The Prototype

by Matt McCormick

Troubleshooting unusual activity on the company’s servers plunges Robert into a high-stakes game of cyber espionage, mayhem, and murder … New guy Robert Dulaney would have been content spending his time at the office daydreaming about craft brews and baseball, but strange events begin unfolding during his second week on the job. His employer, Advanced Research Technologies, is racing to beat foreign competitors to market with their solar power storage prototype. They have potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to gain—and, as it turns out, everything to lose. As the day for testing the prototype rapidly approaches, the danger to those involved in the project increases. Robert is forced to leave his lighthearted life behind and focus on protecting the prototype—and keeping himself alive.

Genres: Fiction

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 15, 2018

About the author

Matt McCormick serves as Senior Vice President of Corporate and Business Development at ThreatQuotient, Inc. ThreatQuotient is a venture-funded software company focused on cyber threat intelligence operations and management.

Prior to joining ThreatQuotient, Matt was Vice President of Business Development for Sourcefire, Inc., for eleven years prior to its $2.7 billion acquisition by Cisco Systems, Inc. At Cisco, he was responsible for strategic alliances and running Cisco’s global security channel. Prior to his work with Sourcefire, Matt ran strategic alliances at Axent Technologies, Inc., which was purchased by Symantec Corp. in 2000. Matt’s work in the cyber security industry has given him over 20 years of experience as a programmer, cyber security consultant, and sales engineer. He has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science from Loyola University and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Bucknell University.

Matt is married with five children and lives in Rockville, Maryland, where he enjoys spending time with his family and friends.

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A newly graduated guy gets his first job with a small startup. While he's putting servers together, he notices someone is hacking them. It turns out his company is in competition with a Chinese firm in getting a contract. The Chinese company starts out by hacking, then quickly escalates to physical spying, then kidnapping, to murder.

It's pretty good, not really hard boiled, but entertaining.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Prototype" is a fun, super-fast read. It's got corporate espionage, hackers, suspense, and a little romance. With everything going on in the news about information security, this book is really timely (but you don't have to know anything about IT to enjoy it). I had a lot of fun reading it, and I recommend it for anyone looking for a spring break or summer vacation read.

[Carmine Gangi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly accurate and entertaining

If you like to combine accurate tech intrigue and international espionage this is for you Highly recommend reading this book.

[RMSOX · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! A mystery suspense book focused around the real-world of cybersecurity! The author (Matt McCormick) is clearly knowledgeable when it comes to state-sponsored and corporate hacking. I especially enjoyed how McCormick combines his decades of knowledge with the exciting plot a of "David vs. Goliath" race to produce the most advanced solar power storage prototype in the world. While I personally loved the cybersecurity aspect of this book, the methods taken by the foreign competitors to take down the small guy is downright scary. Can one company really face a cyber attack to the extremes as Advanced Research Technologies does here? McCormick's intricate (and accurate) detail will make a believer in you!

[Bud · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read and held my attention due to the tension slowly built but could really use an editor. Too verbose with unnecessary detail in parts. The writing style has a Catcher In The Rye vibe to it but unfortunately I don’t think it was intentional. Would have been nice to bring a more sophisticated (and concise) style to the non-first-person sections to provide some variety and depth. I enjoyed the heavy technical content since it is my field of work but I’m sure it’s not for everyone.

[Kathleen Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prototype is an action-packed, suspenseful book which keeps the reader on the edge of their seat the entire time. A well-balanced mixture of Corporate espionage, cyber security, and romance, it gives the reader an insider's look at what goes on in the multi-billion dollar world of Intellectual Property and its well-guarded secrets.

[Amy Farley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received The Prototype for free in a Goodreads Giveaway. Fast paced industrial espionage. Tons of techy talk about firewalls and security. Murder and mayham. Fun and interesting. However, the characters seemed written for a middle school audience. Dialog bald and flat.

Fun read, particularly with a technology bent.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

The author has many years of cyber security, network and computer experience. Yet he tells this story at a level that anyone with reasonable computer knowledge can understand. Well developed characters. Also he makes it abundantly clear that there are sheep, wolves and guard dogs

[Nelson Meaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 really

Moves along, realistic scenario of industrial espionage with a high tech innovation worth killing for. Wonder how much of this going on today-I’m sure more than we realize. Moves along well and clearly written but with some unexpected twists.

[William A Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story

I enjoyed this quite a lot. It took a while to get used to the use of first person viewpoint, but he got the technical stuff right and that means a lot to me. If you know what Linux is, you'll like this one.

[Scott Pettit · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover sold me.....

........ and the story backed up the sale! It was well written and very informative and I really enjoyed the story; which I found odd that I liked it so much because I'm no nothing about IT! Two thumbs up!!!

[Richard E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good solid story

A good story about computer techies by a writer with a real background in IT. Makes for a believable story!

[Kate Malino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am always interested in book about cyber security, so I found this book that immediately captured my interest! It was exciting in its everything from twists and turns, suspense and the final!

[Lee Van Ginkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

We need more books like this

The writing was a little rough, but I really appreciated the story. Keep writing. We need more stories like this.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great pace

A real page turner. If you have one geekish bone in your body, this will get to you. If you respond to high powered villains of any tech related source, this will get to you.
Balance is a true value.

[Steve Schinke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quality read of corporate espionage, both cyber and physical.

[Howard K. Selzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I really enjoyed this book. A great story, drama and very realistic. Well written and hard to put down. Great book.

[Philip J. Tarnoff Tarnoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

mostly for techies

This is a great book for people acquainted with computer technology and interested in small business successes. I enjoyed every minute of the story.

[Megan Mccormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5!!! Action packed espionage thrilller w endearing romance to round itout!! Learned many cyber concepts somehow written w compelling prose🤌🤌🙌🫶👏🫡🤩

[Sofia Grey]

I read a free sample but it did not grip me. Might re-try it another time.