Books: Daniel Suarez (Daemon; Kill Decision) - the new Michael Crichton?

[WordMan]

Since many Dopers are tech/science based - any thoughts on the books by Daniel Suarez?

Daemon:

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Originally self-published, Suarez’s riveting debut would be a perfect gift for a favorite computer geek or anyone who appreciates thrills, chills and cyber suspense. Gaming genius Matthew Sobol, the 34-year-old head of CyberStorm Entertainment, has just died of brain cancer, but death doesn’t stop him from initiating an all-out Internet war against humanity. When the authorities investigate Sobol’s mansion in Thousand Oaks, Calif., they find themselves under attack from his empty house, aided by an unmanned Hummer that tears into the cops with staggering ferocity. Sobol’s weapon is a daemon, a kind of computer process that not only has taken over many of the world’s computer systems but also enlists the help of superintelligent human henchmen willing to carry out his diabolical plan. Complicated jargon abounds, but most complexities are reasonably explained. A final twist that runs counter to expectations will leave readers anxiously awaiting the promised sequel. (Jan.)

Kill Decision:

From the New York Times Bestselling author of Daemon and Freedom™, comes a terrifying, breathtaking, and all-too-possible vision of the world’s near future. In his new novel, Kill Decision, Daniel Suarez turns to the timely and increasingly important topic of combat drones. The book tells the story of myrmecologist Linda McKinney–a scientist studying weaver ants–who is forced to team up with a Special Ops soldier after her research is stolen and used by unknown forces to power autonomous swarming weapons. Suarez’s well researched thrillers are based on real science and technology, and in Kill Decision he takes the very real implications of automated war to its next logical step.

I have read both - both deliver airport-thriller goodness with a tech/science underpinning, like Crichton did. But Suarez, especially with Kill Decision, feels like he is getting very close to reality - drones that can exploit our ever-expanding surveillance data to pinpoint US individual people pretty much anywhere, and which can be programmed to make the decision to kill without needing jammable, human-driven radio controls? Freakin’ me out, I tells ya.

Anyone else read these? Thoughts? As novels, they are fun/guilty pleasures at best - Suarez is not in it for the Literature - but the premises and ideas used are often interesting and provide an interesting basis for a thriller.

And if there are any expert Dopers out there, I would be interested in any thoughts on the premises used…

Thanks!

[MindsEye_Watering]

Yes, this is a zombie thread from a long time ago, but since this never got any replies, I decided to resurrect it to extol the marvelous writing in Daniel Suarez’s two books Daemon and Freedom

If you haven’t read these yet, I heartily encourage you to do so. Although written in 2009, Mr. Suarez has described a near future that is eerily accurate.
Often compared to Crichton, Suarez’s writing is far better.

Very entertaining read, and in a big way, the world he describes is hopeful and brighter than the one we live in now.

[Slash1972]

I thought they were great books as well. I do feel that Daemon was better then Freedom. Some of the things in Freedom just didn’t seem plausible.