Dick, Theodore Sturgeon, Harlan Ellison, and Thomas Disch brought science fiction into a new realm in the 1960’s and 70’s and Bruce Sterling and William Gibson and Neal Stephenson did the same in the 1980’s and 90’s Ramez Naam is forging new paths in the new millennium. Just as authors like Roger Zelazny, Philip K. But whereas too many writers who work professionally in the field have an edge in their voice that makes them come across as superior, talking down to the reader, Naam delivers his information cleanly and easily so that the reader understands what sounds as though it might be complicated.Ī thriller that ebbs and flows brilliantly, what makes this a remarkable book is not the subject of the book … the combination of nano-technology and synthetic drugs … but the morality questions that Naam raises and the opportunities to look at what it means to be human and a part of the greater humanity. His background as a computer scientist (holding 20 patents) working for Microsoft and developing email, web browsing, and artificial intelligence, has given him a certain authority to write intelligently on technological advances. Lane is coerced (strong-armed) into working with the government, though as the story progresses, the lines between who is on the ‘right’ side of both morality and legality, becomes blurred.Īuthor Naam writes the technological aspects incredibly well. Lane believes that enabling humans to connect on the immediate, mental level will elevate humanity to a higher consciousness and bring humanity closer together which would make the world a better place.īut Nexus is still a drug, and the government has concerns about this becoming wide-spread.

It’s a cross between telepathy and telecommunication. Altruistic genius Kaden Lane is developing the newest version of Nexus, Nexus-5, which allows for an individual to be connected with other individuals. ‘Nexus’ is an experimental drug using nano-technology to boost an individual’s consciousness. Nexus, by Ramez Naam combines the ever-changing, fast-growing world of technology with the human desire to find alternative methods of achieving a ‘high.’ At the same time, this novel is more than just a dark sci-fi story … it is a wild, action-packed thriller as well.

It has been awhile since I read a book that completely knocked me on my ass with its originality and excitement.

Nexus ramez