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Analog #3
Breach
A hacker is drawn out of hiding and into an epic geopolitical showdown in the frighteningly plausible conclusion to Eliot Peper’s critically acclaimed Analog Series. When you’ve betrayed your revolutionary cadre, an off-grid fight club on a remote tropical island is a good place to hide―or die. For notorious ex-hacker Emily Kim, the outcome of each fight makes little difference. Black-market blood sport is the perfect self-imposed penance. But when she stumbles on a plot to overthrow the corporate empire that provides the ubiquitous global feed, Emily discovers her old friends have been targeted. Warning them will force her out into the open, back on-grid, and directly into danger. Emily can’t escape the past. But can she seize the future? Emily’s quest for redemption spirals into an all-out shadow war. What constitutes justice in a world run by algorithms? The feed―and Emily―must be reinvented. Or destroyed.
236 pages, Hardcover
First published May 15, 2019
151 people are currently reading
961 people want to read
About the author
Eliot Peper
14 books356 followersEliot Peper is the author of eleven novels, including, most recently, Foundry.
He's helped build technology businesses, survived dengue fever, translated Virgil's Aeneid from the original Latin, worked as an entrepreneur-in-residence at a venture capital firm, and explored the ancient Himalayan kingdom of Mustang.
The best way to follow Eliot's writing is to subscribe to his newsletter.
He's helped build technology businesses, survived dengue fever, translated Virgil's Aeneid from the original Latin, worked as an entrepreneur-in-residence at a venture capital firm, and explored the ancient Himalayan kingdom of Mustang.
The best way to follow Eliot's writing is to subscribe to his newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
September 30, 2019
Breach. The third and the last Analog Novel by Eliot Peper is a worthy ending of the extraordinary technothriller Analog Series. Once again Eliot Peper proves his ingenious writing, giving us a strong heroine in ex-hacker Emily Kim, brilliant and intelligent dialogues and true gems—his descriptions I fell in love with ever since I’ve read his first book Uncommon Stock: Version 1.0 (The Uncommon Series).
Allow me to share three of Peper’s Breach gems with you:
“My dad told me this fairytale when I was little,” said Emily, remembering how his stories had been the soundtrack to her stargazing, polished by retelling until they were smooth pebbles in her heart.
The melancholy notes of a lone oud fell on her ears like raindrops. The gentle pressure of Nell’s touch was an ecstatic connection, two spacecraft docking after an interstellar voyage.
Diplomats are people who murder you politely.
Breach is the book to read, enjoy and cherish. Because of its story, because of Emily and because of the realistic insight into our future world ruled by algorithms and startups that rose into giants, global entities as powerful as the world nations.
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
My reviews of Bandwidth and Borderless.
Follow me on Twitter.
Bernard Jan
Allow me to share three of Peper’s Breach gems with you:
“My dad told me this fairytale when I was little,” said Emily, remembering how his stories had been the soundtrack to her stargazing, polished by retelling until they were smooth pebbles in her heart.
The melancholy notes of a lone oud fell on her ears like raindrops. The gentle pressure of Nell’s touch was an ecstatic connection, two spacecraft docking after an interstellar voyage.
Diplomats are people who murder you politely.
Breach is the book to read, enjoy and cherish. Because of its story, because of Emily and because of the realistic insight into our future world ruled by algorithms and startups that rose into giants, global entities as powerful as the world nations.
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
My reviews of Bandwidth and Borderless.
Follow me on Twitter.
Bernard Jan
May 14, 2019
Eliot is quickly becoming my go-to author as he keeps putting out quality work over and over again, filling a new niche of near-future tech thinking person's novels. The balance of big ideas with characters you care about, action that thrills, and plot that twists keeps you engaged to the end. Bravo Eliot. Keep em coming!
February 24, 2019
Peper wraps up the Analog series with a non-stop technothriller. From illegal fight clubs to the last hurrahs of the global oligarchs, the story doesn't stop. But what's most important in Emily's story is how she finally finds a place and how Commonwealth can build on her skills to make the next step in its evolution from company to state.
These three novels chronicle the birth of a new world. It's painful, but ultimately glorious.
Recommended.
I've written a longer review of the entire series over at ZDNet:
https://www.zdnet.com/article/using-s...
These three novels chronicle the birth of a new world. It's painful, but ultimately glorious.
Recommended.
I've written a longer review of the entire series over at ZDNet:
https://www.zdnet.com/article/using-s...
May 19, 2019
“Build a Future We Want to Live In”
If you’re not familiar with the Analog world that Peper has created – you are missing out. The world feels so insanely real it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.
Something that I don’t think I noticed before this book is that Peper has this sort of poetic way of writing. Not to say the book reads like poetry (not at all) but it’s more of this refined read. There are no wasted words. I enjoyed that a lot and I almost want to go back to the other books just to hear it again.
When I used to read on my Kindle (more than I listened to audiobooks) I would highlight lines that stood out to me. Now that I listen to audiobooks I don’t often do that. Well, with Breach, I did it a lot. I would pause the audio, open the book, and find the line I’d just heard. There were so many great lines that Peper created that I had to call that out. Here are a couple of examples:
“Emily loved learning. Which was why she hated high school.”
“Diplomats are people who murder you politely.”
“The only value money has is the value we believe it has.”
“…private property isn’t an actual thing, like granite or gravity. It’s just something we all agree to, like not cutting in line.”
See what I mean? That’s some awesome stuff up there.
Breach is able to cover so many topics that I can’t cover them all here. Nor do I want to since I think that you need to read the series and the book to find them all. Peper is able to weave these intricate worlds that would make Black Mirror producers salivate. It feels like you’ve stepped into the future, but one that feels like we’re already there.
Overall, I’m not shocked at all that I loved Breach – but wow did I fly through it. From the opening fight club scenes to the last monologue from Emily – this book spoke to me. Every once and a while you’ll get a new book and you just have to read it. That was the way I felt about Breach – and not only did I have to read it – I had to finish it as fast as possible. Peper wrote another near perfect novel and I will be telling people to check out this book and series for a long time. I can’t wait to see what he has up his sleeve next.
