Play Book Tag discussion

The Fear Index by Robert Harris - 2 stars - My Review

Financial thriller about a man who writes an algorithm that goes rogue. It is set in Switzerland and involves a former CERN scientist with lots of brainpower but limited people skills. It is a decent premise, but around the half-way point, it goes completely off the rails. I like the artificial intelligence angle, inclusion of hedge funds, and analysis of fear as a driver of market behavior. However, It has way too many plot holes, and the ending is unsatisfying. The protagonist is supposed to be a genius, but, well, let’s just say his solution is something any first-year student of computer science could tell him would not work. I have read several previous books by Harris, so this one is disappointing. I can recommend: An Officer and a Spy, Pompeii, and Conclave.