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ISBN-13: 9780312995423 - ISBN-10: 0312995423 Publication Date: 2004 Pages: 384 |
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Book Reviews of Digital Fortress
249 Book Reviews submitted by our Members
sorted by voted most helpful
T. reviewed on 1/28/2007...
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
Excellent thriller! I loved the twists and turns--a real page turner!
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a bit different from Dan Brown's other books but of a similar theme. It is exciting and suspenseful, and I really enjoyed it.
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very interesting book that makes you think. Dan Brown really knows how to scare you!
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
Much better than my first Dan Brown read (DaVinci Code)! Writing is decent, there is a fast moving plot with several twists throughout.
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
woo hoo, what a page turner! Fast paced and keept me guessing all the way through. I have recomended this book to many readers!
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
A surprisingly good thriller. My first Dan Brown read, and now I want to reader The Da Vinci Code. My dughter gave me the book, and at first I was little interested, due to the "Digital" word in the title. Highly recommended.
Althea M. (
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Picked this off my shelf yesterday morning, 'cause I was kind of in the mood for a dumb, light thriller. And I had recently read a review where someone had said that they had "learned a lot" about Internet privacy and cryptography from the book. So, even though I hadn't really liked Brown's 2 other novels, I figured I'd give it a go.
Well, it was dumb.
You one thing that always annoys me? When an author goes out of his way to tell you that his heroes are gorgeous, fit/muscular, and at a genius-level of intellectual brilliance - but then they don't do anything to prove it.
Another thing that annoys me? Boring, unresearched stereotypes. In this book, it's the people of Spain (in general), and punk rockers. The punks were so bad I was actually laughing. It was worse than sitcoms from the 80's where it was trendy to have an episode featuring those stupid, dangerous, drug-using punks for a while. Seriously.
Oh, and there's nothing about codes or security in it that the average Internet user or person who read a book on codes as a kid doesn't know. If you have no idea what PGP is AT ALL, go for it.
There's also a bunch of total crapola about how the government NEEDS to be able to read everyone's e-mail to defeat all the insidious plots against us, and snide comments about how silly it is that housewives are worried about the government stealing their top-secret recipes. And references to civil rights activists as "fanatics." Rather offensive, really.
To give it its fair due, the denouement was fairly exciting.
But if you're interested in finding out about computer security, read Neal Stephenson's "Cryptonomicon." Now that's a good book.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
I actually enjoyed this more than the DaVinci Code. Highly recommended for suspense fans.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was a good book, but I have actually read better. I did not expect a few of the turns, though.
William B. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Great Read, The action was flowing at a steady rate, All happing in one day. And there was a little twist at the end which was rather unique.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
When the NSA's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls its head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, a brilliant and beautiful mathematician. What she uncovers sends shock waves through the corridors of power. The NSA is being held hostage... not by guns or bombs, but by a code so ingeniously complex that if released it would cripple U.S. intelligence. Caught in an accelerating tempest of secrecy and lies, Susan Fletcher battles to save the agency she believes in. Betrayed on all sides, she finds herself fighting not only for her country but also for her life, and in the end, for the life of the man she loves.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
My least favorite Dan Brown novel. A good read, however not a page turner.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not my favorite Dan Brown, but still kept my interest.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Slow moving at first. Pretty good. Definite twist near the end.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Another great Dan Brown book!
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very similar to his other books. A great, suspensful read.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Couldn't put it down. Fast-paced, page turner, stay-up-all-night kind of read.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
When the NSA's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls its head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, a brilliant and beautiful mathematician. What she uncovers sends shock waves through the corridors of power. The NSA is being held hostage...not by guns or bombs, but by a code so ingeniously complex that if released it would cripple U.S. intelligence. Caught in an acceleraating tempest of secrecy and lies, Susan Fletcher battles to save the agency she believes in. Betrayed on all sides, she finds herself fighting not only for her country but also for her life, and in the end, for the life of the man she loves.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
A Thriller that will make you consider the computer and what trouble it can bring..............
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Suspence. NSA calls its head cryptographer uncovers information that sends shock waves through the corridors of power. A real techno-thriller!
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very good book, you can't resist to read on. It has the atmosphere of movies like The Sum Of All Fears, with high level conspiracies and some action...
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not an Angels & Demons or Da Vinci Code, but entertaining nonetheless.
Gaylene G. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a pretty good book even tho it got off to a slow start for me. But it doesn't compare to DaVinci Code.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I loved this book as I did all Dan Brown books. I would buy any new book by him.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Full of twists and turns, keeps you on the edge of your seat, not knowing what will happen next.