On a total side note – I wish that I taught high school English or even Social Studies – or knew someone who did, because I feel like this series would be a perfect “in-class” reading assignment. Kids are given these old texts that don’t mean anything to them – I think that this would be perfect for today’s new generation of social media users and future decision makers.
If you’re not familiar with the Analog world that Peper has created – you are missing out. The world feels so insanely real it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.
Something that I don’t think I noticed before this book is that Peper has this sort of poetic way of writing. Not to say the book reads like poetry (not at all) but it’s more of this refined read. There are no wasted words. I enjoyed that a lot and I almost want to go back to the other books just to hear it again.
When I used to read on my Kindle (more than I listened to audiobooks) I would highlight lines that stood out to me. Now that I listen to audiobooks I don’t often do that. Well, with Breach, I did it a lot. I would pause the audio, open the book, and find the line I’d just heard. There were so many great lines that Peper created that I had to call that out. Here are a couple of examples:
“Emily loved learning. Which was why she hated high school.”
“Diplomats are people who murder you politely.”
“The only value money has is the value we believe it has.”
“…private property isn’t an actual thing, like granite or gravity. It’s just something we all agree to, like not cutting in line.”
See what I mean? That’s some awesome stuff up there.
Breach is able to cover so many topics that I can’t cover them all here. Nor do I want to since I think that you need to read the series and the book to find them all. Peper is able to weave these intricate worlds that would make Black Mirror producers salivate. It feels like you’ve stepped into the future, but one that feels like we’re already there.
Overall, I’m not shocked at all that I loved Breach – but wow did I fly through it. From the opening fight club scenes to the last monologue from Emily – this book spoke to me. Every once and a while you’ll get a new book and you just have to read it. That was the way I felt about Breach – and not only did I have to read it – I had to finish it as fast as possible. Peper wrote another near perfect novel and I will be telling people to check out this book and series for a long time. I can’t wait to see what he has up his sleeve next.
On a total side note – I wish that I taught high school English or even Social Studies – or knew someone who did, because I feel like this series would be a perfect “in-class” reading assignment. Kids are given these old texts that don’t mean anything to them – I think that this would be perfect for today’s new generation of social media users and future decision makers.
June 2, 2019
Breach, the third entry in the Analog series, gives us the story of the most mysterious character in the fictional universe, Emily Kim. The trials and tribulations of the Commonwealth mega-corporation continue to hold sway on the world order and the cast of characters from past books is at work to keep everything running. Breach is another great addition to the series, adding essential background information on the very person who started it all.
I’m obsessed with Emily Kim as a character. Honestly, I shouted a ‘YES!’ when I read the first sentence and realized we were finally going to learn everything about this fascinating and brilliant force of nature. She’s this powerful, super-intelligent woman who has used her skills and her presence to grow a silent empire, only to have it all pulled out from under her. At the start of the book, she’s broken, having removed herself entirely from the world she knew. Even in seclusion, she remains the ultimate badass, masquerading at an underground fight club as Pixie, an undefeated champion fighter.
The book is a journey of self reflection and healing for Emily, showing how much her defeat affected her worldview. She’s brought back into the fold by pure chance and gets back to her old ways surprisingly quickly. We get to see her in action, taking down would-be kidnappers and entrapping the sleazy villain who keeps popping up at the most inopportune times. Above all, we get to see her mind at work through expertly written discussion on world order, the power of a company to create change on a global level, and the dangers of leaving the keys to the kingdom with a potential despot. There’s always so much at stake in this near-future world, and it’s a delight to follow along.
Overall, Breach proves to be equally entertaining and nail-biting, continuing the on-edge feel of the previous installments. At the end, everyone is on the same team again, Commonwealth is on its way to creating massive global change, and the villain has been fiercely undercut. It doesn’t feel like this is the end of the Analog series and I’m looking forward to any additional stories we get in this expertly crafted universe.
NOTE: I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
I’m obsessed with Emily Kim as a character. Honestly, I shouted a ‘YES!’ when I read the first sentence and realized we were finally going to learn everything about this fascinating and brilliant force of nature. She’s this powerful, super-intelligent woman who has used her skills and her presence to grow a silent empire, only to have it all pulled out from under her. At the start of the book, she’s broken, having removed herself entirely from the world she knew. Even in seclusion, she remains the ultimate badass, masquerading at an underground fight club as Pixie, an undefeated champion fighter.
The book is a journey of self reflection and healing for Emily, showing how much her defeat affected her worldview. She’s brought back into the fold by pure chance and gets back to her old ways surprisingly quickly. We get to see her in action, taking down would-be kidnappers and entrapping the sleazy villain who keeps popping up at the most inopportune times. Above all, we get to see her mind at work through expertly written discussion on world order, the power of a company to create change on a global level, and the dangers of leaving the keys to the kingdom with a potential despot. There’s always so much at stake in this near-future world, and it’s a delight to follow along.
Overall, Breach proves to be equally entertaining and nail-biting, continuing the on-edge feel of the previous installments. At the end, everyone is on the same team again, Commonwealth is on its way to creating massive global change, and the villain has been fiercely undercut. It doesn’t feel like this is the end of the Analog series and I’m looking forward to any additional stories we get in this expertly crafted universe.
NOTE: I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
May 28, 2019
Another outstanding novel in the Analog series! Eliot Pepper works wizardry combining the near-future, dystopian "Feed" with current hot-button issues (wealth inequality and re-distribution) in a way that's fascinating, fast-paced, highly intellectual and believable. Quite a high bar he's set for himself. Bravo!
April 15, 2019
'Breach' has all the markings of an Eliot Peper novel: It's thought-provoking, exciting, and eminently readable.
July 3, 2019
Breach is the third installment of Eliot Peper’s Analog Series. While some series get weaker as they go along, Peper’s story seems to grow, evolve, and strengthen with each new book.
In the future (intentionally similar to now), the internet has evolved into “The Feed” which connects all people, businesses, and countries. Those who control The Feed control the world in Peper’s view of this apocalyptic future. In the first book, Peper’s motley collection of heroes commandeered the feed in order to force world governments to combat climate change once and for all. In this the third book in the series, Peper turns the spotlight onto the organization and people that control The Feed. The saying goes that absolute power corrupts absolutely and in the Analog series, controlling the feed is definitely absolute power.
