Zero Day: A Novel [Hardcover]

I don't read a lot of cyberthrillers. In fact, this might be my second or third. But the fast pace and compelling characters and scene descriptions in Zero Day kept me reading. I finished the whole book in a day and a half.

In my day job, I write about technology. But I don't think you'd need to be a student of IT or tech jargon to enjoy this book. I will say Zero Day left me more worried than ever about what could potentially happen if a cyber-attack like what's detailed in this novel ever happens. Russinovich's book brought home more than any news article or blog post has for me the very real potential for something like this to happen.

Russinovich had an early review copy of this book sent to me. (Thanks, MarkR!) I am really glad he did. It was an enjoyable way to lose myself for a weekend.

*Rating is 3.5*

Mark Russinovich works at Microsoft in one of the senior-most technical positions. Considering the background of the author, the premise of Zero Day becomes even more compelling.

Zero Day has a thrilling start. Several seemingly unrelated incidents take place all over the world, all involving computer failures. The controls of a British Airways flight fails. So do the computers in a highly reputed firm based in NYC. A glitch in the computer databases in various hospitals causes many patients to die, due to wrong administration of medicines. Jeff Aiken, who used to previously work for the Government, starts to see a pattern in these incidents. What emerges is more deadly than anyone could imagine. It's up to Jeff to stop the impending disaster before all hell breaks loose.

Zero Day involves a very realistic portrayal of cyber-terrorism. It's disturbing and terrifying since it's so real; and it's scarier because of the author's knowledge and background. You can't really discount the scenario presented in Zero Day - the things described in the book can certainly happen. Ever since 9/11 attacks , there has been increasing paranoia in the world. Terrorism has expanded and with advancement in technology, the threat has increased further. Taking into account how depended we've become on computers and internet, the book's premise is only too real. If someone was to launch an attack via the internet, the effects can be enormous and more horrifying than what any one of us can imagine.

Zero Day is a fast-paced, heart-stopping thriller. I was unable to put the book down. The book compels you to ask - "What if?" This thought-provoking thriller, packed with action, will keep you reading late into the night. I instantly connected with Jeff. All through the book, I wanted him to succeed. I felt his emotions as he raced against time to stop the looming disaster.

A major problem I had with the book was the technical aspect and details which were beyond my comprehension. All the technical parts got very monotonous for me. Perhaps if I had more knowledge of programming and cyber-crimes, the book might have been a 5 star read for me. However, the author did manage to make up for the boring parts with some very surprising twists.

Zero Day is a book that's very relevant today. We do need to be aware of how hugely dependent we have become on technology. Our lives are almost run by technology. Most of us will have a panic attack, if our internet suddenly stops working or if we are not able to check our emails. Zero Day forces one to ponder on how vulnerable we are to any kind of cyber-crime. Technology has definitely helped mankind, but like every great innovation, it does have its flaws. Thanks to technology, you can shop at home, book flight tickets sitting at home, talk to a person on the other side of the world, pay your bills online and even control your bank accounts. You hardly even need to step out of your homes. Do we realize how much of ourselves we give out on social networking sites? Almost our entire lives are so out there, so open to any kind of attack. Zero Day, apart from being action-packed, is also informative. It's not just fiction but reality and hence more frightening than any ghost story.

Overall:
An intelligently written thriller with realistic themes and heart-stopping action

Recommended?
Yes, to those who enjoy thrillers which have more depth to them.

I give the book three solid stars. I would recommend it as an excellent educational read on many levels, but caution about its linear plot.

Two months ago, the "Fatal System Error" by Joseph Menn, got me hooked on this cybercrime world. This non-fiction book reads like a thriller. Next was the recent "Counting from Zero" by Alan Johnston. It is a fast-paced fiction tale about a group of friends - eccentric global travelers - trying to save the world from yet another "zero day".

"Zero Day" was a natural next step. The security forensics descriptions were truly fascinating despite the tediousness of the process. It was helpful to get a perspective on the relationships among numerous US agencies involved. I enjoyed the crossing of the mountains part very much. (A hint for the next book.) As a whole, the plot was straightforward until the last few chapters that added thrilling dynamics to the book. I wished, I could have connected with the characters on a more personal level, but they were too dead serious to me.

Hope that you find this review helpful.

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