Not many books take an invention from the start to the working-prototype finish. This is one such book.

A new invention, the intimate affects on the lives of the inventors, the conspiring political scene, both in the US and the world, and more. I enjoyed the ride, with it all coming together in a great action sequence.

I thought the story had a nice balance between the science and the effects on the lives of the main characters. It didn't delve into dry scientific terms and explanations, but instead kept my interest to keep reading to learn more. I also liked the changing relationship between the two main characters, in a development in their affection to each other from something more clinical to something more emotional-based.

This was the first book of a series, and I'm looking forward to reading the others. ( )

I am a long-time fan of Jerry Weinberg's non-fiction writing, and was pleased to hear he was moving into fiction. My typical read is classic science fiction, and I struggled with the first few chapters. The characters are flawed and make mistakes, but it's unclear what they are learning.

Then you start to see consequences for poor choices, and Wienberg picks up the pace. Slowly, but quicker and quicker, you see the characters develop as all forces -- and all sides -- are drawn toward a central conflict that results in a showdown. The last fifty pages had me nailed to the chair, flipping pages, unwilling to get up for any reason - it's that good.

Like I said, this is Weinberg's first attempt at mass-market fiction. Some of the characters are a bit wooden, some of the imagery is a little flat, the tone struggles a bit at the beginning, and, to be honest, my family hates the cover. All of those relatively small things conspire to keep this away from a five-star rating - but it's definitely four stars. If you like cyberpunk or techno-thrillers, I suspect you will love it, but it's an enjoyable read even if that isn't your favorite genre.

If Weinberg can produce this level of quality on his first novel, I suspect we have much to look forward to!

I enjoyed reading Jerry Weinberg's foray into fiction writing. I have had the pleasure of knowing Jerry for about ten years and his non-fiction writing for twenty years. As he reveals in his blog on writing (weinbergonwriting.blogspot.com), Jerry has returned to fiction writing as a way to spread some of his lessons learned from 50 years working in computers and other technical areas.

That was the source of my joy reading "The Aremac Project" - finding the gems of technical advice woven into the story of terrorists and hero technologists (yes, a book where the geeks are the good guys).

Among the good advice to use is:

People trap themselves in inefficient patterns and aren't likely to change unless something drastic happens to them.
It's is because software is easier to change that it requires more discipline.
The lack of clues is a clue.
Telling them to go faster only leads to making mistakes.
Notice the world around you.
Among the bad advice frequently given and we should all avoid is:

What could possibly go wrong?
We don't have time to make a plan.
Thinking is a luxury we can no longer afford.
I especially appreciated the lesson on intellectual property rights. Weinberg knows this topic after having published 40-something books and hundreds of papers. His advice serves authors and others (like computer programmers) well, and for us this is worth the price of the novel.

I recommend "The Aremac Project" for anyone wishing entertainment and consultation with one of the technical world's leading consultants. ( )