Natalie F. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I'm a big fan of both "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels and Demons," and I also love any suspense thriller that is set in the government, code breaking, etc. This is Dan Brown's first book, and you can certainly tell. Did it have suspense? Kind of. Was it thrilling? I guess. Did I feel like maybe I should have read it in 1998 when it was first written instead of in 2009, when a lot of technological advancements and gadgets are so completely different than what they were in the '90s? You got it.
This is a book that unfortunately is dated, and also has a lot of fairly stereotypical reasons that seem to propel major characters and their actions. If you don't have a cell phone or know how to use the Internet, this may be the book for you to read nowadays. If you do have the cell phone and know what Google Earth is, and definitely what a blog is, then this is not the book to read in 2009.
Diane D. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was one of the most exciting books I have ever read. It never let up from the very beginning to end. I was at the edge of my seat and reading frantically. Highly recommended to anyone who loves a great, very satisfying thriller.
Linda M. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a great ook, keeps you on your seat.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
very good book. I truly enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to others.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Predictable. Over the top. Contrived. Not nearly as enveloping as Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons. Disappointing.
2 stars out of 5
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
hard to put down!!
Kathleen B. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
One of Dan Brown's better books. But than I am more computer science savvy, than DaVinci curious.
Mrs. B,.
Christy C. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
eh. Was not impressed. I felt is drrraaagggeeedd. Also, the female character...stereotyped much? I feel Dan got pretty sexist when writing her. Not for feminists.
Brenna B. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I really enjoyed this book and as this is my third Dan Brown book, I can now say that I truly enjoy his writing style. I love how nearly every chapter is from a different point-of-view (keeps alternating between 3-4 main characters/plot situations). There are tons of twists and JUST when you think you know what's going to happen, BAM... he changes it on you! I also love how Dan Brown fleshes out the characters and how even a one page minor character will get a back-story. It makes the characters seem more realistic and that they exist for a purpose. I would highly recommend this book.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
When the NSA's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls its head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, a brilliant and beautiful mathematician. What she uncovers sends shock waves through the corridors of power. The NSA is being held hostage..not by guns or bombs, but by a code so ingeniously complex that if released it would cripple U.S. intelligence. Caught in an accelerating tempest of secrecy and lies, Susan Fletcher battles to save the agency she believes in. Betrayed on all sides, she finds herself fighting not only for her country but also for her life, and in the end, for the life of the man she loves.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
When the NSA's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls its head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, a brilliant and beautiful mathematician. What she uncovers sends shock waves through the corridors of power. The NSA is being held hostage...not by guns or bombs, but by a code so ingeniously complex that if released it would cripple U.S. intelligence. Caught in an accelerating tempest of secrecy and lies, Susan Flethcher battles to save the agency she believes in . Betrayed on all sides, she finds herself fighting not only for her country but also for her life, and in the end, for the life of the man she loves.
One of the first Dan Brown novels I have ever read, and I have to say that I love his writing. This book is very suspenseful from beginning to end and hard to put down.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
When NSA's invinvible code breaking machine envounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls its head cryotographer, Susan Fletcher. What she uncovers sends shock waves thru the corriders of power. The NSA is being held hostage by a code so ingeniously complex, that if released it would cripple U.S. intelligence.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
An intelligent beach read.
Chuck M. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A great thriller by the author of The Da Vinci Code
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Extremely fast read. Hard to put down.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Excellent!!! I love Dan Brown and everything he's written (I've read them all!!)
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A good read, but willing suspension of disbelief is difficult if you are a software/hardware developer.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A technothrillerwith an intense plot.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Dan Brown is a good writer, and this is an interesting concept, but it wasn't my favorite of his.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A fun read for someone who's not too technical. Unfortunately, I'm an IT Professional and I was really rolling my eyes at times. An enjoyable read regardless, typical fast moving Dan Brown book.
Leslie H. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Smart thrills is right. Dan Brown is a true master.
Marci G. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
In most thrillers, "hardware" consists of big guns, airplanes, military vehicles, and weapons that make things explode. Dan Brown has written a thriller for those of us who like our hardware with disc drives and who rate our heroes by big brainpower rather than big firepower. It's an Internet user's spy novel where the good guys and bad guys struggle over secrets somewhat more intellectual than just where the secret formula is hidden--they have to gain understanding of what the secret formula actually is.
