Pearl Harbor Dot Com

Rating:
Summary: Everything You Need to Know About the Next Attack--And Fun
Review:

This book is a based on a *non-fiction* manuscript about U.S. vulnerabilities to electronic that was so hot that the author's lawyers insisted he turn it into a novel to avoid liability.

It is absolutely superb and written by one of the most authoritative persons around. Unlike most academic and industry security specialists, the author has from the very beginning understood, respected, and been in touch with the elite hackers who worked very hard in the 1980's to expose the outrageously vulnerable electronic systems used by our financial, transportation, power, and communications industries.

In my view, books like this as well as the non-fiction books such as "Information Warfare: Chaos on the Electronic Superhighway" have been vital elements in educating consumers, stockholders, and voters. If you want to know just how vulnerable your bank account is, read this book.

I won't reveal the surprise ending, but will say that it is absolutely a shocker, and totally credible.

Rating:
Summary: Big on concept, small on execution
Review: As a work of literature, this book is unsatisfying. It rides entirely on its plot, which is dramatic but uncomplicated. The characters are either forgettable or feel generated from stock materials. The language is often awkward. Schwartau attempts to encompass some broad elements, such as the interactions between government, individual politics, and public policy. Ultimately these topics are only as interesting as the individuals motivating them, and Schwartau's characters were not believable enough to make me buy into (or care about) the political maneuvering being described.

The period of denouement was exciting and fun, but I found the ultimate resolution almost entirely unbelievable. The remedy just plain wouldn't work, and at some level that's the point of the book. I think he shied away from the apocalyptic ending he had planned, and the result -- at least for me -- meant that the plot ended with a wimper, and that was most of what this book had going for it.

The real protagonist of this story is the internet, and the author definitely knows his computer vulnerabilities. This could work as a teaching story; but that just isn't interesting enough for 500+ pages of fiction. I think this work would have benefited from some aggressive editing. If you are a layman technologist, want some lightweight introduction to computer security, you might enjoy this book. In particular, for anyone unaware of the risks that accompany the benefits of our online, interconnected civilization, this book could be a very interesting read.

As for me, I found it thin and overlong.

Rating:
Summary: Better than a movie!
Review: Hackers, terrorists, falling airplanes, love, betrayal, a bizarre but realistic new york journalist who gets in the middle of it all? What more could you want! Schwartau's PHDC throws all of this at you plus more! With new twists on every page, and a complex but understandable plot, this story will have your eyes glued to its pages, while you living the action as the characters do. The story opens in 1945 Hiroshima as the US drops the Atomic Bomb. We meet Homosoto, an angry, resentful Japanese boy who vows to one day get his revenge. Fifty years later, he does by waging a cyber-war against the United States. But who is on his side? Who is on ours? Why is Tucker Macy Starre in the middle of it all? Though the plot revolves around Information Technology and computers, the average person could read it and love it just as much as anyone familiar with the terms "herf gun", "back orifice" and "motherboard". Schwartau explains the technical stuff in a non-technical way, without interrupting the story or the perpetual action. His unique and down to earth writing, flows easily, allowing the story to play out in your mind. His true-to-life descriptions of his unique characters and his humorous, off-the-wall style leaves you feeling that you not only know the characters but have gone through what the have. Its a great book for anyone interested in computers, terrorism, partiotism, or who just wants an amazing read. I recommend this to everyone! But I warn you : once you start reading it, you may not stop until you finish! :)

Rating:
Summary: Oh no another non-technical computer "cyberthriller"
Review: I borrowed my friends copy of this book, and I'm glad I did because it's not worth the 9 bucks. There is a reason that none of the pages are available for preview... if they were you wouldn't buy this book. If you look at the past reviews they are all by "normal people" and not "computer geeks". This is simply because these books are non-technical cyberbabble with no basis on reality. If you want a book that resonates with the quality of the movie "The Net" or "Fear dot com" then spend the nine bucks and jump on the bandwagon for some cyberposing. You're better off waiting until it comes out as a movie on lifetime... but hopefully that wont be in OUR lifetime.

Rating:
Summary: Is it Really Fiction?
Review: Is it really paranoia when they are out to get you? Those who ignored the message in the first publication should make it required reading now, as should anyone conducting business on the Internet today.

The story line in Pearl Habor Dot Com is totally credible, much like the authors credentials. Understand too that Wynn has been there, done that, and, well, given away the T-shirts! The energy and passion that he demonstrates in his everyday life as a Security Evangelist is certainly revealed within the pages of this exciting story. I looked forward to picking it up every evening and wonder still how fictional these characters really are.

Wynn, time to pick up the pen again!

Rating:
Summary: Oh no another non-technical computer "cyberthriller"
Review: This book is, in every way, a winner. It is not only a gripping read and great fun, but it is a truly well-written scenario for an information warfare attack against the U.S. Economy.

Several years ago, in his bestselling novel Debt of Honor, Tom Clancy scratched the surface of economic information warfare. In Pearl Harbor.com, Winn Schwartau takes the reader through a weeks-long attack against the national information infrastructure.

However, the book is not only a thirller. It is throught-provoking in a number of ways, exploring the true psyche of the hacker community; the dependance that Western Civilization now has on Computers; and the spectre of "what if we had to live without it."

This book is must-reading for anyone who has anything to do with information security, homeland defense, or economic security.

Schwartau's latest book is not only a thriller, but is a wake-up call that clearly shows the dangers of ignoring our critical information systems.

Rating:
Summary: Great book for EVERYONE!
Review: This book was fantastic! It had me hooked from the first page to the last! I couldnt put it down for three days - literally that is all that I did - I read this book. It was amazingly well written, the words flowing off the pages, forming a movie in my mind. I could relate to the characters, and found myself growing quite fond of Tucker Macy Starre (the protagonist). The plot was well thought out, compelling, twisted, complex and thought provoking. I loved this book and recommend it to anyone who wants to see a great movie - where YOU cast the stars! lol. But seriously, excellent read, not too technical, a must read for EVERYONE!

Rating:
Summary: fiction, but in reality Information Operations
Review: This book, although fiction, has been written and
updated since 1990 before it was published.
The Information warfare (Information Operations) aspects
can be considered more reality than fiction.
After Sept 11th, it is just waiting for parts of this
fiction to become reality....

Great book!
Warning: schedule enough time before starting to read
as you will read it from the first page till the last
in one time!

Rating:
Summary: Pearl Harbor Dot Com
Review: Winn Schwartau's latest novel, PEARL HARBOR DOT COM, gives the rest of us non-computer geeks important insight into the fragility of our techno-economy and its vunerability to cyberwar or "information warfare". Winn clearly shows where and how we Americans are vunerable in our comfortable society and just where we need to wakeup to very real terrorist threats, all through telling a story that is fun reading as well... this timely volume illustrates the seriousness of our situation in a format that doesn't require computer literacy. Its important message tells us to wake up to our vunerabilities to protect ourselves and our beloved Constitution... Thanks Winn for writing a book the rest of us can read and enjoy and learn what infowar is all about. This book may be fiction, but the facts it presents are important for every American to know...