The Adversary (A Chris Bruen Novel Book 1)

"The Adversary" is a very well written techno-thriller reminiscent of the movie "Die Hard," where computer hackers try to take over a city and cause widespread death and destruction. Trying to stop this mayhem is ex-hacker Chris Bruen, who gets involved whether he wants to or not.Chris was a former Department of Justice attorney working on cyber crimes. He decided to take his skills private and joined a law firm where he basically did the same thing, only he could offer offenders with options other than going to prison. Since he was previously a hacker, Chris sympathized with many of those he was sent to corral. The book delves a little into Chris's background and tells the tale of a simple prank gone bad. But Chris turned his life around, went to law school, and never went back to hacking. The same can not be said for others in his position.The book starts out with Chris traveling to Europe to retrieve the source code for an operating system used by almost everyone. Chris's client (think Microsoft) wanted the code returned because if it became widely available, hackers could find holes to insert viruses and this would in turn impact the trust of those using their product. But someone had beaten Chris to his target and as he stands knocking on the door, he hears a gunshot. Upon gaining entrance to the apartment, he finds the hacker dead, but also finds a copy of the source code along with a virus they called LURKER.Upon returning to San Francisco, Chris finds himself in the middle of the attempt to find those responsible for the Lurker virus. Enlisting the help of Zoey. a local hacker, they return to Europe in order to follow up a lead. It is then they find out that the mastermind behind the virus has targeted a major city for the virus and that he has implicated Chris in the conspiracy. Believing he needed to remain free in order to clear his name, Chris and Zoey must evade Interpol, the CIA, the DOJ, and the real hacker as well.I thought this was a very good book. The pace was steady, picking up toward the end and the final climax. It was written in a way that non tech savvy readers would understand what was going on and gave a little insight into the world of hacking. I hope Mr. Hirsch includes Zoey in his subsequent novels as I thought she made a good companion to Chris. I am looking forward to reading more about Chris Bruen and his future exploits.

This is the third book in the Chris Bruen cybercrime lawyer book that I have read, but it is the first book in that series of three, by Reece Hirsch. Somehow, I have managed to read the three books in exact reverse order of publication - something I would not suggest as the optimum way to enjoy these books.In this novel we find our "hero" Chris Bruen after he has departed the DOJ and he has become the partner at a San Fran corporate law firm dealing with cybercrime. He is dragged into a battle with a hacker known as Enigma who has planned a terrorist attack. A very exciting novel ripped from today's headlines. The overall thrust of the Bruen novels is to make the public aware of the potential for harm due to cybercrime and surveillance.I was somewhat surprised that in this 2013 book, that the author had a knowledgeable attorney travel overseas (to Spain) with Travelers Checks - maybe if the book was set in the 1990's - but, certainly not in 2013. I found that flaw jarring. Another was his having a quote that a character was "watching Law and Order - one of the good ones with Vincent D'Onofrio" - first off that was "Law and Order - Criminal Intent" not Law and Order - two entirely different shows - and if we want to talk about the "good ones" - my personal opinion would be to forget all the Criminal Intent shows and go back to the early originals with Jerry Orbach or Paul Sorvino.The author seems to publish one of these Chris Bruen novels every two years - so, if he holds to that schedule we should see the fourth in the series in 2018 - I am looking forward to it.

Not knowing what to expect when reading about an ex-DOJ lawyer trying to contain a weaponized computer virus, I was not disappointed with this eye-opening cyber adventure and introduction to the world of hackers. This is a good escape read for a long weekend.Chris Bruen is a likable character with plenty of weaknesses, making him relatable and smart. The storyline background lays a solid foundation from this book to the rest of the book series. Reece Hirsch's storytelling combines both fast-action with slower introspective deliberation sections, pacing this thriller with a slow-burning rhythm that allows the plotline to develop at increasingly more intense stages. It was a fun and compelling read. Didn't want to put it down.Given our reliance on technology, this book will definitely scare you, but it makes us a little wiser. Make sure you have time to think about the author's implications. Although this book would likely be better with 50-60 fewer pages, I understand why the author skillfully added needed technical information in smaller bites to help non techies understand but without slowing the storyline.The well-done Audible narration helped keep me going through many of the slower sections. I liked having both print and audio versions combined.I purchased the next two books in the series, hoping to enjoy more of this author's skillful storytelling.

Well done reece hirsch. I couldnt put this down even when I should of been alslerp. Didnot see the twist and turns coming. Readers read this and I cannot wait for the next one

Very believable, very exciting and a bit worrying because this may well be one of the weapons of the future. Even if you are not into computers, it is still a darned good read

Got this pretty cheap but it's better than I thought it would have been.Could be a bit better though.

Genuinely couldn't put this book down. Having travelled to some of the destinations mentioned in the book, it almost felt like I was watching a film.

excellent read