In this case, the secret formula is a new means of encryption, capable of changing the balance of international power. Part of the fun is that the book takes the reader along into an understanding of encryption technologies. You'll find yourself better understanding the political battles over such real-life technologies as the Clipper Chip and PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) software even though the book looks at the issues through the eyes of fiction.
Although there's enough globehopping in this book for James Bond, the real battleground is cyberspace, because that's where the "bomb" (or rather, the new encryption algorithm) will explode. Yes, there are a few flaws in the plot if you look too closely, but the cleverness and the sheer fun of it all more than make up for them. There are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing and a lot of high, gee-whiz-level information about encryption, code breaking, and the role they play in international politics. Set aside the whole afternoon and evening for it and have finger food on hand for supper--you may want to read this one straight through. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
David Pogue, Macworld Magazine
A thriller is only as thrilling as it is real, and if Dan Brown's gut-churning story were any realer, its plot turns would hurl you against the wall.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A real thriller. A great twist in the end.
Carolyn N. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is the original Dan Brown - pre DaVinci Code and the hype. This book is a true techno-thriller for those up to an intellectual cat and mouse chase. Hop on for a great ride!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not his best, but if you are computer-savy, you will find it interesting anyway.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Enjoyed this very much! Fast Paced thriller...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Alot better than Davinci Code.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
When NSA's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls its head cryptographers, Susan Fletcher, a brilliant and beautiful mathematician. What she uncovers sends shock waves throughthe corridors of power.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not as good as Angels and Demons. A lot of computer technical wording. Overall though, very good read.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is the kind of story you hope isn't true but somehow you can't help thinking it might be. Interesting 'Big Brother' tale with good action and lot's of twist and turns.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Rating 2 out of 5 stars. Angels and Demons and the Davinci Code far exceeded Digital Fortress.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not his best work, but a good read
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Excellent read. A real page turner.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Wonderful Book! Kept me enthralled from page 1!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
By the author of The DaVinci Code. Page turning thriller.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A techno-thriller. Not as good as Brown's other novels, but still an interesting read.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
So interesting - I couldn't put it down.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
It's ok. An enjoyable read.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Really enjoyed this book. Leaves you hanging till the very end.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is the third Dan Brown book I've read (also read The Da Vinci Code, and Angels and Demons) and it's my favourite thus far. Kept me interested and intrigued the whole way thru - I had trouble putting it down. This is something that I'll probably re-read down the road which is unusual for me.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
An imaginative and absorbing story.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
When the NSA's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls its head cryptographer.... shock waves through the corridors of power...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Really action packed. It kept me reading well past my bedtime on several nights!
Katherine P. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I love Dan Brown but this is just an ok book. It's interesting but the subject matter (digital code breaking) was not as enthralling as his other books.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
One of Dan Brown's best. Bestselling author of The DaVInci Code has done it again. A thriller that is truly believable and may be his next movie mystery. Susan Fletcher battles to save the NSA's reputation and it's invinciblel code-breaking machine. A must read if you love Dan Brown's work.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Fast-paced and fun to read. I enjoyed this book.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A good read. Very techno-computer based thriller, but you don't have to be a techie to keep up with it.
Carla H. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not as good as Da Vinci Code, but worth the read.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
If you enjoy technology, you will love this one. Exciting from beginning to end.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"Digital Fortress" is the best and most realistic techno-thriller to reach the market in years. A chilling thrill a minute." -- The Midwest Book Review
"In this fast-paced, plausible tale, Brown blurs the line between good and evil enough to delight patriots and paranoids alike." -- Publishers Weekly
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A good read--although I liked his "Angels and Demons" and "Da Vinci Code" better. About a third of the way into it,I realized I had already read it--perhaps in 1998 when it was new. I couldn't remember the ending, so I finished it.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not as good as Angels and Demons or The DaVinci Code but still a thrilling page turner.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Typical Dan Brown - reads like a movie. A quick, fun read, good for vacations or the beach.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Fast paced and really keeps you going. I actually listened to this book and found myself yelling at the cassette player near the end of the book when these "brilliant cryptographers" couldn't figure out "the crucial code" which I had figured out much earlier! AND I am NO cryptographer!!!
I might even have liked this book better than Da Vinci or Angels and Demons.
Joan K. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very good high tech novel, although different from his previous books I've read.