This book centers around Emily Kim - a damaged protagonist who is trying to make up for her past sins by putting herself into painful and life threatening situations. Unwilling to commit suicide, Emily is hoping that someone in the world of illegal death match fights will do the deed for her. Unfortunately, along the way Emily learns of a plot being hatched by the worlds least ethical billionaires (perhaps an oxymoron) to take control of The Feed for their own purposes. Emily is forced to put aside her self-destructive venture in order to save her friends and the world. I know that this sounds a little corny but, trust me, in Peper’s hands it is anything but.
What makes Breach, along with the two other books in the series, great is that Peper weaves a dystopian tale based completely on today’s headlines. Using his exceptional writing skills, a knowledge of world finance and governance, and a slew of damaged protagonists, he creates a very believable projection of what the future might look like.
Somehow I managed to read this, the third book in the series, before reading the second one. While this demonstrates that each book can work as a stand-alone, you will enjoy the series so much more if you read them in order.
Breach wraps up quite a bit of the entire Analog tale by the last page. However, Peper leaves a few breadcrumbs to suggest that there will be an Analog Book 4 in the future. Let us hope that he continues both the story line and his writing growth to thrill us again in the future.
In the future (intentionally similar to now), the internet has evolved into “The Feed” which connects all people, businesses, and countries. Those who control The Feed control the world in Peper’s view of this apocalyptic future. In the first book, Peper’s motley collection of heroes commandeered the feed in order to force world governments to combat climate change once and for all. In this the third book in the series, Peper turns the spotlight onto the organization and people that control The Feed. The saying goes that absolute power corrupts absolutely and in the Analog series, controlling the feed is definitely absolute power.
This book centers around Emily Kim - a damaged protagonist who is trying to make up for her past sins by putting herself into painful and life threatening situations. Unwilling to commit suicide, Emily is hoping that someone in the world of illegal death match fights will do the deed for her. Unfortunately, along the way Emily learns of a plot being hatched by the worlds least ethical billionaires (perhaps an oxymoron) to take control of The Feed for their own purposes. Emily is forced to put aside her self-destructive venture in order to save her friends and the world. I know that this sounds a little corny but, trust me, in Peper’s hands it is anything but.
What makes Breach, along with the two other books in the series, great is that Peper weaves a dystopian tale based completely on today’s headlines. Using his exceptional writing skills, a knowledge of world finance and governance, and a slew of damaged protagonists, he creates a very believable projection of what the future might look like.
Somehow I managed to read this, the third book in the series, before reading the second one. While this demonstrates that each book can work as a stand-alone, you will enjoy the series so much more if you read them in order.
Breach wraps up quite a bit of the entire Analog tale by the last page. However, Peper leaves a few breadcrumbs to suggest that there will be an Analog Book 4 in the future. Let us hope that he continues both the story line and his writing growth to thrill us again in the future.
May 14, 2019
Breach is a fantastic conclusion to the Analog saga, weaving all of the themes and characters developed in the first two novels into a satisfying conclusion. In many ways this entry in the trilogy feels much closer or more personal than the first two. We already know the characters and we've become acquainted with what drives them. The action is also substantially more personal and intense, much of it being violent close quarter combat. It gives the book something like the pacing of a James Bond movie. Highly recommend the book/series for both entertainment value and their thought provoking look at some of the major themes in governance/social media we are beginning to encounter today.
*Spoilers*
In my mind the umbrella theme of the series seems to be governance in a world where traditional governance is being eroded but where new, private institutions are moving in to fill the gaps and the exploration of what that looks like and how it evolves.
In Bandwidth we see what happens when weak global governance allows corporations and for profit raiders to corrupt government for their own needs. The reaction to this is the revolution we see at the climax, which begins to establish a new world order.
Borderless takes us through the early institution building for the new world order and the initial counter response by the entrenched powers.
In Breach we see that the new world order has cemented its foothold and is preparing to expand its power but is attacked by what I think of as the counter-revolutionaries. Those folks who benefitted greatly in the traditional system but are no longer in power. As Breach draws to a close we see that the revolution has succeeded but overreached a bit and there is a synthesis. In a lot of ways the entire story arc mimics the American Revolution through the Articles of Confederation and ending with the constitutional convention. Past is prologue as they say.
*Spoilers*
In my mind the umbrella theme of the series seems to be governance in a world where traditional governance is being eroded but where new, private institutions are moving in to fill the gaps and the exploration of what that looks like and how it evolves.
In Bandwidth we see what happens when weak global governance allows corporations and for profit raiders to corrupt government for their own needs. The reaction to this is the revolution we see at the climax, which begins to establish a new world order.
Borderless takes us through the early institution building for the new world order and the initial counter response by the entrenched powers.
In Breach we see that the new world order has cemented its foothold and is preparing to expand its power but is attacked by what I think of as the counter-revolutionaries. Those folks who benefitted greatly in the traditional system but are no longer in power. As Breach draws to a close we see that the revolution has succeeded but overreached a bit and there is a synthesis. In a lot of ways the entire story arc mimics the American Revolution through the Articles of Confederation and ending with the constitutional convention. Past is prologue as they say.
February 21, 2025
Breach by Eliot Peper is such a great book I would definitely recommend it to anyone. Not only does the writing paint vivid pictures of what is happening but it is a great end to the analog series.
For the final story in the analog novels, Eliot further weaves the prior books of this series together by bringing back prior characters that some may have forgotten. This time, however, the people who long ago were manipulating the feed are the only ones capable of saving it as an activist group is trying to destroy the credibility and power it possesses.
Prior to this Emily, who had manipulated a backdoor to the feed had no thought of going back and reconnecting with her past friends and acquaintances but after stumbling upon this plot to hurt those people she knew she couldn't sit idle. As she weaves her way back into the lives of those she abandoned she reflects on her upbringing and what brought her to where she is today.
Honestly, I could go on and on about the story but I think you should pick up a copy yourself to read as I don't want to spoil anything that might give away how it ends.
For the final story in the analog novels, Eliot further weaves the prior books of this series together by bringing back prior characters that some may have forgotten. This time, however, the people who long ago were manipulating the feed are the only ones capable of saving it as an activist group is trying to destroy the credibility and power it possesses.
