Little Brother

Little Brother
Cory Doctorow
Published by Tor Teen, 2008; ISBN 0765319853
Recommended reading age: Young Adult

Summary:
What would happen if the United States became a police state? What if the government used your transit pass to track all of your movements, then took you in for questioning if you deviated your behavior? According to Cory Doctorow, most Americans would be slow to take offense, and therefore slow to react. In Little Brother, most Americans wait until it’s nearly too late. If not for Marcus, aka M1k3y, the country might never recover. After a nuclear attack nearly destroys San Francisco, Marcus takes his skills online, hacking and posting and viewing and encouraging others to do the same. With the guidance of this teenage hacker, the United States might stand a chance of protecting itself…from its own leaders…

Review:
Doctorow’s book makes for a gripping, quick read. Suspense, technology, science-fiction and teenage romance blend together seamlessly, making Little Brother a sort of modern masterpiece. Although I’ve been using computers for most of my life, I’ve always operated them—and the internet—as a passive user. Nevertheless, Doctorow didn’t lose me in the web of tech espionage. In fact, I immediately became intrigued by the possibilities of an Xbox! This book is an excellent choice for boys, girls, adults, suspense fans, and tech-geeks.