April D. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Some parts were too technical. I just skimmed over those. Sometimes it was very predictable, but overall the story was interesting, fast-paced, and very enjoyable.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Dan Brown's brilliant mind is evident again!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Another awesome book from the Davinchi code
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I liked the suspense of the whole story until the end when it took the characters far long to crack a fairly obvious code. It is well written and very exciting.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Excellent!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Excellent book, up to his standards but different than his religious books.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A better novel than The Davinci Code
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
different storyline, interesting plot, recommended.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I didn't think this book was as good as Dan Brown's other books.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Another by Dan Brown, as only Dan Brown can write.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Good Brown book, but not nearly as good as his later books
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was a good book. It was very techno.
Doreen O. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Loved it. Thrilling, kept me reading all night
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Love all of Dan Browns.
This was one of my favorites
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
The ultimate code...it's powerful, dangerous---and unbreakable.In this fast-paced, plausible tale, Brown blurs the line between good and eveil enough to delight patriots and paranoids alike. It is the best and most realistic techno-thriller to reach the market in years.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
When the NSA's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls its head crytographer, Susan Fletcher. What she uncovers sends shock waves through the corridors of power. The NSA is being held hostage--not by guns or bombs, but by a code so ingeniously complex that it released it would cripple US intelligence. Susan finds herself fighting not only for her country but also for her life and for the life of the man she loves.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
If you know nothing about computers or computer networks this can be a fun read. If you do have some knowledge of how computers work AND you have a strong ability to suspend disbelief then you too can enjoy this thriller. Yet if you can't forgive their proposterous view of how computer network function then you may want to skip it. This is NOT a "Da Vinci Code" or "Angels and Demons". It most similar to is "Deception Point" style.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
LOVED IT! A real page turner!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not as good as his other three - a little bit slow to start but still a great read
Candice J. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I love Dan Brown..this book is a great read with all sorts of twists and turns.
This book is about a code-breaking machine with a code that it can not break..enter a brilliant (and beautiful) mathematician who is the NSA's head cryptographer. She discovers that the NSA is being held hostage by a code that could cripple U.S. intelligence. She gets caught up in secrets, lies and betrayals during her investigation; and finds herself fighting for her life and the life of the man she loves.
I loved this book..couldn't put it down..I know my little description does NOT do it justice.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Fast Read...not as good as Davinci
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Fairly standard cyberspytechnoconspiracythriller. At its best when the plot is speeding along; at its worst when it's being heavyhanded on the "this could really happen" stuff. A decent read, in the end, but not all that memorable.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
So-so. Predictable and too many coincidences - not up to his usual.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Exciting read, I enjoyed it.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
David Pogue, Macworld Magazine
A thriller is only as thrilling as it is real, and if Dan Brown's gut-churning story were any realer, its plot turns would hurl you against the wall.
Don Ulsch, Managing Director, the National Security Institute
You are not going to forget Dan Brown! Comparisons of Brown to Tom Clancy are inevitable and justified. What Clancy has written so convincingly about the CIA and the FBI, Brown has accomplished masterfully for the secretive National Security Agency in "Digital Fortress". Dan Brown has crafted a powerful and memorable novel that is alive and kicking with intrigue, covert action, and more twists and turns than the NSA has underground bunkers.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Literary critics may not like Dan Brown, but I'm not a book snob yet. The book is fun, fast and difficult to put down. Yes ... there were a few times when I sat there knowing the answer before the characters ... frustrating since I don't have the education level they do, but overall, it was a compelling story, and an interesting morale tale, especially during these times when personal privacy no longer seems to be a given right. Enjoy!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I will admit that this book didn't really catch my attention until I had gotten halfway through it. Once I hit that half, however, I couldn't put it down until I finished it! The ending kept having all sorts of fun endings you aren't expecting.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
In most thrillers, "hardware" consists of big guns, airplanes, military vehicles, and weapons that make things explode. Dan Brown has written a thriller for those of us who like our hardware with disc drives and who rate our heroes by big brainpower rather than big firepower. It's an Internet user's spy novel where the good guys and bad guys struggle over secrets somewhat more intellectual than just where the secret formula is hidden--they have to gain understanding of what the secret formula actually is.
In this case, the secret formula is a new means of encryption, capable of changing the balance of international power. Part of the fun is that the book takes the reader along into an understanding of encryption technologies. You'll find yourself better understanding the political battles over such real-life technologies as the Clipper Chip and PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) software even though the book looks at the issues through the eyes of fiction.