Prior to this Emily, who had manipulated a backdoor to the feed had no thought of going back and reconnecting with her past friends and acquaintances but after stumbling upon this plot to hurt those people she knew she couldn't sit idle. As she weaves her way back into the lives of those she abandoned she reflects on her upbringing and what brought her to where she is today.
Honestly, I could go on and on about the story but I think you should pick up a copy yourself to read as I don't want to spoil anything that might give away how it ends.
July 9, 2019
Book 3 in the Analog series. Apparently the final book but it's been left open enough it could go further. If it doesn't it's a satisfying place to end. What I liked most about this series was each book being told from the point of view of a different character. Diane was one of my favourites in the first book so was glad book two was hers. This one picks up with Emily. Major character from the first and is a good focal point for where the story goes this time around. Thread through the whole thing has been about politics and how technology can play in big part in how that works and it leaves you with plenty to ponder about. As with all of Eliot's work there are a few lines in here that are like works of art. I always look out for them in his books and this one didn't disappoint
March 29, 2019
Breach is a great conclusion to a very interesting and enjoyable series. As a big fan of dystopian fiction, I love the exploration of the role of technology. What I like the most about Peper's construction in this novel (and in the series) is the humanity that endures within the characters, despite all of their flaws and their foibles. The real and gritty exploration of the world of technology and its potential for exploitation and political role is so relatable and frankly scary, as it is easy to see how these dangers apply to our world. The role of a great dystopian novel (or series) is to make us think about the warning it gives us and where we would like to see the world move. This novel is definitely successful.
March 13, 2019
Guilty dark redemption - normally the second "Empire Strikes Back" act, but with Peper we've had two fights for the path of light now followed by a more personal examination from the creator of Analog. It;s not an easy path for Emily Kim, she almost seems to boobytrap her own progress. All wrapped up in another great techno-thriller
March 10, 2019
Fantastic characters & plot, as usual with Eliot Peper's stories. And while the subject matter is probably what draws readers to this (a love of science fiction, interest in how technology might affect our lives & world), his writing is actually what's most attractive to me -- it's beautiful.
If his book in 2018 felt like the perfect read that year given our geopolitical circumstances, then Breach feels the same for 2019. Nice to have familiar characters but can also be read on its own.
If his book in 2018 felt like the perfect read that year given our geopolitical circumstances, then Breach feels the same for 2019. Nice to have familiar characters but can also be read on its own.
May 18, 2019
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The premise sounded amazing and i was so ready for a technothriller - I need a fresh dystopian world in my reading life and I was not disappointed. I was a bit on the fence because I had not read the first and second book in the trilogy, but hints online pointed towards not needing to, so I took the chance on it.
I dont think I was missing too much from the previous books as this one caught me up enough to understand the main character Emiliys background and drive.
This book has a rough dystopian setting with fight clubs and an amazing take on how technology can go either way and how it influences human actions and politics and how our own morals and principles can get in our way.
If you like a dystopy with a take on technical advance and a deeper look into humanity and how our advances influence us, this might be for you.
The premise sounded amazing and i was so ready for a technothriller - I need a fresh dystopian world in my reading life and I was not disappointed. I was a bit on the fence because I had not read the first and second book in the trilogy, but hints online pointed towards not needing to, so I took the chance on it.
I dont think I was missing too much from the previous books as this one caught me up enough to understand the main character Emiliys background and drive.
This book has a rough dystopian setting with fight clubs and an amazing take on how technology can go either way and how it influences human actions and politics and how our own morals and principles can get in our way.
If you like a dystopy with a take on technical advance and a deeper look into humanity and how our advances influence us, this might be for you.
May 30, 2019
There are two sides to Breach - one excellent, the other so-so. We meet the so-so side first. This is the story of Emma Kim, aka Pixie, who has spent the last ten years or so as a fighter in a illicit fight club, risking death, apparently because she wants to die (yet somehow avoiding it for so long). This plunges us in with some action, certainly, but lacks any significant depth. However, the other side of the book is the story of Commonwealth, a former startup company now a sovereign state, that has subverted politics and nationality, pretty much taking over the world. This aspect is genuinely engaging.
What Eliot Peper has done is project into the future a combination of the internet and social media, known as ‘the feed’, and explored its implications for society. It has already done away with national borders and currencies. Now, one of its board members is suggesting turning its subscription into a progressive, redistributive wealth tax. And the ultra-rich don’t like it.
Though there are elements of the way the business aspect is handled that are a little naive, it still is fascinating and thought-provoking, particularly with the consideration of how something set up as a company that has gained too much power could be made more democratic.
The problem with Emma is not so much her part in the overall story - she turns out to have deep connections with the high level players in Commonwealth - but rather the justification for her fight club life. This seems to have based on having possibly let down her friends once. It is just such an extreme over-reaction, that it doesn’t work as narrative. But provided the reader can get over this irritation, it doesn’t get in the way of the book as a whole.
Although technically the third in a series, I haven’t read the other two, and this book works perfectly well without having done so. I'm distinctly inclined to go back and read the first two titles, which focus on two other of the key players in Commonwealth. Breach is quite short and well worth giving a go - just don’t give up if the opening fight club scene puts you off (or the author's clear enthusiasm for hip-hop) - things do get better. This book demands comparison with The Circle - although Eggars' bestseller is better structured as a book, its technology challenge to society is not as well thought-out as Peper's Commonwealth. Worth taking a look.
What Eliot Peper has done is project into the future a combination of the internet and social media, known as ‘the feed’, and explored its implications for society. It has already done away with national borders and currencies. Now, one of its board members is suggesting turning its subscription into a progressive, redistributive wealth tax. And the ultra-rich don’t like it.
Though there are elements of the way the business aspect is handled that are a little naive, it still is fascinating and thought-provoking, particularly with the consideration of how something set up as a company that has gained too much power could be made more democratic.
The problem with Emma is not so much her part in the overall story - she turns out to have deep connections with the high level players in Commonwealth - but rather the justification for her fight club life. This seems to have based on having possibly let down her friends once. It is just such an extreme over-reaction, that it doesn’t work as narrative. But provided the reader can get over this irritation, it doesn’t get in the way of the book as a whole.
