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Ask HN: Techno Thriller Book Recommendation
11 points by yitchelle on Oct 31, 2019 | hide | past | favorite | 10 comments
I am looking to read techno thrillers and found a list on wikipedia (0). I was a bit disappointed that there were no software related thrillers.

So I am putting it out there if any HNer knows or can recommends any titles in this niche genre?

(0) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_techno-thriller_novels



_Factorman_ by Matt Ginsberg, is a thriller based on the premise that a researcher solves P=NP.

https://www.amazon.com/Factor-Man-Matt-Ginsberg/dp/099975711...

Daniel Suarez' Daemon and the sequel Freedom(TM) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1524741892


> Daniel Suarez' Daemon and the sequel Freedom(TM)

I read both last year and highly recommend them!


I'm not even sure what exactly counts as a "techno thriller" but you might enjoy:

Zer0es: https://www.amazon.com/Zeroes-Chuck-Wendig/dp/0062413171

Zero Sum Game: https://www.amazon.com/Zero-Sum-Game-Russell-Book-ebook/dp/B...

Null Set: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GVD5T4M/

The Shockwave Rider: https://www.amazon.com/Shockwave-Rider-John-Brunner/dp/03454...


Zero Sum and Null Set are both muscular pew pew novels, written by an MIT grad. I enjoyed them, but found myself oddly bothered by the fact that they feature telepathy. That said, if you enjoy muscular pew-pew novels and enjoy dilithium crystal-type science talk but where the words actually make sense because they're used by someone who knows actual science ... you'll enjoy this.


but found myself oddly bothered by the fact that they feature telepathy.

Same here, mostly. I'm not a fan of introducing "Woo"'ish stuff like telepathy, but they were still enjoyable stories. I like the Cas Russell character a lot.


'Neuropath' by Scott Bakker

[...] the results of neuroscience have far more radical implications for philosophy, the subject, and meaning than any poststructuralist critique. As the author of a recent fictional psychothriller (Neuropath) – about which Metzinger has said, “This book has emotionally hurt and disturbed me in a way none have done in many years. You should think twice before reading this – there could be some scientific and philosophical possibilities you don’t want to know!” – Scott is well equipped to explore the apocalyptic implications of neuroscience.

(Taken from this great blog intro here: https://speculativeheresy.wordpress.com/2008/11/26/the-seman...)


Maybe everyone's read it already, but William Gibson's Neuromancer is a classic.


Stealing the network: The complete series

This is an excellent collection of hacking fictions.


Daemon by Daniel Suarez is pretty good.


The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells




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