Jennie B. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A rollicking good read with interesting subject matter. The field of crypography makes for some intriguing plot twists in this dramatic story.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
My husband read this book and enjoyed it.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
One of my favorite books, Dan Brown is such an amazing author!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A real page turner...I really enjoyed this.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I love the way this guy writes! His chapters are short, with great page turners and the story is fantastic. You will love this book.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Typical Dan Brown mystery, about a code that needs to be broken. I liked it.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat. It was a real page turner!!! Worth reading again and again. If you like Davinci Code you'll love Digital Fortress
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
another fantastic read by Dan Brown. This book does not involve religion. just plain mystery.
Rebecca B. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Excellent thriller! Dan Brown does it again!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Gripping, much like Brown's other novels.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Another great book by Dan Brown.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Another you can't put down Brown.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Best of all Dan Brown books!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book was a little slow at first, but turned out to be REALLy interesting and I couldn't put it down! Same guy who wrote the Divinci Code.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Excellent subject, excellent author [remember DaVinci Code?]. The Ultimate Code, powerful, dangerous and unbreakable. I read it in 2 sittings.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Page-turner, fast-paced, classic Dan Brown!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Another page turner from Dan Brown. The 4th of 4 that I've read. He needs to write another!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was a good one.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
In this fast-paced, plausible tale, Brown blurs the line between good and evil enough to delight patriots and paranoids alike.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Although it's not the DaVinci Code, this one held my attention pretty well.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Lots of computer-geek language but not so much as to make it boring or difficult to read. Classified as a "Techno-Thriller" the plot is complicated with many twists. The writing will keep you on the edge of your seat and you won't want to put it down.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book was good, not great, but good.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Another exciting book from Dan Brown.
Charlie D. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Of the 4 Dan Brown books so far, this is one of the two involving the government - not the two with the Church. Hence less controversial - NOBODY trusts the government! :-) It features a DIFFERENT college professor as the action adventure hero (Not Langdon but a linguist rather than symbologist)and has the incredible fast paced constantly-changing action that really keeps tuned in to "Who do I trust now?" A great read, a MUST for anyone interested in codes, (either computer or secrecy) and encryption. Plu I loved it!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
another winner by Brown, if you liked any of his books, you should like this one too.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Being a kind of geek this book kept me sucked in from the front cover to the back. Some interesting technical stuff that seems plausible, and a good bit of suspense. One of those you have a tough time putting down.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
(from back cover) When the NSA's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls its head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, a birlliant and beautiful mathematician. What she uncovers sends shock waves through the corridors of power. The NSA is beain held hostage...not by guns or bombs, but by a code so ingeniously complex that if released it would cripple US intelligence. Caught in an accelerating tempest of secrecy and lies, Susan Fletcher battles to save the agency she believes in. Betrayed on all sides, she finds herself fighting not only for her country but also for her life, and in the end, for the life of the man she loves.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is better than the Davinci Code and just as good as Angles and Demons.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I did not enjoy this one, horrible writing and completely predictable. This one is in a whole different league than Da Vinci and Angels.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Red Hot Dan Brown. This would help you understand a little more about NSA.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Although it was interesting to read a book that involved the topic of "spying" on the public during a time that the topic is so hot in the news...I did find the book to be a bit predictable and the characters seemed flat to me.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
*****A good mystery/thriller from the writer of THE DAVINCI CODE
Lori N. (
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If you like DaVinci you will love this!
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Sat on my shelf for a year; thought it might be too "techie" for me. It wasn't - what a great thriller. The pace never lets up! Highly recommended.
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This book is a very fast read about computer codes and server challenges and office relationships. I could see if becoming an action film. An enjoyable read!
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Not a bad read. It seems to me that in most Dan Brown books that there seems to be similar characters. In this book, the characters weren't as strong as in Angels and Demons and The DaVinci Code. But all in all a good book.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A very gripping book about codes and code-breaking. It keeps twisting as you think you figure it out - a great page-turner!
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Written by Dan Brown, the author of the bestselling Da Vinci Code, but with a very different story line. "When the NSA's invincible code breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls its head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, a brilliant and beautiful mathematician". It's great airplane reading I can vouch for that! This book is i excellent condition having been read one time on the plane! A real page turner with unexpected twists and turns.
According to Publisher's Weekly, "In this fast paced, plausible tale, Brown blurs the line between good and evil enough to delight patriots and paranoids alike."
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A cyber thriller that even keeps a non-cyber fan going.
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A very complex novel. It is a thinking book!
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Very good read - keeps you interested at all times!
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who doesn't love a Dan Brown book? i hope this is the next to be put into movie production...
