Technogenesis

by Syne Mitchell

In a near future where almost everyone on earth is connected to a worldwide net, Jasmine Reese discovers the existence of an intelligence called Gestalt-a self-aware entity generated by the collected consciousness of eight billion networked people. And only Jaz can stop it from controlling the world. "Mitchell is a rare author-as equally deft with special relativity and biochemistry as she is with sculpting real characters and delivering a ripping...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451458648
• ISBN13: 9780451458643
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Roc
• Length: 326 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Brilliant

Syne Mitchell is extraordinarily talented. Her concepts on the nature of consciousness is like reading Antonio Damasio, ("The feeling of what Happens") and her net characterizations are as good as Stephenson, (Snow Crash). One gets connected with this book in the same way that her characters get connected to the net. Except the Net in this novel has developed it's own consciousness, made up of all those connected. But a competition for this new consciousness has arisen, and threatens the nets existence.Highly recommended, you won't disconnect till the very last page.

True names for a modern world

Syne Mitchell manages to combine the rollicking adventure of Vinge's True Names with Gibson's cyberpunk edge, resulting in a very satisfying tale about a mind that emerges from the shared consciousness of people connected to the net.If you think about it, the idea that people would expand their consciousness through machines isn't nearly as plausible (or terrifying) as the idea that machines can become conscious through people.

Good old-fashioned cyberpunk!

I've always been a big fan of the cyberpunk subgenre, and, in my opinion, Technogenesis falls squarely into that camp. The opening is classic. The very "connected" Jasmine Reese is forced off the net due to hardware malfunction. She discovers very quickly that the Beast is watching her. An entire conspiracy starts unfolding, and soon Jaz finds herself in the thick of it, forced to decide--in a typically cyberpunk fashion--between the government and personal freedom. What I like about Technogenesis particularly is that the decision Jaz faces is not as easy as it seems. The government (the usual big baddie) comes on very gestapo-esque, but their motivations are revealed to be almost benign--perhaps (gasp!) even decent. Meanwhile, the radical scientists who oppose the government are morally squishy as well, and, like Jaz, I found myself unsure whom to root for on occasion. Plus, there's a very satisfying romantic element, and, although Jaz doesn't make the choice I would have, her motivations are true to character. I'm also a fairly slow reader (thanks to mild dyslexia), and I ripped through this book. It's thoroughly engaging. All and all an enjoyable read. Highly recommended.

A great, yet scary read

Having just weened myself off a serious addiction to on-line gaming I could really identify with Jasmine when she suddenly found herself disconnected from everything around here. I picked this book up one night just too take a quick look and ended up reading the first 100 pages. We can only hope the future doesn't end up like this.

Excellent, believable Science Fiction

It's always wonderful to find a new author who can tell a great story or create an interesting future or place real seeming characters in exciting situations...Syne Mitchell can do all three. And she can do it while making you think.I got this book as a reviewer's copy (hot on the heels of a book by her husband, I might add). I'd eyed Technogenesis in the book store, but with so much I HAVE to read, I thought I'd never have time. Imagine my delight when one of my journals sent this to me for a review! Imagine further when I started reading and just couldn't stop. This is an excellent science fiction thriller in a wholely believable future.I can't wait to get Mitchell's first book. Since Sheri Tepper (personal favorite) only writes one a year, I am so dang happy to find someone who hooks me like she does.And eventhough I'm not her husband (Eric Nylund--see above HA! There's the guy to go to for an objective opinion) I too think this is a ripping good read! {His books are great too if you haven't checked them out...um, I like this more...Yipe, sorry again Eric!}Happy Reading!