What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

I believe this was a thriller for adults, and it happened on/around airplanes. I read it sometime between 1995 and 2005, I think.

I only remember one scene: SPOILER

Two people were trying to figure out the password to a computer on a plane, I think to disable a bomb. The password was 1, just the number one. It was a case of "what's the least obvious thing it could be?"

This sounds a little familiar. Was the password related to the differences between the 2 atomic bombs of WWII?

@Bargle: I know what you're thinking of :)

Andy wrote: "@Bargle: I know what you're thinking of :)"

Please tell me then, because all I can remember is maybe the author. :-(

(view spoiler)[Digital Fortress (hide spoiler)]

To aid the original poster, here's a list of books and stories with poor password choices https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph... - and one of them is a book in which the password the villain chose is just the number 0

Bargle wrote: "This sounds a little familiar. Was the password related to the differences between the 2 atomic bombs of WWII?"

I'm not sure! I'll check out the list, though

And I have just placed a hold on the title hidden as a spoiler above.

sadly nothing on the tvtropes list. I appreciate the help, though!

Daisy, you can find a detailed plot summary (with Spoilers) of the book suggested by Andy in message #5 on Wikipedia.org.

Thanks, Kris. Parts of it sound vaguely familiar, and the year of publication makes sense. I kind of don't think that's it, but it's the best lead I have, and I've put a hold on it at the library.

That title doesn't appear in the list of books I've read, but I only started tracking in 2002, so that doesn't rule it out....

I'll get back to you guys!

Andy wrote: "[spoilers removed]"

That's it, Thanks, Andy.

Here's the Google Books preview:
https://books.google.com/books?id=_FK... There are different cover images.

I've started reading the book suggested above, and it's so terrible it's funny, which I guess I should've known, based on the author. At first I thought I'd finish it anyway, but I can't devote this much of my life to such a shitty book. BUT I will flip through the pages looking for the scene in question.

Andy and Bargle, I finished going through the book you mentioned above and found the scene you're referring to. Unfortunately, it isn't the book I'm looking for. In the book I remember, the password was specifically used because it was a single digit that, in the context of the book, was the easiest, and therefore least likely, password possible. In the book you suggested, the digit was used because it was the answer to a puzzle. Thank you, though!

Daisy wrote: "I've started reading the book suggested above, and it's so terrible it's funny, which I guess I should've known, based on the author. At first I thought I'd finish it anyway, but I can't devote thi..."

Sorry it's not the book you're looking for (I've never read it myself - just heard about the password thing).

bump

Any love on this one?

Hereby bumping this to the top of the queue again in the hopes someone will recognize it.

Sending this out to this group again - I know someone's got to remember this one.

Medusa's Child by John J. Nance?

Google Books preview:

- https://books.google.com/books?id=Mr0...
- There are different cover images.

SPOILER
--------


(view spoiler)[Quote from the book:

- "One."
"One what?"
"The digit 1." There was a sigh on the other end of the line, as if the man were making a decision not to hold back. "As crazy and simplistic as it sounds..."
- "... 1 and the 'enter' key immediately. That will deactivate the whole thing."

(hide spoiler)]

Google search of Goodreads:
site:goodreads.com "thriller" "airplane" "computer" "bomb"

Kris, you're a genius!! I'll get that book and let you know.

Kris, you are correct! That was the book. Thank you so much.

You're welcome! Glad you found your book, Daisy. Your persistence paid off.