What do you think?
Rate this book
Hacked
Dragged from semi-retirement in the year 2060 by a desperate Earth government, Nadia Oliphant is conscripted to investigate and solve code name Memestalk; a deadly bio-cybernetic virus.
She would much rather quietly watch the sunsets from her Namaqualand home but agrees to help when the pandemic gets personal.
Pushed reluctantly into a world she loathes, she returns to a chaotic Cape Town to begin the race against Memestalk for the life of her grandson and millions more.
Hacked is a handbrake-turn through a speculative future with high tech and higher stakes.
She would much rather quietly watch the sunsets from her Namaqualand home but agrees to help when the pandemic gets personal.
Pushed reluctantly into a world she loathes, she returns to a chaotic Cape Town to begin the race against Memestalk for the life of her grandson and millions more.
Hacked is a handbrake-turn through a speculative future with high tech and higher stakes.
161 pages, Paperback
First published August 12, 2019
2 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 28, 2020
One of the best South African books
October 31, 2019
Hacked is the first book I've read by this author and I must say that I was thoroughly intrigued. The amalgamation of both technology and biology sets up a future that might not be as far away as it seems. Many times while reading this book, I imagined that this was exactly where the world is going. Admittedly, there were a few times where I wasn't sure what was going on, but I'm not intelligent enough to comprehend the complex ideas that this book tackles. This dystopian world felt too real at points and dared to ask the question, where is this social media dependent, internet crazy age going?
The Plot:
The story follows Nadia Oliphant who is hired by the government to unravel the secrets behind a deadly bio-cybernetic virus that is killing the youth. She is given more incentive when her grandson falls ill with the virus. Joined by a ragtag team of individuals, she must decipher the roots of the illness before it's too late.
Despite the high stakes of the story, there is very little action and instead, the book presents a conversation that takes place behind computer screens. However, don't let this lack of action deter you from reading the book. The conversation presented is a very interesting one that challenges the world as it is as well as what it is becoming. The people have become dependent on technology and the internet and this has led to them becoming sick. Many times, I was on the edge of my seat as the information escalated and at times it seemed there was no cure.
The Characters:
I wasn't particularly a big fan of the main character because most of the time she came off as abrasive and condescending, but I do understand that she needed to be hard to deal with the situation and the world she finds herself in. She has a job and she gets it done.
Instead, it was the background characters who I loved the most. Cedric Ndou is a brute of a man who is also suffering from radiation poisoning. Despite the pain that he endures, he always finds it in himself to be kind and never fails to be a worthwhile member of the team. My favourite character must have been Linzie (with a cappie on the 'e'). Linzie is a middle-aged woman who still dresses like an anime character and of all the characters she receives the most abuse from Nadia. She's insecure which wastes Nadia time when it comes to saving the world. But by the end of the story, she's the one with the most character development and she finds the confidence needed to complete the task. I saw myself in her and it made it easy to root for her. Together, the team is formidable and only this odd bunch of characters can succeed to stop the virus.
The Writing:
The one thing I can truly give this book is that it's exceptionally well written. The language is sharp and to the point so that the reader knows just how dire the situation is. It's clear that Mull is knowledgeable about the topic and that he has a point to make. The message of the story is clear and like most good fiction, it leaves the reader questioning the world around them.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves dystopian sci-fi. This book asks many challenging questions that get your brain working while still being a fun read at the same time. What is our world coming to and what dangerous role will technology play in that future?
The Plot:
The story follows Nadia Oliphant who is hired by the government to unravel the secrets behind a deadly bio-cybernetic virus that is killing the youth. She is given more incentive when her grandson falls ill with the virus. Joined by a ragtag team of individuals, she must decipher the roots of the illness before it's too late.
Despite the high stakes of the story, there is very little action and instead, the book presents a conversation that takes place behind computer screens. However, don't let this lack of action deter you from reading the book. The conversation presented is a very interesting one that challenges the world as it is as well as what it is becoming. The people have become dependent on technology and the internet and this has led to them becoming sick. Many times, I was on the edge of my seat as the information escalated and at times it seemed there was no cure.
The Characters:
I wasn't particularly a big fan of the main character because most of the time she came off as abrasive and condescending, but I do understand that she needed to be hard to deal with the situation and the world she finds herself in. She has a job and she gets it done.
Instead, it was the background characters who I loved the most. Cedric Ndou is a brute of a man who is also suffering from radiation poisoning. Despite the pain that he endures, he always finds it in himself to be kind and never fails to be a worthwhile member of the team. My favourite character must have been Linzie (with a cappie on the 'e'). Linzie is a middle-aged woman who still dresses like an anime character and of all the characters she receives the most abuse from Nadia. She's insecure which wastes Nadia time when it comes to saving the world. But by the end of the story, she's the one with the most character development and she finds the confidence needed to complete the task. I saw myself in her and it made it easy to root for her. Together, the team is formidable and only this odd bunch of characters can succeed to stop the virus.
The Writing:
The one thing I can truly give this book is that it's exceptionally well written. The language is sharp and to the point so that the reader knows just how dire the situation is. It's clear that Mull is knowledgeable about the topic and that he has a point to make. The message of the story is clear and like most good fiction, it leaves the reader questioning the world around them.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves dystopian sci-fi. This book asks many challenging questions that get your brain working while still being a fun read at the same time. What is our world coming to and what dangerous role will technology play in that future?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2019
Hacked is a scifi set mostly in Cape Town. The characters are compelling and likeable. I was invested the whole way through. The tech is intense, but all completely plausible(/currently implemented in scary ways!) and I admire the accuracy to which everything was designed and stated.
Hacked is not a quick read despite being quite short, it took me a while to work my way through it, because I found it quite dense. It is still beautifully written and I enjoyed all of it.
If you have a technical inclination towards the cyber-security side of the future, this book is for you.
Nadia is badass and I love her forever. She is everything I want to see in a leading role. Equal parts strong and vulnerable, as well as smart and self doubting. She is tempered perfectly with her physical trade-offs, and is just straight-up entertaining to read. I read her very much as a small, super strong female Spider Jerusalem (For those of you familiar with the Transmetropolitan series).
Give this one a read. It's got what you need.
Hacked is not a quick read despite being quite short, it took me a while to work my way through it, because I found it quite dense. It is still beautifully written and I enjoyed all of it.
If you have a technical inclination towards the cyber-security side of the future, this book is for you.
Nadia is badass and I love her forever. She is everything I want to see in a leading role. Equal parts strong and vulnerable, as well as smart and self doubting. She is tempered perfectly with her physical trade-offs, and is just straight-up entertaining to read. I read her very much as a small, super strong female Spider Jerusalem (For those of you familiar with the Transmetropolitan series).
Give this one a read. It's got what you need.
October 17, 2019
Set in Cape Town South Africa, Nadia is the strong female lead detective you want to solve a bio-warfare threat. Excellent piece of sci-fi writing.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews