The Ascendent (book)

I'm apparently really good at judging books by their covers because I'm 2/2 on picking up random books at the library and ending up liking them. Or maybe the library only stocks good books?

I also recently learned that this is the first in a planned series, which means more options next time I go to the library. Although technically I don't think series is the right word. From what I understand, it's not a series like Harry Potter, where each book is almost a continuation of the the events from the previous books so that reading book 3 before book 2 doesn't make much sense. I think it's going to be more like a bunch of books about different stuff with the same characters in them. I'm fine either way really.

What I thought was interesting about this particular book was it took the whole "total government surveillance" thing in a new direction. Most of the books that explore that particular theme normal take the approach of a shadowy government organization with access to unlimited information and resources using that access to do bad things and it's up to one man/women/small task force to save America and restore the sanctity of the Constitution.

What the author (Andrew Chapman) did though was show that a shadowy government organization with access to unlimited information and resources could actually be useful, and might actually be vital, to preserving the American way. Without getting into the whole argument of which black or white viewpoint of the issue is "right", I appreciated seeing the other side of the argument.

In the book, the main character is kind of like someone with autism, without all the personality issues that are usually associated with the condition. Basically, he's just really good at seeing patterns. Which makes him a lot of money on the stock market and to the attention of the aforementioned shadowy government organization. This group is looking for someone that can make sense out of all the information now be collecting. And not just surreptitiously collected, but all the tweets, and comments, and stock market fluctuations, and news reports.  Because this shadowy government organization believes that the country is being attacked in a new, unconventional way.  In fact, it's so unconventional, that many in the government don't even think the country is being attacked.  Which puts them at odds with the shadowy government organization.

So the main character has to navigate all this political-type intrigue in addition to overcoming a serious aversion to working for someone/something other than himself.

I guess in a way, it's kind of like propaganda for the millennial generation.  "See, you need us because only we can play computer games and trade stocks and pay attention to the news all at the same time. And doing those things is the way of the future."  Besides that message (which I don't necessarily agree) it was a pretty enjoyable book to read.