Rating: 
Summary: The Future Yawns Before Us
Review: Jennifer Government had a wonderful concept but it was just a little too much action for me; I prefer more building of characters through dialogue and what they're thinking. Still, it was a well-fleshed out plot with a satisfying good vs. evil moral ending, along the way sprinkled with humor and a darkly satirical view about the place of marketing and big business in our society today.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Idea, Mediocre Execution
Review: The ideas, characters, and plot are really good, but there just isn't enough detail/depth to the characters or the world to make it a good read. It reads more like a good action movie or bad graphic novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Not far to go..
Review: 'Jennifer Government' hits hard at monolithic corporate culture and takes no prisoners. It's not 'The Matrix'; whoever said that has no understanding of either work. 'Jennifer Government' has more in common with 'Max Headroom' or 'Rollerball' (the original, not the gawdaweful remake) or 'Brazil', if you want to compare it to a movie.The book raises one very salient point, above all others: corporations know the value of human life, because it figures into their risk assessments. If a given product has some side effects, which might include driving a user of that product to hurt or kill others, the manufacturer simply figures the cost of retaining lawyers and paying off claims into the manufacturing costs. It's not a big step from that to John Nike's plan to create a buying frenzy by killing the first few people to buy his new shoes.
Rating:
Summary: Just plain fun to read!
Review: After reading the cover blurb, I thought it sounded kind of hokey, but I gave it a try and I really liked it! One review says it's like a cross between the Matrix and Catch-22. It's not like the Matrix at all. It's definitely like Catch-22. The same type of humor based on incredulous story events. The commercial/corporate shenanigans are very much like Milo's syndicate in Catch-22.
Rating:
Summary: "Objects in mirror..."
Review: Barry's first novel, "Syrup," was somewhat deficient in the plot department, a failing for which the author overcompensates in this, his second novel. There is a tight, complicated, serpentine (even overwrought) thriller between these covers. But that's not important. Buy this book for the setting, the characters, the absolutely awe-inspiring vision of a world totally run by mega-corporations. A world where McDonalds schools compete against Pepsi schools and Mattel schools to see who has the best product tie-ins. A world where you can't call 9-1-1 without your credit card number because the police are just another profit-making corporation. A world where the goverment itself has been privatized. A world where mega-corporations ally themselves into marketing alliances who wage actual, physical war on other alliances. It's a totally whack vision which seems -- frighteningly -- just a little too close in the rear-view mirror.
Rating:
Summary: Clever and daft
Review: I played Max Barry's game on the internet, Nation States, for a while, and never really intended on getting any of his books. I'm typically the kind of person who won't normally pick something up unless I've heard something about it. It doesn't matter if the person loved it or hated it. To get to the point, I was in Borders and was unable to find anything entertaining to read. My options were either picking up a Harry Potter book, or pick up another Fyodor Dostoyevsky novel (for a little 'light' reading). I saw Jennifer Government out of the corner of my eye, and figured I'd give it a shot. I've never been so pleased with my luck! Okay, so I have, but not regarding a book. The scenario is unique, not totally unlike 1984 meets Cyberpunk. The book flows VERY smoothly despite the fact that it jumps characters quite often, and I'm actually rather sorry that I got so engrossed in the book because now I've got nothing to read.
Rating: 
Summary: Wickedly Funny
Review: An author's primary objective is to entertain. Max Barry fulfills that obligation with ease in Jennifer Government. From the first chapter, where Hack Nike, a Merc Officer (Merchandise Distribution Officer) is hired by the VP of Guerrilla Marketing as a mercenary to kill customers in order to build up street credibility for the newest Nikes, the story takes off and never lets up. This novel is enjoyable on a variety of levels. As an action story, the plot moves fast and has many unanticipated twists. As a character story, the protagonists come across as real people deserving of support and sympathy. As a science fiction novel, the treatment of the concepts is thought-provoking, even, if not entirely original. As a stylistic piece, this novel slips in puns both subtle and blatant. The book will stimulate a wealth of thoughts and reactions. The characterization is executed smoothly. Every character does what he or she thinks is best, often with disastrous results. After unwittingly signing a contract to kill customers for Nike, Hack goes straight to the police. They offer to help by filling the contract on his behalf, for an appropriately exorbitant fee. When the police, in turn, outsource the killings, events spiral out of control for everyone involved. As chaos ensues, the plot gallops along at a breakneck pace. Characters hop between Europe, Australia and America. As the climax is reached at identical malls continents apart, it is at times a little confusing in keeping track of everyone and what they are doing. Fortunately, Barry is a skilled storyteller who never misses a beat in the midst of the chaos. This sense of an uncontrollable plot is often reminiscent of Catch 22. In terms of social commentary, Jennifer Government is a biting satire. Despite the humor and hyperbole, the warnings offered by this story are quite sincere. As corporations continue to grow in size and power, they have the potential of becoming a threat to the very consumers who support them. These dire warnings, despite being couched in satire, are no less serious than those offered by Orwell's 1984. Overall, this is an excellent novel. All the aspects of a well-told story mesh perfectly. The only drawback to this novel is that with the pace, the narrative becomes slightly confusing, forcing the reader to pull out of the story to regroup. Despite this, Jennifer Government is an entertaining novel from the first page to the last.
Rating:
Summary: satire of something, just not capitialism.
Review: Having heard of this book, I thought it would be a good dystopian read. However it seemed to be a critique of free market capitilism something of which the author doesn't know a thing about. Characters loose their identity by having last names as the place they work. Two world conglomarate systems. The use of people as a means to and end. A business reduced to mere profit. Rights limmited to how much you can buy them. A government only to the extent that it has no purpose other than to serve the highest bidder as well. Weak characters, one dimensional. Though an easy read and not totally unenjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: Comic book without pictures
Review: As I was reading this book it really felt like I was reading a comic book only without the pictures. The writing is shallow, the characters made of cardboard and the ending like a cheesy made for TV movie. If Barry can manage to create a franchise out of this book, it would be better executed as a comic book with some eye candy artwork. This book needs a visual distraction from the tedious monosyllable dialogues. Getting beyond the poor quality of writing, the premise of "globalization out of control" is cute but fails to rise to the level of satire due to Barry's apparent lack of depth related to the complex subject of globalization and its critics. Since you can eat this book in two or three hours you might want to bring a second book along with you to the beach.
Rating: 
Summary: Reality Check
Review: Max Barry displays his ignorance of market competition and interactions with flying colors. Obviously, this is a fictional (fun!) book, but his inability to piece together a cogent plot deprives the reader of even reaching THAT goal. The plot seems to have been constructed in order to include as many highlights of a liberal-nazi agenda as possible. Nike, guns, corporations and private enterprise in general are lambasted with an illogical, half-baked plot. Somehow, Jennifer Government is the ONLY one who is out for justice. Please. Max Barry would have us believe that it's either market competition (and DESTRUCTION!) or government regulation (and SALVATION?). The only humor I have gleaned from the book comes from a review by Bill Winter, "In Jennifer Government, Barry has created a villain that is nothing more than a socialist's worst nightmare: A corporation that behaves like a government."
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