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Radio Freefall by Matthew Jarpe
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Radio Freefall

by Matthew Jarpe

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345168,638 (4)12
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Showing 5 of 5
I read this book for RL book group. I didn't expect much, the description turned me off, and the idea of comparing it to The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (MIHM) also annoyed me.

The book delivered though. It had many story layers, that all worked together. Good characters, and writing, and the story was interesting. It dealt with music, and computers, and cyber culture and other more basic and enduring human traits and emotions. It also brought in the Moon colony and a space station, so it had the 'feel' of MIHM, without trying to copy or one up it.

I found it that rare book that I enjoyed, but don't feel the need for another book, or more story (series). That is not to say that I wouldn't read this author again, because I would.

Very good, satisfying first effort. ( )
  FicusFan | Jan 23, 2009 |
I enjoyed it, but not as much as I thought I would.

While it some very good ideas and concepts of a future world it pushes the most intersting aspects to the background in favour of lots of useless set pieces with the band.

The technology and ideas are well thought out with the AI's, the Digital Carnivore and the "Machine", the idea of rock music and sci fi is a good one and the characters are decent enough. My problem is that it didn't really expand enough on the bits I was looking for.

It spends most of the book with the 2 main characters researching the Carnivore or doing band related stuff and then rather late and abruptly it pushes the political problems and the revolution to the fore. I felt I wanted more background on it and more information on the moon situation etc.

The main villian is a "Bill Gates on steroids" like figure, head of the largest web company in the world, but you never really see his motivation for taking over the world and comes across as a bit one dimensional.

However the 2 main characters and the band members were enough to keep me entertained.

Overall a fun read, but not without some flaws. ( )
  Lucien21 | