting of what could have been the end of an economy journalist's career. Me? I read it and was ready to stop reading at less than 20 pages. Am I glad I didn't.
At the start, mention is made of a blog at 'factorman0.blogspot.com' which, of course, as a nerd myself, I had to verify. Yes, there is a pretty plain vanilla page at that web address. There are no posts, only a link to "About Me" with a Factorman link. Slick, but not too slick.
If you have ever heard the line "I don't read fiction," you will understand that overall it is a pretty ignorant thing to say. Although, fiction is, by definition, the product of someone's imagination, it is ludicrous to believe that imagination isn't fueled by fact. I read both fiction and non-fiction, and it is my experience that fiction often contains more clear-cut fact than any humanities textbook ever in use. Let's take history as an example. I know that I learned more American history from John Jakes eight-book series, The Kent Family Chronicles (the first book was called THE BASTARD), than I ever learned in school. Why do I say that? Simple. I absorbed and retained far more from the historical fiction than I ever did trying to memorize dates and their associated people and places. I always like to acknowledge research done by a fiction writer because it is that research that makes the story both plausible and interesting. A little research goes a long way on the road to suspending disbelief.
Spoiler alert (no, not about the book), I write my reviews while I am reading the book. Something hits me and I stop reading and write a line or two so I won't forget it. I'm almost 80% of my way through the book, and it is just un-put-downable. This is quite possibly the best book I've read, so far, this year. That is saying a lot since most of the books have been great in their own way.
FACTOR MAN is ultimately about the age old question, because I can, should I? Technology is a tool that can be exploited for both good and evil. This was the same issue faced by nuclear physicists working on the bomb or clean energy. This is the question cloning asks, should we, or shouldn't we. It is also one of the most finely crafted thrillers I have ever read. Have you read THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER? This is better! Are you a fan of Sherlock Holmes? There is enough puzzle and mystery to confound even him. There is a sprinkling of humor throughout that helps to break up some of the worst tension. You know who is a master of that technique? Stephen King, that's who. I know that I'm putting Matt Ginsberg into that class of authors we call the greats on the basis of a single book, but I think his voice, which is truly his own voice, ranks up there with the best of the best.
I could continue to pile on superlatives, but I think you understand already that this is a must read book. It will open your eyes to the world of online commerce, and espionage, and to one man's dream of making the world a better place for everyone.
This is a novel for nerds! As nerds go, I guess I qualify. I'm not a computer scientist or programmer, but it did spend two decades as an IT support specialist. I might not know all the ins and outs of 128-bit encryption, but I was able to simply absorb quite a bit. Did you read THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO? That started out as a pretty dry recounting of what could have been the end of an economy journalist's career. Me? I read it and was ready to stop reading at less than 20 pages. Am I glad I didn't.
At the start, mention is made of a blog at 'factorman0.blogspot.com' which, of course, as a nerd myself, I had to verify. Yes, there is a pretty plain vanilla page at that web address. There are no posts, only a link to "About Me" with a Factorman link. Slick, but not too slick.
If you have ever heard the line "I don't read fiction," you will understand that overall it is a pretty ignorant thing to say. Although, fiction is, by definition, the product of someone's imagination, it is ludicrous to believe that imagination isn't fueled by fact. I read both fiction and non-fiction, and it is my experience that fiction often contains more clear-cut fact than any humanities textbook ever in use. Let's take history as an example. I know that I learned more American history from John Jakes eight-book series, The Kent Family Chronicles (the first book was called THE BASTARD), than I ever learned in school. Why do I say that? Simple. I absorbed and retained far more from the historical fiction than I ever did trying to memorize dates and their associated people and places. I always like to acknowledge research done by a fiction writer because it is that research that makes the story both plausible and interesting. A little research goes a long way on the road to suspending disbelief.
Spoiler alert (no, not about the book), I write my reviews while I am reading the book. Something hits me and I stop reading and write a line or two so I won't forget it. I'm almost 80% of my way through the book, and it is just un-put-downable. This is quite possibly the best book I've read, so far, this year. That is saying a lot since most of the books have been great in their own way.
FACTOR MAN is ultimately about the age old question, because I can, should I? Technology is a tool that can be exploited for both good and evil. This was the same issue faced by nuclear physicists working on the bomb or clean energy. This is the question cloning asks, should we, or shouldn't we. It is also one of the most finely crafted thrillers I have ever read. Have you read THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER? This is better! Are you a fan of Sherlock Holmes? There is enough puzzle and mystery to confound even him. There is a sprinkling of humor throughout that helps to break up some of the worst tension. You know who is a master of that technique? Stephen King, that's who. I know that I'm putting Matt Ginsberg into that class of authors we call the greats on the basis of a single book, but I think his voice, which is truly his own voice, ranks up there with the best of the best.
I could continue to pile on superlatives, but I think you understand already that this is a must read book. It will open your eyes to the world of online commerce, and espionage, and to one man's dream of making the world a better place for everyone.
April 21, 2018
***THIS BOOK WAS RECEIVED FROM THE AUTHOR***
First off, basing an entire book on solving the P=NP problem is a bit of a risky gamble. Most people have limited understanding of advanced mathematics, so describing this conundrum of complexity theory walks a fine line between not enough information and an exposition dump. Fortunately, Factor Man is able to maintain that balance, even if many of its sections and POVs did start to trend into exposition for exposition's sake. I mean, I understand the reasoning behind the New York Times' coverage of the lead-up, but each of the articles didn't read like they would have come from the New York Times.
I will say that the strength of this book lies in its buildup. A lot is riding on the successful execution of Factor Man's plan, so his meticulous attention to detail to ensure every part of it comes to fruition was entertaining, to say the least. The mystery of Factor Man's identity helped to drive the story forward, but once he became part of the narrative, much of this mystery vanished. About half-way through the book, the momentum starts to drag as it becomes evident that there will be no twists present all the way to the anti-climactic ending.
Now, don't get me wrong, I looked forward to the lunch breaks where I could sit down and read this book. The story pulled me in, but there were enough little problems in it that I can't give it a full five stars. From how the story seems to be distracted by the author's opinion on a few topics (including steroids and flying on airplanes) to a solid plan that didn't leave room for surprises, this thriller will get the job done, but it could have certainly been better. However, considering this book was Matt Ginsberg's first novel, I must give him credit for creating something that was at least unique in its subject matter.
An educational piece about impossible mathematics in the skin of a thriller, I give Factor Man 3.5 stars out of 5.
1/2
For more reviews of books and movies like this, please visit www.benjamin-m-weilert.com
First off, basing an entire book on solving the P=NP problem is a bit of a risky gamble. Most people have limited understanding of advanced mathematics, so describing this conundrum of complexity theory walks a fine line between not enough information and an exposition dump. Fortunately, Factor Man is able to maintain that balance, even if many of its sections and POVs did start to trend into exposition for exposition's sake. I mean, I understand the reasoning behind the New York Times' coverage of the lead-up, but each of the articles didn't read like they would have come from the New York Times.
I will say that the strength of this book lies in its buildup. A lot is riding on the successful execution of Factor Man's plan, so his meticulous attention to detail to ensure every part of it comes to fruition was entertaining, to say the least. The mystery of Factor Man's identity helped to drive the story forward, but once he became part of the narrative, much of this mystery vanished. About half-way through the book, the momentum starts to drag as it becomes evident that there will be no twists present all the way to the anti-climactic ending.
Now, don't get me wrong, I looked forward to the lunch breaks where I could sit down and read this book. The story pulled me in, but there were enough little problems in it that I can't give it a full five stars. From how the story seems to be distracted by the author's opinion on a few topics (including steroids and flying on airplanes) to a solid plan that didn't leave room for surprises, this thriller will get the job done, but it could have certainly been better. However, considering this book was Matt Ginsberg's first novel, I must give him credit for creating something that was at least unique in its subject matter.
An educational piece about impossible mathematics in the skin of a thriller, I give Factor Man 3.5 stars out of 5.
1/2 For more reviews of books and movies like this, please visit www.benjamin-m-weilert.com
May 7, 2018
Several weeks ago I received an email from a publicist offering me a complimentary digital copy of Factor Man because I make no secret of the fact that I love a good thriller. There were no strings attached to the gift, but I am happy to recommend this unique novel to anyone who enjoys a puzzling mystery that will give your brain a good workout.
The story begins when a mysterious character who identifies himself/herself only as Factor Man contacts a reporter named William Burkett. Through a series of emails, he lays out his four-year plan to turn the worlds of higher mathematics, Cyberspace, and high finance upside down, and he offers Burkett exclusive rights to the story. Through these emails, the author cleverly educates those of us whose math education stopped at plane geometry and whose knowledge of the Internet is informed mostly by Abby and McGee of NCIS fame so we can understand the rest of the story.
Once the groundwork is laid, the story moves into the real world as more people are introduced into Factor Man’s scheme. What was at first believed to be a hoax by a crazy mathematician looking for his fifteen minutes of fame becomes an international happening that can either usher in a new era of peace and prosperity or send the world economic and political systems crashing back into the dark ages. The final segment of the story is full of FBI, CIA, and other agencies as well as spies, contract killers, and suspense that kept me up until the wee hours to find out what happened.
Matt Ginsber is a highly intelligent man with a wide variety of interests. I’m very glad that one of his interests was writing an amazingly entertaining story, and I’m hopeful that he’s interested in writing another one soon.
The story begins when a mysterious character who identifies himself/herself only as Factor Man contacts a reporter named William Burkett. Through a series of emails, he lays out his four-year plan to turn the worlds of higher mathematics, Cyberspace, and high finance upside down, and he offers Burkett exclusive rights to the story. Through these emails, the author cleverly educates those of us whose math education stopped at plane geometry and whose knowledge of the Internet is informed mostly by Abby and McGee of NCIS fame so we can understand the rest of the story.
Once the groundwork is laid, the story moves into the real world as more people are introduced into Factor Man’s scheme. What was at first believed to be a hoax by a crazy mathematician looking for his fifteen minutes of fame becomes an international happening that can either usher in a new era of peace and prosperity or send the world economic and political systems crashing back into the dark ages. The final segment of the story is full of FBI, CIA, and other agencies as well as spies, contract killers, and suspense that kept me up until the wee hours to find out what happened.
Matt Ginsber is a highly intelligent man with a wide variety of interests. I’m very glad that one of his interests was writing an amazingly entertaining story, and I’m hopeful that he’s interested in writing another one soon.
October 15, 2019
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I have given Factor Man by Matt Ginsberg three out of five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I thought this was a fun, clever and interesting story. The mathematics and factorising part went completely over my head unfortunately, but I did enjoy the rest of the story and did try to understand as much as I could about the artificial intelligence side of the book. The concept of this book was very fascinating and I liked how the timeline built up from reading over different character perspectives throughout the story, especially the Chinese assassin and FBI agent parts, to the coming-out party of Factor Man. I really enjoyed how characters are trying to link pieces together to find out who Factor Man is and also to whom had committed a murderous crime. Although I did get a little confused as to which character was which at times, I thought that they were all well-developed with a story behind each character to connect and understand them better. Most of all, I thought Factor Man was an interesting character, a very strong and brave scientist. I became very intrigued for everyone to find out who FM was behind the name.
I really like the book cover art, I think it really connects with the story behind the cover and I like colours used, it works brilliantly.
This book might not be for everyone but I would definitely recommend it for fans of mathematics, numbers, artificial intelligence, science fiction and thriller stories.
July 11, 2018
When I heard about this book, I had to read it since I work with cryptography. The idea is interesting: someone discovered how to break all of modern cryptography, and they execute a plan to slowly spread their discovery in a safe way without getting killed by foreign governments.
However, it has a lot of issues. First, there is a grotesque technical error (it wrongly claims that 128-bit numbers are hard to factor - it mixes "bits of security" with "bits of the public key") that is repeated throughout the book. Fortunately it doesn't have any big impact on the story. Some parts of the book read like bad fanfic, specially when it depicts real people like Scott Aaronson. The villain is completely cardboard and the depiction of their "evil" patriotic views (alongside with the "good" patriotic views of the Factor Man) are downright cringe-worthy.
But... it is a fun book. The thriller aspects are good and keep you flipping the pages. The bad aspects feel more like naivety than incompetence, which oddly gives some charm to the book.
However, it has a lot of issues. First, there is a grotesque technical error (it wrongly claims that 128-bit numbers are hard to factor - it mixes "bits of security" with "bits of the public key") that is repeated throughout the book. Fortunately it doesn't have any big impact on the story. Some parts of the book read like bad fanfic, specially when it depicts real people like Scott Aaronson. The villain is completely cardboard and the depiction of their "evil" patriotic views (alongside with the "good" patriotic views of the Factor Man) are downright cringe-worthy.
But... it is a fun book. The thriller aspects are good and keep you flipping the pages. The bad aspects feel more like naivety than incompetence, which oddly gives some charm to the book.
July 14, 2019
If you figured out how to factor large prime numbers (and solve other NP-complete problems), what would you do? This is exactly the plot in "Factor Man", who factors a prime number one bit larger every day on his blog... betting sites bet on whether he can go beyond 70-bits, and soon whether he'lll factor 256 bit numbers. All meanwhile governments are trying to hunt him down... He says he'll sell it to the highest bidder for a year, then the US government will get it, and finally the year after that it'll be released to the world.
I found myself oddly captivated. I felt you were able to tell that this is not a book with A-level editing, however, it didn't take too much away from me. I was a bit skeptical of some of the science, but he had individuals connected who know much more about complexity theory than I, so that might say more about me than Ginsberg... overall, nerdy and surprisingly enjoyable. Good summer beach read.
I found myself oddly captivated. I felt you were able to tell that this is not a book with A-level editing, however, it didn't take too much away from me. I was a bit skeptical of some of the science, but he had individuals connected who know much more about complexity theory than I, so that might say more about me than Ginsberg... overall, nerdy and surprisingly enjoyable. Good summer beach read.
May 17, 2021
WOW! I basically read this in one sitting! What happens when someone (The Factor Man) figures out how to factor all large numbers in zero time? Think about it, all encryption is based on those large numbers - from 128 bits on up that currently could take years to break being done in seconds. No more Internet security, no more e-commerce encryption....
And the man behind the break-through gives everyone two years to show it can be done, then licenses his invention to one company exclusively for one year. Once that year is up, the US Government gets a year for free, with the company maintaining another year on the license. At the end of the governemt's year, the program goes into the public domain. Not everybody wants the information to be released
And the man behind the break-through gives everyone two years to show it can be done, then licenses his invention to one company exclusively for one year. Once that year is up, the US Government gets a year for free, with the company maintaining another year on the license. At the end of the governemt's year, the program goes into the public domain. Not everybody wants the information to be released
August 18, 2025
Fiction that is a thrilling page turner, well researched, sublimely educational, and well edited. I loved this book. I want all my books to be thrilling and encouraging like this. I was constantly researching points in the book to see how real they were. As a lawyer, all the legal chapters were very accurate as to how those situations might play out. I’m already loaning it out to others to read. The math isn’t to heavy at all, and i disagree completely with those reviewers put off by the science. The explanations of the harder topics to the main journalist will get you through the mathese. The biggest downside is that Mr. Ginsberg has only written this one fiction book. I would read his next fiction book sight unseen.
April 11, 2018
This is what I would call a hard-science fiction novel based on Computer Science. Based on the author (Matt Ginsberg) and his credentials, it's not surprising that the science in this book is spot on. He does a great job explaining some of the more classic CS problems and the premise of the book is indeed based on the idea that one of the toughest such problems is solved, and the affect this has on society.
Being a practitioner, I thoroughly enjoyed a (finally) accurate computer-geeky novel. The ending left a little to be desired, but overall an enjoyable read.
Being a practitioner, I thoroughly enjoyed a (finally) accurate computer-geeky novel. The ending left a little to be desired, but overall an enjoyable read.
August 17, 2018
Pretty good with useful information embedded
The math and science is interesting in itself. Led me to read more on the subject. Matt Ginsburg says he had a lot of fun writing it, and I can understand why. It is a good plot, with occasional twists and turns, and I must say I have also learned quite a bit about how things work in US government, in Google emails, in crossword puzzle championships etc. So, overall an enjoyable book.
The math and science is interesting in itself. Led me to read more on the subject. Matt Ginsburg says he had a lot of fun writing it, and I can understand why. It is a good plot, with occasional twists and turns, and I must say I have also learned quite a bit about how things work in US government, in Google emails, in crossword puzzle championships etc. So, overall an enjoyable book.
September 15, 2018
A fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable story about a man who develops a working version of the "God Algorithm". Captivating and a treat to read from start to finish, some mathematics (OR) mixed in, the author even manages to create a bit of tension towards the end of the story regarding what the outcome will be. The most original story I have read this year and easily one of, if not the, best book I will read this year.
April 6, 2024
This was a book I couldn't put down. A great who's "doing" it and race to the prize, in this case Factor Man. I do wonder how true the many descriptions of the work of several government agencies are. A 4.5? I don't think it had the emotional hit to stay in my mind long term, so I withheld the 5 ... but I was tempted.
June 2, 2023
This book was a complete surprise. Great mystery set against a math/computer science background. Awesome twists and good explanations of the math. Very enjoyable book. Wouldn’t mind reading this one again.
June 30, 2023
I found it hard to put down. I'll admit I glossed over the mathematical details, but I liked the writer's style and the interesting story line. I bought it because I heard the author interviewed in a podcast. I'm glad I did. It was a great read!
March 27, 2018
this book was amazingly writen I loved it very much and highly recommend this book and author.
October 7, 2019
Fun, sciency action thriller.
February 4, 2020
Awesome math thriller. Need more of these.
November 2, 2022
truly a book of all time. undeniably one of them.
February 6, 2021
What a thrilling story!
Certainly not what I would expect in a novel written by a mathematician, this is an easy-to-read, thrilling story that touches on human nature as much as the technology in question. I highly recommend it - and if you have anything to do with computer science like I do, you should definitely read it.
The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was that the ending felt a bit rushed and I would’ve liked a conclusion that was as detailed as the rest of the book was. Maybe I just wanted more...
Certainly not what I would expect in a novel written by a mathematician, this is an easy-to-read, thrilling story that touches on human nature as much as the technology in question. I highly recommend it - and if you have anything to do with computer science like I do, you should definitely read it.
The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was that the ending felt a bit rushed and I would’ve liked a conclusion that was as detailed as the rest of the book was. Maybe I just wanted more...
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