LITTLE BROTHER, BY CORY DOCTOROW

Honestly, one of the best books I've read in a while. It took me two days to go cover to cover, on a school night. And it's a reasonably large book, too. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.

I found it on Monday during lunch time, when I went into the library to give Beki a last-minute physics cramming session before her test. The book must be relatively new to the school library, 'cause it was up on the front shelves. I more or less forgot what we had come in for momentarily after seeing it.

"So, what's the cha-OHMYGOSHLOOKCORYDOCTOROWBOOK!!!"

I checked it out the very next day.

Now, I haven't ever done any serious research on Cory Doctorow, but I've read one of his other books, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. I bet my friends can figure out why I liked that one to begin with. XD And of course, XKCD's mentioned him plenty of times, so he's gotta have some notable awesomeness, right? (See [link] , [link] , and [link] for a few examples. The cape and goggles were a clever addition by the comic's artist, Randall Munroe. XD) I was expecting a lot from his work.

And boy, did I get it.

Alright, those of you who have read 1984 will get the joke from the novel's name. You'll also appreciate the fact that Marcus, the main character in the story, uses the alias "w1n5t0n" online at the start of the book.

Of course, the stories are not the same. Yes, there's an oppressive breach of civil rights, and yes, there's a rebellion, but what makes this novel so great is that the rebels are our age, doing things that we can do. Or, well, those of us who are technologically skilled enough. It's rather thrilling to read about a bunch of teens fighting the big bad government who's gone too far, turning their own methods against them. I tell you, this book practically makes me want to go hacker myself and see what I can make and break. I totally might, too, were it not for the fact that I need help to upload and download basic programs, sometimes.

Not a word out of you, Il-ANYWAY!

My relative technological handicap compared to these guys shows just how great the book can be for anyone. The narrator explains the nifty techie jargon to you in a way that doesn't make you feel like you're reading a pamphlet, just like a friend's leading the way. It mentions ARGs, which I've had a basic understanding of, private and public keys, which I've heard of but never really understood 'til now, and a bunch of other neat stuff, like LARPs and ParanoidLinux, which I'd never even heard of 'til then. LARPing actually sounds pretty fun. XD

And of course, if you're already familiar with all the technical knowhow, just sit back and enjoy the show.

Seriously, I haven't read a really good page turner in quite possibly a year. And, honestly, how many books have I ever really raved about? Not counting manga, I loved The Kingdom Keepers, The Goose Girl, and Eragon. Even House of Leaves got a pretty good response. But this. This, I'm adding to the list of those books which have kept me staying up late for hours on end reading, not caring about the time. Seriously, give it a shot. The best part is, Doctorow's a big fan of Creative Commons, meaning you can find his story online for free, if you're so inclined to read it [link] . Still, I recommend going to your nearby public library and getting your hands on a clean paper copy. There's something about having a book right in front of you, physically, that makes it all the more addicting.

Bravo, Mr. Doctorow. Bravo.

Alright, friends. I'm done with thee. Off to the library with you!