Although technically the third in a series, I haven’t read the other two, and this book works perfectly well without having done so. I'm distinctly inclined to go back and read the first two titles, which focus on two other of the key players in Commonwealth. Breach is quite short and well worth giving a go - just don’t give up if the opening fight club scene puts you off (or the author's clear enthusiasm for hip-hop) - things do get better. This book demands comparison with The Circle - although Eggars' bestseller is better structured as a book, its technology challenge to society is not as well thought-out as Peper's Commonwealth. Worth taking a look.
April 25, 2019
When we last saw Emily Kim, near the end of Bandwidth (volume 1 of the Analog series), she had been unmasked as having gone too far in manipulating people to achieve her ends, noble though they might have been. At the start of Breach (the third and concluding volume of the series), thirteen years have gone by, thirteen years during which Emily disappeared in shame into an anonymous (pseudonymous actually) and self-desctructive life as a competitor in a to-the-death fight club on a remote Philippine island.
But when Lowell Harding, the corporate billionaire villain of this trilogy, appears in her fight club, unaware of who she really is, and reveals a plan to kidnap Emily's foster sister Rosa and blackmail Commonwealth, Emily comes out of hiding to help the very people she has been hiding from. And hopefully save Commonwealth and The Feed from the greedy machinations of Lowell and his cadre of wealthy oligarchs.
As we saw in the transition from Bandwidth to Borderless (Analog #2), Eliot Peper focuses on a different protagonist, this time delving into the persona of Emily. That once again proves to be an effective choice. And Peper again trains the plot of his near-future speculative fiction on a subject of current interest and import -- income and wealth inequality. It certainly doesn't hurt his standing in my eyes that he and I see eye-to-eye on all of these issues -- if you disagree, that alone may be enough to turn you off.
But where Borderless was a five-star read for me, I have to slide my rating of Breach back to four stars, like Bandwidth. I like that character development trumps all other considerations, even in the three extended fight scenes, which are driven not so much by the action as by Emily acting on her inner demons -- how this translates into how the fights unfold is masterful. I also like that Peper remains adept at the use of metaphor and objective correlative.
The problem -- and it's just a minor quibble between four and five stars -- is that there is just too much of the novel spent inside Emily's internal monologue, and it sometimes grows repetitive. I'm also the tiniest bit disappointed that this book wasn't about Nell, as I had expected after reading Borderless. But overall, this is still an excellent conclusion to an excellent techno-thriller trilogy.
(Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy to review.)
But when Lowell Harding, the corporate billionaire villain of this trilogy, appears in her fight club, unaware of who she really is, and reveals a plan to kidnap Emily's foster sister Rosa and blackmail Commonwealth, Emily comes out of hiding to help the very people she has been hiding from. And hopefully save Commonwealth and The Feed from the greedy machinations of Lowell and his cadre of wealthy oligarchs.
As we saw in the transition from Bandwidth to Borderless (Analog #2), Eliot Peper focuses on a different protagonist, this time delving into the persona of Emily. That once again proves to be an effective choice. And Peper again trains the plot of his near-future speculative fiction on a subject of current interest and import -- income and wealth inequality. It certainly doesn't hurt his standing in my eyes that he and I see eye-to-eye on all of these issues -- if you disagree, that alone may be enough to turn you off.
But where Borderless was a five-star read for me, I have to slide my rating of Breach back to four stars, like Bandwidth. I like that character development trumps all other considerations, even in the three extended fight scenes, which are driven not so much by the action as by Emily acting on her inner demons -- how this translates into how the fights unfold is masterful. I also like that Peper remains adept at the use of metaphor and objective correlative.
The problem -- and it's just a minor quibble between four and five stars -- is that there is just too much of the novel spent inside Emily's internal monologue, and it sometimes grows repetitive. I'm also the tiniest bit disappointed that this book wasn't about Nell, as I had expected after reading Borderless. But overall, this is still an excellent conclusion to an excellent techno-thriller trilogy.
(Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy to review.)
January 19, 2021
This is a tough one to review on a few levels.
Breach is the third installment of the Analog series by Eliot Peper. And while I read both Bandwidth and Borderless, I must admit that when I started reading Breach I could not for the life of me remember much of what happened in the previous two books. That is never a good sign. I remember liking them, but a few factors place me with little recollection as to what happened before, as I started reading Breach. The biggest problem is that I had read the other two, over two years ago. My advice is simple. If you know it is part of a series, wait till they are all published before starting the first. And the other factor is that while I really like this author, he overwrites.
I have heard many times that a great book should be able to be summarized in a simple paragraph. That is true, but that does not mean that the story itself does not take the reader on a many layered journey, before reaching its conclusion. The problem here is that in terms of 'motion', there is very little actually happening. The book focuses on character development to a fault. We are reminded over and over on the mindset of our main subject Emily/Pixel, sometimes to the point where two paragraphs later we find ourselves saying... 'we get it!'. That is not to say that the author does not have some serious chops, I just wish we spent a little less time in the characters head!
The fight scene toward the beginning of the book is just fantastic. A fine balance between the deadly dance between Pixie (Emily) and her opponent, and the raging thoughts in her head. This kept me going, even when I could not remember this character from his previous two books.
The latest book I read by Peper was Veil, and I enjoyed that book a little more than this one as the complexity of the story was far more developed than Breach.
Regardless. Enjoy
Breach is the third installment of the Analog series by Eliot Peper. And while I read both Bandwidth and Borderless, I must admit that when I started reading Breach I could not for the life of me remember much of what happened in the previous two books. That is never a good sign. I remember liking them, but a few factors place me with little recollection as to what happened before, as I started reading Breach. The biggest problem is that I had read the other two, over two years ago. My advice is simple. If you know it is part of a series, wait till they are all published before starting the first. And the other factor is that while I really like this author, he overwrites.
I have heard many times that a great book should be able to be summarized in a simple paragraph. That is true, but that does not mean that the story itself does not take the reader on a many layered journey, before reaching its conclusion. The problem here is that in terms of 'motion', there is very little actually happening. The book focuses on character development to a fault. We are reminded over and over on the mindset of our main subject Emily/Pixel, sometimes to the point where two paragraphs later we find ourselves saying... 'we get it!'. That is not to say that the author does not have some serious chops, I just wish we spent a little less time in the characters head!
