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Ask HN: Recommendations of good cybercrime novels?

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Re: Ask HN: Recommendations of good cybercrime novels?

#151

Post by mordant »

OP asked about novels. Here are a few excellent novels in this genre which I highly recommend:

Soda Pop Solider by Nick Cole

Ctrl-Alt-Revolt by Nick Cole

Glasshouse by Charles Stross

Second the Vernor Vinge recommendations, and the Neal Stephenson and William Gibson Sprawl Trilogy recommendations.

Gibson's The Peripheral, as well as Pattern Recognition, Zero History, and Spook Country all apply, as well. Same for his Idoru, Virtual Light, and All Tomorrow's Parties.

Finally, Gibson and Sterling's The Difference Engine - the first and, so far, best steampunk novel - also qualifies, given the storyline.

Re: Ask HN: Recommendations of good cybercrime novels?

#152

Post by actf »

terminalcommand wrote: post #29

Mark Russinovich's Jeff Aiken Trilogy. If you're looking for a quality bestseller similar to Dan Brown books. Zero day, Trojan Horse and Rogue Code are all excellent novels. Some common themes include computer virus epidemics, cyber armies, cyber warfare, dangers of an overnetworked but undersecured society

Second this suggestion. As others have noted his books probably aren't going to win any literary awards, but they are fun entertaining reads. There are some similarities in subject matter to some of Dan Brown's books, but Russinovich is a former Microsoft employee (and iirc he wrote the sys intervals suite of tools) so his are much more technically detailed, and accurate then what you would find in Dan Brown.

Re: Ask HN: Recommendations of good cybercrime novels?

#153

Post by nbabitskiy »

paulie_a wrote: post #116
nbabitskiy wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Read his book, if you haven't yet. He's honest, likable guy, always curious (and hungry) to live. He wouldn't have scored high in a coding competition, but it makes his accomplishments only more impressive. Being "talented" and "winning" looks like a railroad track, interesting life is worth more imho

I've read it. I believe he smashed the detective in the face with a garbage can lid to escape. Not exactly very likeable. Also he literally lied to a ton of people to gain access to systems. So not very honest

I need a reality check sometimes. As a Russian, I naturally look at abusing cops or lying to phone company clerks as a good thing, but it's obviously my national deformation.

However, he is honest to his readers, which is the best honesty we could ask for from a book.

Re: Ask HN: Recommendations of good cybercrime novels?

#154

Post by Flenser »

Computer Crimes and Capers

Edited by Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg & Charles G. Waugh

Publication date 1983

Table of Contents:

    Introduction -- crime up to date      Isaac Asimov
    DARL I LUV U                          Joe Gores
    An end of spinach                     Stan Dryer
    Computers don't argue                 Gordon R. Dickson
    Goldbrick                             Edward Wellen
    Computer cops                         Edward D. Hoch
    Sam Hall                              Poul Anderson
    Spanner in the works                  J.T. McIntosh
    While-you-wait                        Edward Wellen
    Getting across                        Robert Silverberg
    All the troubles of the world         Isaac Asimov
Borrow for 14 days on Archive.org:

https://archive.org/details/computercrimesca00asim

Re: Ask HN: Recommendations of good cybercrime novels?

#155

Post by bovermyer »

hmhrex wrote: post #135
bovermyer wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll second Daemon . It's a really good novel.

If you read Daemon, you really need to read FreedmonTM. It's a direct sequel, and almost has a hopeful vision of the future where Daemon has a dismal vision.

I've wondered about whether there was a sequel, given how Daemon ends.

Re: Ask HN: Recommendations of good cybercrime novels?

#157

Post by hmhrex »

bovermyer wrote: post #155
hmhrex wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you read Daemon, you really need to read FreedmonTM. It's a direct sequel, and almost has a hopeful vision of the future where Daemon has a dismal vision.

I've wondered about whether there was a sequel, given how Daemon ends.

Honestly, I feel like the story is incomplete without the sequel. It made the whole idea even better.

Re: Ask HN: Recommendations of good cybercrime novels?

#158

Post by danesparza »

divan wrote: post #38

"Stealing the network" series by Ryan Russel is awesome. - Stealing the Network: How to Own the Box - Stealing the Network: How to Own a Continent - Stealing the Network: How to Own an Identity - Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow

Wait, I'm confused. Are these fiction or not?

Re: Ask HN: Recommendations of good cybercrime novels?

#159

Post by stef25 »

solotechno wrote: post #105

Similar title, different book: Kingpin: How One Hacker Took Over the Billion-Dollar Cybercrime Underground by Kevin Poulsen ISBN-978-0307588692 The story of how credit card hacker Max Butler was caught by the FBI.

Late reply to say I immensely enjoyed this book. Highly recommended.
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