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great if you like to enjoy reading
Diane C. (
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A real page-turner with plenty of action.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Thrilling book! Great read!
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"In this fast-paced, plausible tale, Brown blurs the line between good and evil enough to delight patriots and paranoids alike." Publishers Weekly
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
When the NSA's invincible code breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls its head cryptograper, Susan Fletcher, a brillant and beautiful mathematician. She discovers that the NSA is being held hostage by a code so complex that it could cripple US intelligence.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
It is a thriller, but there are a couple of areas where I felt like his research was perhaps a bit spotty. I also have trouble with his idea that one governmental agency could justify a need to have access to all information concerning its citizens, while denying that information to the world at large.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Dan Brown really knows how to sweep you off into the adventure and suspense promptly and sustains throughout book. Loved this one
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Another Dan Brown novel. This one about esionage, a little romance, some mystery, and throw in some computer tech stuff and you have a good book. I am no techie but have used computers since the 1970's and some of his reasonings seemed doubtful to me, but that didn't ruin my enjoying the intrigue.
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Definitely a thriller and a fun read!
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could it happen? read it and find out
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Another great Dan Brown book!
Craig W. (
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Code-breaking techno-thriller worth a read by the same author of The Da Vinci Code.
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NSA's codebreaking machine runs into an unbreakable code. Politics and death follow the heroine and her lover as they unravel mayhem.
Sherri S. (
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I personally enjoyed all of Dan Brown's books, this included. He writes great conspiracy/political/mystery type thrillers.
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I didn't like this as well as The DaVinci Code or Angels and Demons, but it was still an interesting read
Brigida F. (
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a race against time to break a code to keep all the secrets at NSA
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This book was pretty good. It wasn't as good as The DaVinci Code or Angels and Demons, but worth a read.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
excellent! a real page-turner.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Another great thriller from Dan Brown! I would give it 4 stars!
It is about a code-breaking machine that the NSA has that encounters a code it cannot break. Susan Fletcher, a beautiful "head cryptographer", uncovers information that will send shock waves through the "corridors of power". A code so ingenious that it could cripple US intelligence. Susan Fletcher finds herself caught in the middle of secrecy and lies and feels betrayed on all sides. She finds herself fighting for her country and her life, and also for the life of the man she loves!
EXCELLENT!!
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More fast paced action from the author of "The Da Vinci Code".
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
An entertaining read; well-worth an afternoon.
The National Security Agency (NSA) is one setting for this exciting thriller; the other is Seville, where on page 1 the protagonist, lately dismissed from NSA, drops dead of a supposed heart attack. Though dead, he enjoys a dramaturgical afterlife in the form of his computer program. Digital Fortress creates unbreakable codes, which could render useless NSA's code-cracking supercomputer called TRANSLTR, but the deceased programmer slyly embossed a decryption key on a ring he wore. Pursuit of this ring is the engine of the plot. NSA cryptology boss Trevor Strathmore dispatches linguist Dave Becker to recover the ring, while he and Becker's lover, senior code-cracker Susan Fletcher, ponder the vulnerability of TRANSLTR. In Seville, over-the-top chase scenes abound; meanwhile, the critical events unfold at NSA. In a crescendo of murder, infernos, and explosions, it emerges that Strathmore has as agenda that goes beyond breaching Digital Fortress, and Brown's skill at hinting and concealing Strathmore's deceit will rivet cyber-minded readers.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
The best Dan Brown book I have read. But I still love them all.
Rae S. - CA reviewed on 1/11/2006...
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If you liked the the DaVinci Code, Angels and Demons, and deception point, youll like this one :)
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
as all of his books this is great
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following suit with dan brown books, i could not put this computer thriller down
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It's OK but somewhat unbelievable.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is not Dan Brown's best work. You should read it only if you're a Dan Brown fan, and want to say you've read them all.
Taleah G. (
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Another amazing read from the author of the DaVinci Code! This thriller deals with the NSA and an unbreakable code. Many books have predictable plots where you can see what's coming. Digital Fortress keeps you on the edge of your seat and breathless! I read it in one sitting - I couldn't put it down!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A fast paced thriller/mystery. A good read.
