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Ask HN: Books on hacking (Fiction)

5 points by ferostar 15y ago

I want to read a fictional book, a novel, about hacking and coding. It doesn't have to be the main subject of the book or as epic and accurate as a Neal Stephenson novel, i settle for a programmer character. For instance, i know The Girl with a Dragon Tatoo's Lisbeth is a hacker and that the trilogy is supposed to have a couple of lines of, i don't know, a hacker doing it's thing? The culture, and so... Bruce Sterling has written a couple i think, but you tell me.

latch 15y ago
The Bug by Ellen Ullman was popular when it came out. I couldn't stand it.
tobylane 15y ago
Artemis Fowl? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Artemis-Fowl-Eoin-Colfer/dp/0141312122 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Artemis-Fowl-Eoin-Colfer/dp/01413121... though just get it from your library (which may have a different cover).
th0ma5 15y ago
Not quite hacking, and not quite fiction, but I think Microserfs as well as others by the same author are representational of the more above-ground hacking that goes on quite a bit.
- ferostar 15y ago
  Awesome book. Didn't read it, actually, but listened to the audio book readed by Mathew Perry. Yes, the one from Friends. Love it anyway and might check jPod, from same author.
brk 15y ago
Have you read "Emergency" by Neil Strauss? It's kind of all about hacking real life. Great read, IMO.
- ferostar 15y ago
  Didn't knew this one, thanks!
sixtofour 15y ago
Amazon looks like it may have a lot of what you're looking for: Books › Mystery & Thrillers › Thrillers › Technothrillers Lots of interesting looking books in there. It looks like if you put "hacking" in Amazon's search field at the top, and then in the left margin drill down through the genres, you'll get a hacking focused list, e.g. http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_16?rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Ahacking%2Cn%3A!1000%2Cn%3A18&bbn=1000&keywords=hacking&ie=UTF8&qid=1306849604&rnid=1000 http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_16?rh=n%3A283155... More generally, Amazon via Google: http://www.google.com/search?q=amazon+hacking+fiction http://www.google.com/search?q=amazon+hacking+fiction
kgutteridge 15y ago
Grumby by Andy Kessler "its a very funny novel set in Silicon Valley (and Wall Street), about a hacker that creates the next great consumer electronics device (believe me, you’ll want one) and then the rollercoaster ride of getting screwed by VCs, hacked, the deluge of orders, Chinese manufacturing, privacy issues and going public amongst the chaos of competition and rivalries. the technology is its own character, eyes, ears, voice and face recognition, GPS, spy software and a wise-ass personality."

5 points by ferostar 15y ago

latch 15y ago

The Bug by Ellen Ullman was popular when it came out. I couldn't stand it.

tobylane 15y ago

Artemis Fowl? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Artemis-Fowl-Eoin-Colfer/dp/0141312122 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Artemis-Fowl-Eoin-Colfer/dp/01413121... though just get it from your library (which may have a different cover).

th0ma5 15y ago

Not quite hacking, and not quite fiction, but I think Microserfs as well as others by the same author are representational of the more above-ground hacking that goes on quite a bit.

ferostar 15y ago
Awesome book. Didn't read it, actually, but listened to the audio book readed by Mathew Perry. Yes, the one from Friends. Love it anyway and might check jPod, from same author.

brk 15y ago

Have you read "Emergency" by Neil Strauss? It's kind of all about hacking real life. Great read, IMO.

ferostar 15y ago
Didn't knew this one, thanks!

sixtofour 15y ago

Amazon looks like it may have a lot of what you're looking for: Books › Mystery & Thrillers › Thrillers › Technothrillers Lots of interesting looking books in there. It looks like if you put "hacking" in Amazon's search field at the top, and then in the left margin drill down through the genres, you'll get a hacking focused list, e.g. http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_16?rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Ahacking%2Cn%3A!1000%2Cn%3A18&bbn=1000&keywords=hacking&ie=UTF8&qid=1306849604&rnid=1000 http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_16?rh=n%3A283155... More generally, Amazon via Google: http://www.google.com/search?q=amazon+hacking+fiction http://www.google.com/search?q=amazon+hacking+fiction

kgutteridge 15y ago

Grumby by Andy Kessler "its a very funny novel set in Silicon Valley (and Wall Street), about a hacker that creates the next great consumer electronics device (believe me, you’ll want one) and then the rollercoaster ride of getting screwed by VCs, hacked, the deluge of orders, Chinese manufacturing, privacy issues and going public amongst the chaos of competition and rivalries. the technology is its own character, eyes, ears, voice and face recognition, GPS, spy software and a wise-ass personality."