Nexus: Nexus, Book 1

The best books are those that stay with you, that make you think about the questions they ask long after you put it down. In his stellar debut novel, Ramez Naam does exactly that. Naam offers us a near-future, roller-coaster adventure that will grab you by the throat and won't let you go even once you finish the novel. This one will stay with you, and keep you thinking. I'm can't say for sure, but I'm fairly certain, this one is going to be popping back into my brain from my subconscious for a long time yet.In the book, Nexus is a nanotechnology "drug" that allows users to link wirelessly to each other's brains. They can share thoughts, memories, and in some cases, control each other's actions. Previous iterations of the drug burn out of people's systems in a short amount of time. It opens with the main protagonist of the story, Kade, experimenting with the permanent version of the "drug," Nexus 5. He and some friends have created a computer operating system to integrate with the drug, so that it stays with them, and they can add programs and applications to it that make them essentially hyper-human. Needless to say, certain governmental agencies aren't even remotely okay with this. Within the first few pages of the book, Kade and his friends are neck-deep in trouble with the US government, but maybe, just maybe, if Kade helps the government, there might be a way out for he and his friends. And that's as much of the plot as I'm going to give. Anything else would be a disservice to the reader.Nexus is fantastic. It's brilliant. Feel free to tack on as many positive adjectives as you can come up with. It's not just a well-written and thought-provoking book, it's also highly entertaining. The "high ideas" Nexus calls the reader to consider are woven seemlessly into the plot by the characters. Through their interactions, conversations, and private musings, we see many sides of the trans and post human ideas Naam is working with. The best part is that while each character knows exactly where he or she stands on that particular issue at any moment (some characters do change their stance/outlook, and each of these moments of change come organically from the events they experience), Naam does not beat the reader over the head with any authorial agenda. Or, if he does, I had such a great time reading the book and getting lost in the story that I completely missed it.When I sat down to write this review, I tried to come up with pairs of writers I could compare the book to to give possible readers a feeling of what they are going to get. A few of the names bouncing in my head were: William Gibson, James Rollins, David Brin, Michael Chriton, Neal Stephenson, and more. While trying to pair a comparison down to two names I couldn't. Naam's tone and ideas are a unique and fresh voice to science fiction. Do yourself a favor and get on the Ramez Naam band wagon now, so you can say, "I was there when."It would not surprise me in the least to see this on the Hugo ballet for best novel at this year's World Science Fiction Convention.

I found the first few pages of 'Nexus' a little stilted and was slightly worried that it would be another good idea badly told.I needn't have been.'Nexus' is well paced and utterly thought-provoking, and after my shaky start it launched into a compelling story that packs a punch as both an action adventure and extremely believable future view.The premise is pretty straightforward - naive geeks create mind altering nano-tech with no comprehension of how the "Powers That Be" will come down on them - but the characters and the nuances of what it means to turn your brain into a minicomputer that can be programmed at will are what powers the plot.Our geek hero is Kaden Lane, a young, idealistic neuroscientist in training who has already pushed way beyond the boundaries of what is legal in this future United States, let alone what is moral. His apparent nemesis is Samantha Cataranes, a super secret agent with an inimical view of Kade's way of being. Forced together as pawns in a larger game, their journey of private challenges and personal growth is emotive and engaging.The whole point of Nexus is to get under the skin of another person, and Naam does this particularly well. His vision of a übertech United States essentially at war with the future is fundamentally scary - and all to realistic. Lie, cheat, steal...whatever it takes to maintain the status quo is the motto of the Government of the Day, and if that means dropping Special Forces into other countries for a little snatch and grab, well that's OK so long as nobody leaves a trace. The fact that they do so with a vast array of very sneaky spy toys only adds to the fun.Indeed, the "concept count" for Nexus is very high, with Naam ranging wide on neuroscience, biological enhancements, brains in a box and general weaponry. But unlike some other authors, these concepts remain accessible to us mere mortals (Stross, I'm thinking of you). All of which means that as I write this, 'Nexus' has only 4 and 5 star reviews, which across 80-odd people reinforces that this is a novel worth reading.