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Unbreakable code threatens NSA and the security of the entire US. Earlier book by the author of the DaVinci Code.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book was just okay. I found a lot of it very predictable and formulaic. It was a good read for an airplane trip though. The Da Vinci Code was better.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Dan Brown is always good
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Love Dan Brown. Versatile writer. Nothing like the Da Vinci Code
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Digital FortressThe Ultimate code. It's powerful, Dangerous---and unbreakable
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Good reading from Dan Brown.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I found this to be a poorly-written book. The characters were cardboard-like cliches. The plot was not only unbelieveable, but obvious, and the characters -- who were supposedly intelligent experts -- were unable to figure out the simplest clues and puzzles. But for the fact that "The DaVinci Code" was a best-seller, this book would have rightfully remained unknown and unread.
Erina J. (
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This is an excellent book. Its one of those rapid page turners that you hate to stop reading to do something else. The story is realistic and in tune with current events; i.e. Bush's authorization for intercepting communications and makes you wonder about Big Brother.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A good quick read with some good suspense.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Obviously an early work. If one is able to suspend disbelief (especially about the technical details) this book may be enjoyable.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
An excellent mystery/thriller about the cyber world from the Da Vinci Code author.
Larry H. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Good book for computer geeks.
Paul C. (
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Dan Brown thriller. Government has a massive code-breaking computer with a perfect record... until a computer genius in encryption unleashes his masterpiece.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Action packed novel with non stop suspense. A good read for any Dan Brown Fan.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not like the Da Vinci Code or Angels & Demons; however I enjoyed it just as much. Hard to put down
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I really like Dan Brown and, I might be in the minority, but I thought Digital Fortress was just as good, if not better than The Da Vinci Code
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A must for Dan Brown fans. Thoroughly absorbing.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I enjoyed the book even though I am not a cyber space buff..it is still easy to understand and enjoyable
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a good, fast, light read. Entertaining.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Techno-thriller about code-breaking and national security.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I've read four Dan Brown novels to date, including, of course, The da Vinci Code, and, so far, this book is my favorite. A page turner!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
The invincible code-breaking machine encounters a code it cannot break. Susan Fletcher is a brilliant and beautiful mathematician called in to help. Caught in an accelerating tempest of secrecy and lies, she battles to save the agency she believes in. This book held my attention from page one. It was hard to put down until I finished.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
a definite page turner, but i knew who the bad guy was right away which I hate. No where near as good as Angels and demons.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Dan Brown seems to have difficulty ending some of his books. They get 3/4 of the way thru, and it seems that he realizes just how long the book is and they take a sharp turn toward the ending. I've found this to be true in every book of his I've read.
Its a bit disconcerting, but does not diminish the overall value of the book.
This is better than Angels and demons and Deception Point. If you liked those, you'll love this one.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Brown is a master the plot just keeps you turning pages
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
a good techno thriller - liked davinci code better
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A good read. Some exciting parts definitely.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
When NSA's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, agency calls its head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Quick read, early Dan Brown thriller!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I thought I'd be bored but was drawn in very quickly and had to read it straight through! Ending was a complete surprise to me.
Amazon.com
In most thrillers, "hardware" consists of big guns, airplanes, military vehicles, and weapons that make things explode. Dan Brown has written a thriller for those of us who like our hardware with disc drives and who rate our heroes by big brainpower rather than big firepower. It's an Internet user's spy novel where the good guys and bad guys struggle over secrets somewhat more intellectual than just where the secret formula is hidden--they have to gain understanding of what the secret formula actually is.
In this case, the secret formula is a new means of encryption, capable of changing the balance of international power. Part of the fun is that the book takes the reader along into an understanding of encryption technologies. You'll find yourself better understanding the political battles over such real-life technologies as the Clipper Chip and PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) software even though the book looks at the issues through the eyes of fiction.
Although there's enough globehopping in this book for James Bond, the real battleground is cyberspace, because that's where the "bomb" (or rather, the new encryption algorithm) will explode. Yes, there are a few flaws in the plot if you look too closely, but the cleverness and the sheer fun of it all more than make up for them. There are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing and a lot of high, gee-whiz-level information about encryption, code breaking, and the role they play in international politics. Set aside the whole afternoon and evening for it and have finger food on hand for supper--you may want to read this one straight through.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
great thriller...very fast read...exhilarating!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
great thriller...very fast read...exhilarating!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very different theme than DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons but this is an entertaining and fast read.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Dan Brown, author of the DaVinci Code, writes a fast paced thriller that blurs the line between good and evil enough to delight patriots and paranoids alike.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I love Dan Brown. He is one of the best authors I have ever read. I got hooked after I read the Davinci Code. This book is awesome. Its about the NSA, which is really cool to learn about.