The fight scene toward the beginning of the book is just fantastic. A fine balance between the deadly dance between Pixie (Emily) and her opponent, and the raging thoughts in her head. This kept me going, even when I could not remember this character from his previous two books.
The latest book I read by Peper was Veil, and I enjoyed that book a little more than this one as the complexity of the story was far more developed than Breach.
Regardless. Enjoy
May 30, 2019
The scenario behind Eliot Peper’s Analog series is that the internet is directly connected to our brains. If you think that this is crazy, think again, as Elon Musk with his start-up company , as well as others, are working on making that a reality. Personally, the thought of being on the internet 24/7 is absolutely horrifying, but I grew up in an era where the most exciting technology was color TV and Pong. Nowadays, young people have grown up with the internet and have grown very attached to their technology, so I can see many of them jumping on board to be the first to get their brains rewired. So no more worries about losing your phone, forgetting to charge it, or washing it with your laundry. All you have to do is think about it, so what could possibly go wrong? Plenty. We are now seeing some of the uglier sides of technology. Hacking, trolling, fake news, identity theft and privacy concerns are just a few of the problems that we are now dealing with as a result of the internet. So just imagine if it was hooked directly to you round-the-clock. Eliot Peper’s series gives us a glimpse into what they may be like.
In this latest and last addition to the series, Breach, the focus is on Emily Kim who happened to be the scoundrel in the first book of the series, Bandwidth. Kim’s notoriety came about when she and a group of activist hacked into the ‘feed’, the brain-interface internet, to manipulate individuals and governments into establishing a carbon tax to tackle climate change. Kim’s most egregious act was the extreme manipulation of Dag Calhoun, a lobbyist for powerful technological and energy companies. But Kim’s world fell apart when Calhoun revealed Kim’s breach of the feed to the company that runs it known as Commonwealth. Even though Kim’s effort was to save the world from catastrophic climate change, her methodologies to obtain her goal were unjustifiable. After Calhoun’s revelation of Kim’s misdeeds, she goes into hiding and punishes herself through isolation and becoming a fighter in an infamous fight club on the isle of Camiguin. But a chance meeting with an old nemesis forces her to leave her isolation to save the people she most cares about and perhaps to gain their forgiveness that she feels she doesn’t deserve.
I have to admit this is my favorite in the series mostly because of Emily Kim’s Tasmanian devil alter ego, Pixie. Some of the fight scenes are very memorable. Though I felt that the finale was a bit anticlimactic, I still feel that Breach is a must read. Even though Breach could be read as a standalone in order to truly appreciate it, it would be best to read Bandwidth beforehand.
If you are interested in learning more about the Analog Series check it out on my blog A-Thrill-A-Week
In this latest and last addition to the series, Breach, the focus is on Emily Kim who happened to be the scoundrel in the first book of the series, Bandwidth. Kim’s notoriety came about when she and a group of activist hacked into the ‘feed’, the brain-interface internet, to manipulate individuals and governments into establishing a carbon tax to tackle climate change. Kim’s most egregious act was the extreme manipulation of Dag Calhoun, a lobbyist for powerful technological and energy companies. But Kim’s world fell apart when Calhoun revealed Kim’s breach of the feed to the company that runs it known as Commonwealth. Even though Kim’s effort was to save the world from catastrophic climate change, her methodologies to obtain her goal were unjustifiable. After Calhoun’s revelation of Kim’s misdeeds, she goes into hiding and punishes herself through isolation and becoming a fighter in an infamous fight club on the isle of Camiguin. But a chance meeting with an old nemesis forces her to leave her isolation to save the people she most cares about and perhaps to gain their forgiveness that she feels she doesn’t deserve.
I have to admit this is my favorite in the series mostly because of Emily Kim’s Tasmanian devil alter ego, Pixie. Some of the fight scenes are very memorable. Though I felt that the finale was a bit anticlimactic, I still feel that Breach is a must read. Even though Breach could be read as a standalone in order to truly appreciate it, it would be best to read Bandwidth beforehand.
If you are interested in learning more about the Analog Series check it out on my blog A-Thrill-A-Week
May 14, 2019
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first book in this series. I had no premise of who the characters were, or anything about the world this is set in.
This book is considered a technothriller. Which I found is a perfect way to describe it. The underground fight clubs, the all absorbing feed. It had great a feel to it. Add the politics and this was an interesting dystopian picture.
I did not feel like I was missing much from the previous books in the series, maybe some background information on the main character Emily. But this book gave enough, to understand how and why she became the person she is. It had a very deep look into people, and humanity, and how our own principles sometimes can destroy us.
The story also analyzes how technology can become good or bad in the world of politics. In a world that's one.
At times the book was detailed in analyzing the humans and politics. It became daunting, and I found myself skipping. But this was an interesting read and would definitely recommend to those that like a different look into dystopian world.
This was my first book in this series. I had no premise of who the characters were, or anything about the world this is set in.
This book is considered a technothriller. Which I found is a perfect way to describe it. The underground fight clubs, the all absorbing feed. It had great a feel to it. Add the politics and this was an interesting dystopian picture.
I did not feel like I was missing much from the previous books in the series, maybe some background information on the main character Emily. But this book gave enough, to understand how and why she became the person she is. It had a very deep look into people, and humanity, and how our own principles sometimes can destroy us.
The story also analyzes how technology can become good or bad in the world of politics. In a world that's one.
At times the book was detailed in analyzing the humans and politics. It became daunting, and I found myself skipping. But this was an interesting read and would definitely recommend to those that like a different look into dystopian world.
July 8, 2019
In a nice touch, the Analog trilogy returns to its beginning for the final volume, while at the same time branching into new territory. We are back at the geopolitical hacking and social consciousness of Emily Kim from the first volume, and we're continuing the fast-paced if somewhat unlikely action of the 2nd volume. We get far more meat on the so far hazy figure of Kim, and her personal story develops in ways that are very surprising given her role in the first volume, but at the same time works with filled-in pre-history.
On the large scale, the story shifts to digital governance and the governance of digital infrastructure, a refreshing extension of the theme of tech corps vs nation state of the 2nd volume. The fight itself and its villains are a bit (too) cartoon-like and the good guys a bit naive, but it does not really take away from the good treatment of the theme itself.
