Author and obvious
computer techie Dan Ronco delivers a breathtaking thriller of a story
about a deadly computer virus called PeaceMaker, the decidedly
evil organization behind it, and the one man who can stop it from
literally crippling society as we know it.
Using tons of tech
talk and great dialog peppered with realistic lingo straight from the
world of software development, viruses, and artificial intelligence,
Ronco introduces us first to a powerful and disturbingly enigmatic woman
named Dianne Morgan, a software company CEO out for the deepest kind of
revenge after being humiliated in a courtroom during an anti-trust
trial. Diane is seductive, magnetic, intelligent, and utterly capable of
doing anything to further her cause. This time her cause is unleashing
PeaceMaker, a virus that could bring the global economy to its knees and
give her own group, the Domain, the total control she desires.
Enter Ray Brown, a
software expert with a few demons of his own, namely his alcoholism
which has already destroyed his marriage and alienated him from his two
young sons, whom he longs to be a good father to. Ray and Dianne shared
a passionate relationship in the past, which now threatens to reignite
as he is drawn back into her mysterious world, and when he discovers the
existence of PeaceMaker, and Dianne's true motives behind it, his world
becomes filled with danger and intrigue.
As Dianne and Ray
struggle over control of the PeaceMaker virus, a new enemy surfaces, and
soon the race to stop the deadly virus becomes even more deliberate and
desperate, especially when Dianne allows the world to get a taste of
what the virus can do. This book is filled with page-turning action,
romance, sexuality, techno-thrills and most of all, the foreboding sense
of terror that comes with too much progress. Have we gone too far with
our artificial intelligence? Has our dependence upon computers made us
vulnerable to the worst imaginable kinds of terrorism? This story is a
fictional, but all too plausible, reminder of what can happen when our
entire lives are run by machines that can be corrupted and influenced.
In the hands of
those who want total global control, the effects of this virus are
devastating, as we find out in the latter third of this exciting story.
And in Diane's hands, Ray learns it is all about betrayal of the most
horrifying kind as he realizes once and for all just what kind of a
woman he is dealing with, and inexplicably drawn to.
A real
"all-nighter" read, filled with twists and turns, this book reminded me
of another great computer virus novel, "Doomsday Virus," by Barry
Silverstein. PeaceMaker has all the makings of a great
franchise series, with good-hearted Ray Brown breaking open cases of
corruption and techno-terrorism as he battles the bottle and tries to
make good with his estranged family. I can also see this as a great
movie with plenty of action and great lead roles, so producers, snap
this one up soon!
Kudos to Dan Ronco
for taking the world of computers and mixing it with plenty of action
and thrills. The book is currently available at the
publisher's website. You will never look at your computer the same
again!
*****
Joe Massucci, Author CODE:ALPHA and The Millennium Project
Dan Ronco combines his
considerable knowledge of software with his love of writing to produce a
fast-paced thriller about the threat of a highly intelligent computer
virus in the hands of extremists bent on destroying the world's
computing infrastructure. For computer geeks and Tom Clancy readers
alike, PeaceMaker is hard to put down. Ronco gives us a
sobering glimpse of just how vulnerable we are to "intelligent" computer
viruses and the unstable personalities of those who create and unleash
them. This is truly chilling material.
*****
Piers
Anthony, author of the classic XANTH series and many other novels
PeaceMaker is
exciting, violent, thoughtful, and unfortunately true to life ...a
powerhouse of computer adventure.
*****
Darren Lewis, Reviewer, The Book Forum
Rating:
PeaceMaker
is the debut novel from Dan Ronco, and what a debut! You’ll never look
at computers and technology with quite the same confidence. If you enjoy
techno-thrillers, you’re going to enjoy PeaceMaker.
The year is 2012, and most of the Western World is controlled by
computer technology. Mobile phones, desktop computers, power stations,
alarm systems, traffic systems - they’re all controlled by computers.
One major operating system dominates the market, but all this is about
to change. The US government forces the corporate giant to dissolve into
several smaller companies in an attempt to encourage competition and
release the monopoly share. But the company’s CEO, Dianne Morgan has
other ideas… PeaceMaker is born.
Alcoholic computer guru Ray Brown is the one man who knows Dianne’s
plans and must fight his own demons to destroy hers…
Written in a very clear style, the plot flows at a fast and exciting
pace. Power, greed, money, sex and violence - it’s all there. The
characters are strong and they develop well as the book progresses. Ray
Brown is not your typical hero, but then Dianne Morgan is not your
typical villain. With more twists and turns than a rollercoaster
PeaceMaker kept me guessing right to the very end.