Lorrie M. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Fast-paced thriller about a new mysterious computer code that the government's invincible code-breaking machine can't break. Great read for fans of books like The Da Vinci Code (same author!).
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Good early thriller by the author of the DaVinci Code.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
His first novel. Not as good as the Davinci Code but still a thriller
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
The ultimate code - it's powerful, dangerous and unbreakable. A realistic techno-thriller by the author of the Da Vinci Code.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
The National Security Agency has been working for years on a method to intercept and crack any code or encrypted message sent via E-Mail across the globe. They finally developed a machine so powerful that it can decode even the toughest messages in just a matter of minutes. The machine is dubbed TRANSLTR.
The existence of TRANSLTR is threatened when a bitter, crippled Japanese programmer threatens to release an encryption method that TRANSLTR can't crack: Digital Fortress. Digital Fortress is placed up on the web, encrypted in itself so that only those with the passcode can unlock it. The NSA learns the programmer is working with a partner as a safety measure. If he should die, the partner will publish the passcode within 24 hours.
The programmer is found dead in Spain and the NSA must race the clock to obtain both passcodes before it is too late.
The whole idea that keeping Digital Fortress out of the hands of the public was a life or death situation seemed a little too weighty for me. I believe the basic idea of Digital Fortress is that the encryption was constantly revolving, making it impossible for a computer to guess when the correct passcode had been entered. Anyone in the computer world knows that everything has a workaround. It may be that Digital Fortress would make TRANSLTR extinct, but necessity is the mother of invention and people would eventually figure out how to break into a file encrypted by Digital Fortress.
Therefore, the book seemed a little bloody to me. People were taking the issue WAY too seriously.
If you put the absurdity of the subject matter aside, I still enjoyed the book. I'm really starting to like Dan Brown's work. I've also read the Da Vinci Code and both books are filled with information you may not have previously known (such as where the term "sincerely" really comes from). They were also both written in real-time. I absolutely love books written in real-time. No skipping ahead three months and losing a portion of the person's life. No thought or detail left unattended.
It was a good, dark read that I really enjoyed. I can't wait to delve into some of Dan Brown's other works.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Another good one by Brown.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Being a computer geek, I thought this one was awesome!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not as good as his other books but Ive read worse.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Excellent book. If you loved other Dan Brown books you will enjoy this one.
This book is vintage Dan Brown although not as fast paced as his Angels and Demons or DaVinci Code. It is every bit as scientifically fascinating and riveting!
Matthew A. (This is a really good read. It took me about 100 pages in till I couldn't put it down and from there it kept me guessing till the last few chapters of the book. I really liked the quotes and ideals in this book. This author is great!
Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Those interested in code-breaking,computer security will surely enjoy this book.
Wow, what a page-turner! This book is very action-packed. I often found my heart pounding. This book isn't meant to be a computer manual or a science book. Even though the science may be "out of date", the story isn't. It deals with the very real threat of cyber-terrorism and what measures are used to combat it. I happen to be for the Patriot Act, but whether you are for or against this policy, you will find that this book suits your politics.
Beth (I liked this one better than Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code. Looking forward to more from Dan Brown.
What an amazing heroine in this book! I was so thrilled reading the story as the plot unfolded. Moral of the story, go with your gut, intuition!
Interesting, fast paced adventure again from Dan. Liked it but was my least favorite of all his books. Any math/numbers geeks will likely enjoy this one...about code breaking & such. Dan Brown is a great storyteller.
I checked the box by mistake, now I can't undo it. I didn't read this. After reading 'The DaVinci Code' I lost interest in Dan Brown. He's like eating a huge bar of chocolate, then getting sick. After that you stay away from chocolate. Same goes for Anne Rice.
NSA's invicible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break and one that would cripple U.S. intelligence. Head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, is called in and battles to save the agency and the U.S., as well as her own life and the life of the man she loves.
When the code-breaking machine at NSA finds a code it cannot break the head cryptographer. What she uncovers send out shockwaves.Can she save the Country?
NSA's invincible code breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it can not break. What the head cryptographer uncovers is shocking. A code so complex it could cripple the U.S.
When the NSA's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the head cryptographer uncovers a plot to hold the NSA hostage- with a code that would cripple the US intelligence. Great book!
When the NSA's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls its head cryptographer. What she uncovers sends shock waves through the corridor of power. This book is great for all you computer enthusiasts out there.
(From the book cover) When the NSA's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls in its head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, a brilliant and beautiful mathematician. What she uncovers sends shock waves through the corridors of power.
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