Zimmerman's Algorithm

by S. Andrew Swann, Sunil Malhotra (Reading)

The breakout novel that puts S. Andrew Swann in the technothriller ranks of Clancy, Coonts, and Cussler!

Veteran writer S. Andrew Swann turns his talents to a mainstream technothriller that combines the authentic detail of Tom Clancy, the global intrigue of Jack Higgins, and the sheer adventure of Clive Cussler. Gideon Malcolm was a Washington, D. C., cop who stumbled into the midst of a high-level sting operation gone wrong and nearly paid with his life. Now he wants answers. But the government wants him to forget the whole thing. Yet Gideon wasn't about to give up, and what began with a stolen supercomputer soon led him on the trail of a missing woman, Dr. Zimmerman—and into the heart of a conspiracy so vast, so devastating, that the entire world would be caught up in its power!

Genres: Fiction

Audio CD

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

S. Andrew Swann is the primary pseudonym of Steven Swiniarski, who also writes as S.A. Swiniarski, Steven Krane, and S.A. Swann.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a pretty good techno-thriller novel for its time. I didn't think it was a science fiction novel at all. It's a little too complex, so it's a little hard to keep track of all the plot twists and turns if you don't pay close attention. It's a well-written story of a police detective (who conveniently happens to have a brother who's an FBI agent) looking for a supercomputer stolen by a terrorist group, and the titular Dr. Zimmerman whose knowledge holds the key to world security. Events rendered the premise obsolete soon after it was published, but it was an enjoyable change-of-pace read.

[Nicholas George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readers beware: you come to this way beyond its expiration date. Written in 2000, its premise is based on a supercomputer (remember those?) and a terrorist group similar to Al Qaeda but called something else. Oh -- and references to the World Trade Center bombing that was vastly eclipsed by what happened a few years later. So everything is dated, which is only part of the problem. The plot is way too complex, with far too many moving parts, even though it is fairly well-written. I've never heard of the author (not an untalented man) and that probably is to be expected.

[Tao · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best scifi thriller, but it is readable. Trite, from time to time. But I managed finishing it.