Ho letto questo libro su indicazione di un amico appassionato come me di fantascienza e devo dire che ne sono rimasto rapito, fin dai primi capitoli.. mi è piaciuto molto perché è sì un romanzo fantascientifico, ma quanto accade non è così impossibile da immaginare come un futuro neanche troppo remoto, di cui se ne hanno già le prime avvisaglie (utilizzo di parti elettroniche per sopperire a mancanze fisiche di persone, magari con legami anche profondi a livello di sistema nervoso, a tal proposito l'autore dedica alcune pagine interessanti a fine libro).. l'ho apprezzato anche per i legami con il mondo informatico, dato che si parla di sistemi operativi e pratiche di hacking, trattati anch'essi in modo piuttosto realistico. Senza svelarvi dettagli, la storia mette in luce un contrasto tra due "razze" umane differenti, quella "normale" e quella dotata di potenziamenti (i postumani o transumani), è molto ricca di azione e per quanto mi riguarda non annoia mai.. Devo dire che il romanzo mi ha fatto pensare in parte ad un incrocio tra  Neuromante  e Altered Carbon , entrambi dei capolavori della fantascienza.Unica nota dolente, finito il primo romanzo vorrete sicuramente procedere con i due successivi, ahimè non ancora tradotti in italiano. Speriamo che questa serie abbia successo e che anche  Crux  e Apex  vengano tradotti al più presto. NeuromanteAltered CarbonCruxApex

This was recommended by Neal Asher and I'm so glad I read it. Mind blowing but plausible concept, great action and characters. Sci Fi at its best. I have started the next book, Crux , now.

As a Computer Science undergradate, this subject fascinates me. The ability of computation and interfacing to a brain and between brains is literally my dream. This book highlights the dangers of a world where modification due to technology is abundant and all the socio-political mess that comes with it, including much soul searching and ethical-boundary issues. A highly recommended read for people who enjoy a science fiction novel with plenty of technical goodies ( Hard Sci-fi ) and contains a narrative that literally stops you from putting this book down.If you could touch the mind of others, what could you accomplish? A lover, a colleague, a friend, a relative. To experience raw concepts without the conversion to language as a medium. To relive memories shared of a life a generation ago. To feel and share the emotions another person is going through and be able to comfort them in the most intimate way possible, to let them know your true feelings in utter clarity.Ramez Naam is a supporter for transhumanism, and this book ( this trilogy ) perfectly embodies that goal. The world in Nexus is set in approx 2040 where such technologies could exist that 'enhance the human condition'. This isn't just a fictional novel but a possible extrapolation given today's technological feats and engineering. The author even outlines several research studies and experiments, at the end of the book, which show how technology has already improved people's lives. Electrodes implanted in the brain to help a blind man see ( and even drive! ), Cochlear implants for those who are severely hard of hearing, or those whose cochlea hair cells are severely damaged, who can hear again! Even then, some of these preliminary research experiments were set in the early 2000's, and look how much technology has grown since then.It feels real enough to be a possibility for our immediate future, containing well explained processes for the underlying technologies, including the world's response to these technologies and the 'fear' around their use ( Just look at general public response to ever increasing AIs ). It really leaves you wanting to read more, and gets you excited and also concerned for our future where nano-scale technology may, one day, enable us to directly interface technology with our neurons in our brains. It leaves you asking: What does it mean to be human?

Its a fantastic book. Read all three over a few days. What really got me excited is that the sci-fi world he talks about are mind blowing yet completely grounded in the emerging and expected technological reality. And at the end of the first novel he makes a detailed explanation as to why he thinks so. But it does have quite a few grammatical mistakes, which I found irritating.

Nexus is a book that challenges the lines between good and evil. A drug that lets people share their minds with others is on the market, but has been outlawed. A small group of people figure out how to take it and go even further with the drug to make it more permanent. This can lead to furthering humanity or turning people into slaves...all depends on who gets their hands on it.While it was a slow read, that was definitely not due to the lack of action or twists. There was some predictability, but most of the book was twisting and turning that you didn't know what was going to happen or who was going to be on whose side. What slowed the book down was a lot of explaining of what was going on, but that also helped the story along and helped develop the relationships of all the characters. If it just sped along, too much would be passed upon and the story would have severely suffered. Using the Nexus drug to get inside the minds of the characters also was a new perspective in storytelling and really pushed the emotional side further than anything I have read before.The technology (in the form of the Nexus drug) was very believable and is something that seems like it is coming faster than we think. There are a lot of smart minds out there, so it is highly likely that some smart kids are more likely to hack and crack the software than the government that is trying to contain it. While some of it seems extraordinary today, there is not much doubt that in 20 years these things will be a reality. Even the abuses of power and red tape on actions rings very true to the society that we already live in.I would highly recommend Nexus to anyone who enjoys future technology or even just human relationships. There are not many dull parts through the book and it will also keep you wanting to read on to see where things are going and who is going to turn their back on whom. A lot of unexpected, but very real, character shifts make this a great read from cover to cover.