Little Brother (Little Brother, #1) in Oly Reads

Dec 18, 2008 Jackie "the Librarian" rated it really liked it

Shelves: youngadult, thriller, teen-books-adults-can-enjoy

A worst-case scenario teen thriller of what could happen if our war on terror gave Homeland Security an excuse to wield absolute power and new surveillance technology over our lives to track our every move. Countering this is a teen who knows all about computer systems, security, and various role-playing games. It's an homage to 1984, Little Brother, as opposed to Big Brother, and it reminded me of Harry Harrison's The Stainless Steel Rat. It was all a bit preposterous and over the top, but that A worst-case scenario teen thriller of what could happen if our war on terror gave Homeland Security an excuse to wield absolute power and new surveillance technology over our lives to track our every move. Countering this is a teen who knows all about computer systems, security, and various role-playing games. It's an homage to 1984, Little Brother, as opposed to Big Brother, and it reminded me of Harry Harrison's The Stainless Steel Rat. It was all a bit preposterous and over the top, but that made it fun.

Marcus is out on the streets with his friends playing a kind of computer scavenger hunt game, when terrorists attack his city, San Francisco. In the confusion, one of his friends, Darryl, gets stabbed, and when Marcus tries to flag down help, he comes to the attention of Homeland Security, who arrest them all.

Marcus doesn't want to unlock his phone for them, or answer questions without an attorney, but Homeland Security isn't playing by the rules, and soon he gives them what they want, and is released with a warning not to tell anyone, or else. But they don't release Darryl, and Marcus decides to fight back.

The whole city is put under stricter and stricter surveillance, and anyone "acting suspiciously" is being brought in for questioning. Marcus uses technology and his web of friends using hacked Xboxes to form a network outside internet surveillance, to scramble the data, but he knows they will track him down eventually. He also gets a girlfriend, roams around town with infinite time and resources while somehow still attending school, and best of all gets about 500 kids to play a LARP (Live Action Role-Playing game) dressed up as vampires at 7 in the morning in front of city hall! Bite bite bite bite bite!!! Hahahahahahaha!!!!!

It becomes a race to the finish as to whether Marcus will be able to get enough information out there to bring down Homeland Security, before he gets caught as the mastermind behind all the scrambling.

Additional material at the end of the book encourages readers to learn more about security, our government, and technology, and I think that's not a bad idea.
National Book Award finalist, teen division. ...more

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Feb 18, 2010 Sara rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, dystopia, adventure-action, young-adult-books, read-in-2011

I enjoyed this one! It really made me think about the nature of security, the Bill of Rights, and what it really means to be an American citizen. The main character is subversive and smart, while still acting like a real teenager, and I really think this book can make kids feel like powerful, participating citizens. I especially loved the Afterwards -- thought provoking and cool. Cory Doctorow is awesome.

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Oct 27, 2015 jess rated it it was ok

Shelves: audiobook-d, fiction, yaf, 2015

I feel a few ways about this book, which makes it difficult to rate.

1. Wow. That was really heavy-handed. I mean, perhaps you could get your message across in a more nuanced way?

2. The female characters. Why does Doctorow spend so much time talking about their grooming, their bodies and their clothes? He doesn't do that to the male characters. Why does the most misogynist dialogue in the book come from the mouths of these allegedly empowered babes? Who gave Cory Doctorow the agency to write a ...more

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Aug 31, 2008 Agathafrye rated it really liked it

Shelves: awesome, scifi, young-adult

Little Brother is a thrilling cyberpunk romp with some kick-ass teen hackers who get on the wrong side of homeland security following a terrorist attack on the bay area. I am a huge fan of Boing Boing (http://www.boingboing.net/), which is one of Cory's projects, and have long admired his commitment to freedom and sharing on the internets, so this book is just an extension of his other projects in a lot of ways. Plus, it's exciting and funny. Plus, you can download the ebook for free because Doc ...more

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Dec 02, 2008 Raina rated it really liked it

I read this on my breaks at work, so it took me way too long to get through it. But I really did like it. Doctorow does a very interesting mix of action plotline, ripped from the headlines issues, technology education, with a great anti-authority didacticism. I imagine it would be a bit heavy-handed if I didn't agree with most of what Doctorow rants about.
Marcus is a teenage hacker living in San Francisco when a 9-11 style terrorist attack goes down. Then the Department of Homeland Security goes ...more

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Mar 26, 2010 Ahniwa Ferrari rated it really liked it

Social commentary wrapped in a great story. Too easy to believe this could actually happen! (Did happen?) I listened to the audiobook, which is very well read, and I recommend it.

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