Entertainment, Books - Navy Times

Tech thriller ‘Daemon’ rises from underground

You may never have heard of “Daemon” author Leinad Zeraus, but get ready to hear a lot about “Daemon” author Daniel Suarez.

A computer systems consultant and fan of computer games, Suarez self-published his debut techno thriller in 2006 using a pseudonym he created by reversing the spellings of his first and last names.

Thanks to the growing underground popularity of “Daemon” with techies and bloggers, followed by an April 2008 “Wired” magazine article about the book’s snowballing fan base, Suarez got a two-book contract with a major New York publishing house. Dutton will publish “Daemon” on Thursday.

“Daemon” is the story of a billionaire computer game designer who plans to take over the world — after his death. As soon as his obituary is posted online, a dormant computer program (a “daemon”) sets in motion a dastardly plot involving identity theft, financial crises and murder.

The action takes place in the world of multi-player online games and incorporates existing technology including laser-beam weapons that deliver lethal electrical charges, unmanned vehicles used as killing machines, zombie computers and Web bots.

“I was really keen on using real technology,” says Suarez, 46, who lives in Los Angeles. “To me, that was the whole point.”

Early reviews are stellar. A “thrill-a-nanosecond novel,” says “Booklist.” “Publishers Weekly,” in a starred review, calls it “riveting.” Suarez’s technologic acumen and plausible but outrageous story line is drawing comparisons with Michael Crichton, Neal Stephenson and Tom Clancy.

The tech world is raving, too. The dust jacket of “Daemon” includes blurbs from Craigslist founder Craig Newmark, BuzzFeed’s Eric J. Olson and Google’s Rick Klau.

“Daniel really knows his stuff,” says Klau, who blogged about “Daemon” and shared the book with futurist John Robb and White House cyber security chief Billy O’Brien.

The book’s accuracy, says Klau, sets a new standard for future technology-based novels. And maybe movies, as well. Producer and three-time Academy Award nominee Walter Parks, whose movies include “Minority Report,” “The Ring” and “A.I”., has optioned the film rights.

As to whether “Daemon,” which pivots on the unregulated power of the Internet, is a doomsday scenario, Suarez says he prefers to call it a cautionary tale. “It’s more shedding some light on a critical issue — whether technology will enslave us or liberate us — but I guess it is a little doomsday-ish.”

“Freedom,” a sequel, will be published in 2010.