There's a tendency toward manic-pixie-girl fallacy, but it is acknowledge and works in an ironic way. As in the previous volumes, there's some fine cultural references, both new and classic. Nice touch.
On the large scale, the story shifts to digital governance and the governance of digital infrastructure, a refreshing extension of the theme of tech corps vs nation state of the 2nd volume. The fight itself and its villains are a bit (too) cartoon-like and the good guys a bit naive, but it does not really take away from the good treatment of the theme itself.
There's a tendency toward manic-pixie-girl fallacy, but it is acknowledge and works in an ironic way. As in the previous volumes, there's some fine cultural references, both new and classic. Nice touch.
July 3, 2019
I won this book in a giveaway. I hope I'm not being unfair because I didn't read the first two books in this series first, but I didn't care for it all that much. It has its moments, but overall I was a bit disappointed.
There are some good action sequences in this book that I really enjoyed, and overall the story was decent, but for the most part I just didn't care. I largely came away feeling like this is yet another dystopian/sci-fi novel with a young, unrealistic, female protagonist that I really want to like but just kind of don't.
I might be interested in going back and starting this series at book 1 to see if I feel differently, but probably not. I felt like this story had potential but for me it was about the characters. I just couldn't relate to them enough to care about what was happening all that much. I've even struggled to write this review for a while because I just wasn't into this book for good or bad.
There are some good action sequences in this book that I really enjoyed, and overall the story was decent, but for the most part I just didn't care. I largely came away feeling like this is yet another dystopian/sci-fi novel with a young, unrealistic, female protagonist that I really want to like but just kind of don't.
I might be interested in going back and starting this series at book 1 to see if I feel differently, but probably not. I felt like this story had potential but for me it was about the characters. I just couldn't relate to them enough to care about what was happening all that much. I've even struggled to write this review for a while because I just wasn't into this book for good or bad.
June 5, 2021
This felt way too short, much shorter than the other two! I enjoyed it though, exploring the next logical step of the commonwealths evolution.
It was clear to me very early on that E was going to be pushed into a leadership role, and I loved the way R did it. I enjoyed the Lowell/glitter line, and F’s take over and the glimpse into Dags life (twins! Whose that fir croissants? Lol), and the absolute lightness with which he’d let go of Emily (and her astonishment was a nice counter point, because she couldn’t imagine forgiving herself).
I did not enjoy the epic self depreciation (seriously, get a therapist) and the line of “washing the slate clean with blood” was epic bs. I’m sorry, you killed ELEVEN people trying to feel better about yourself. Washing the slate clean is meant to be with your blood, not others. Such bs. Seriously. Therapist needed.
I wish it had been longer. I enjoyed it, but less than the other two. I suspect it’s because I didn’t like Emily that much.
It was clear to me very early on that E was going to be pushed into a leadership role, and I loved the way R did it. I enjoyed the Lowell/glitter line, and F’s take over and the glimpse into Dags life (twins! Whose that fir croissants? Lol), and the absolute lightness with which he’d let go of Emily (and her astonishment was a nice counter point, because she couldn’t imagine forgiving herself).
I did not enjoy the epic self depreciation (seriously, get a therapist) and the line of “washing the slate clean with blood” was epic bs. I’m sorry, you killed ELEVEN people trying to feel better about yourself. Washing the slate clean is meant to be with your blood, not others. Such bs. Seriously. Therapist needed.
I wish it had been longer. I enjoyed it, but less than the other two. I suspect it’s because I didn’t like Emily that much.
June 17, 2020
Be
When I was young, it was a thing to join or start a commune. A common thread in doing so was some idea of finding a better way. Turned out to be more complicated than easily imagined. People turned to self medication, and the word “hippie” turned to mean something far different than the original intention.
Tech gives us all kinds of power tools. More capacities. More learning curves. More choices. More room to be..., something, maybe somebody. Faster, farther reaching, more power.
More responsibility? We have met the enemy, and they are us - to paraphrase Pogo.
What are viable, healthy ethics of power? The basis of value. Intentions and effects, second order effects, etc. And a few other things, that Mr Peper examines, speculates on, and provides some visitations.
Might be worth a read. If you are interested.
When I was young, it was a thing to join or start a commune. A common thread in doing so was some idea of finding a better way. Turned out to be more complicated than easily imagined. People turned to self medication, and the word “hippie” turned to mean something far different than the original intention.
Tech gives us all kinds of power tools. More capacities. More learning curves. More choices. More room to be..., something, maybe somebody. Faster, farther reaching, more power.
More responsibility? We have met the enemy, and they are us - to paraphrase Pogo.
What are viable, healthy ethics of power? The basis of value. Intentions and effects, second order effects, etc. And a few other things, that Mr Peper examines, speculates on, and provides some visitations.
Might be worth a read. If you are interested.
December 27, 2020
This was the third book of the trilogy, which picks up a decade after the second book, and is from yet a third characters perspective.
I cared about the central character the least of the three books, maybe because I felt the least amount of empathy. I'd say she was perhaps the most flat character.
However, the book was saved again by the underlying questions and commentary raised through the book. Its hard to write this review without giving too much away, but even if I don't really understand all of Emily's decisions and behaviors, the scenario of a powerful Silicon Valley company struggling with its role in shaping humanity isn't far-fetched at all.
Although the main story of this book was my last favorite, I absolutely would have picked up a fourth book in this series if there were one! Glad I discovered this author & trilogy.
I cared about the central character the least of the three books, maybe because I felt the least amount of empathy. I'd say she was perhaps the most flat character.
However, the book was saved again by the underlying questions and commentary raised through the book. Its hard to write this review without giving too much away, but even if I don't really understand all of Emily's decisions and behaviors, the scenario of a powerful Silicon Valley company struggling with its role in shaping humanity isn't far-fetched at all.
Although the main story of this book was my last favorite, I absolutely would have picked up a fourth book in this series if there were one! Glad I discovered this author & trilogy.
June 2, 2019
This was a very disappointing addition to the series. We have a suicidal pugilist, who is just a hair past being a relatable character. The majority of the book is spent wallowing in self-remorse, which is just a hair past being a relatable plot. By the time our heroine goes fight-club on us for the final time near the end of the book, I became a speed reader. There was a lot of material worth only a brief skim over.
"In Japanese art, kintsugi refers to the practice of repairing damaged pottery with gold cement."
And with that single sentence we are supposed to see the final beauty of how Emily's life evolved and give this entire book a pass.
This book requires a little more gold cement.
"In Japanese art, kintsugi refers to the practice of repairing damaged pottery with gold cement."
And with that single sentence we are supposed to see the final beauty of how Emily's life evolved and give this entire book a pass.
This book requires a little more gold cement.
January 7, 2020
Breach of Trust
Imagine a cloud com like Google that grows so much that its boundaries transcend countries and the world depends so much on it that it starts to dictate the rules for the world governance until it becomes a sovereign entity. That's Commonwealth!!
In the mid of it, Emily breaches the trust of her friends believing that it is rightful to use the feed to manipulate their beliefs in order to create new rules for the world. And in the process, she transformers into a complete, unapologetic asshole as a person .
Although the book has a good ending, I don't feel any sympathy or afinity for Emily, her actions are questionable thru the book and she places her own agenda on top of that of her friends again and again.
Imagine a cloud com like Google that grows so much that its boundaries transcend countries and the world depends so much on it that it starts to dictate the rules for the world governance until it becomes a sovereign entity. That's Commonwealth!!
In the mid of it, Emily breaches the trust of her friends believing that it is rightful to use the feed to manipulate their beliefs in order to create new rules for the world. And in the process, she transformers into a complete, unapologetic asshole as a person .
Although the book has a good ending, I don't feel any sympathy or afinity for Emily, her actions are questionable thru the book and she places her own agenda on top of that of her friends again and again.
October 23, 2020
In the afterward Peper talks about how the main character for this novel was always the inspiration for this entire Analog trilogy.
I just didn't like her that much.
To be fair, I'm generally not a fan of series where we move through a cast of characters and they each have these kind of serial adventures while the previous characters sit out most of the new chapter - meanwhile characters who recur seem to learn, well, not much. It feels too contrived to me in a lot of ways. This is a personal thing, but it's hard to get over.
I do think the way Peper explores some of the present-day themes by using a near future world works very well in most cases, and I enjoyed the series. But, it was kind of diminishing returns for me in the end.
I just didn't like her that much.
To be fair, I'm generally not a fan of series where we move through a cast of characters and they each have these kind of serial adventures while the previous characters sit out most of the new chapter - meanwhile characters who recur seem to learn, well, not much. It feels too contrived to me in a lot of ways. This is a personal thing, but it's hard to get over.
I do think the way Peper explores some of the present-day themes by using a near future world works very well in most cases, and I enjoyed the series. But, it was kind of diminishing returns for me in the end.
July 20, 2019
Satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Set years into the future from Book #2, it shows what happens when The Feed continues to push changes that impact the whole world and how those clinging to power will try to keep their power and wealth. As all too often with books, I wish the authors would show a bit more of what the post-resolution world would look like. In this case, he provides a conclusion, but I was interested in seeing how that resolution would play out 1, 3, 5 years in the future. A brief chapter epilogue would have been nice.
August 4, 2019
There are four things that make a good book: good plot, good ideas, good characters, good writing. In "Breach", Peper has two, at most three.
Plot in a nutshell: Emily Kim, former hacker and social engineer, haunted by her demons, returns from a stint as a pit fighter in a tropical backwater to save her former street urchins (now masters of the universe) from a dastardly plot to overthow the tech utopia they created.
If you feel the impulse to yawn, don't stop yourself on my account.
On the plus side, Peper has some real insight to offer into the future of our tech-soaked society, and it's baked into this book with skill. However, this insight is not nearly as ambitious or as intelligent as Piper thinks it is. It can't hold a rusty candle to Gibson or Stephenson. The Commonwealth and its feed are the most potentially interesting parts of the novel, and Peper spends very little time on them.
The reason why, and why this book is so mediocre, is that Emily Kim is about as interesting as a bowl of oatmeal. Granted, Peper commits no major crimes in drawing his female protagonist, he fails to make her memorable or interesting. Her moral anguish feels overplayed, her redemption too easy, her brilliance overstated. Emily's supporting cast adds next to nothing, mainly paper-thin bit parts for Emily to punch, pontificate, or apologize too.
For all we know, Peper has created a grand vision of the near future, complete with a market-based solution for climate change... But we'll never know it, because we get to ride with Emily for a brisk 220 pages and spend 140 of them on her inner life. I want to hear more about that vision, and less (nothing, if possible) about Emily. Yet Peper clearly loves Emily (if his self-indulgent afterword is any evidence) far more than he wants to share that vision with us.
Plot in a nutshell: Emily Kim, former hacker and social engineer, haunted by her demons, returns from a stint as a pit fighter in a tropical backwater to save her former street urchins (now masters of the universe) from a dastardly plot to overthow the tech utopia they created.
If you feel the impulse to yawn, don't stop yourself on my account.
On the plus side, Peper has some real insight to offer into the future of our tech-soaked society, and it's baked into this book with skill. However, this insight is not nearly as ambitious or as intelligent as Piper thinks it is. It can't hold a rusty candle to Gibson or Stephenson. The Commonwealth and its feed are the most potentially interesting parts of the novel, and Peper spends very little time on them.
The reason why, and why this book is so mediocre, is that Emily Kim is about as interesting as a bowl of oatmeal. Granted, Peper commits no major crimes in drawing his female protagonist, he fails to make her memorable or interesting. Her moral anguish feels overplayed, her redemption too easy, her brilliance overstated. Emily's supporting cast adds next to nothing, mainly paper-thin bit parts for Emily to punch, pontificate, or apologize too.
For all we know, Peper has created a grand vision of the near future, complete with a market-based solution for climate change... But we'll never know it, because we get to ride with Emily for a brisk 220 pages and spend 140 of them on her inner life. I want to hear more about that vision, and less (nothing, if possible) about Emily. Yet Peper clearly loves Emily (if his self-indulgent afterword is any evidence) far more than he wants to share that vision with us.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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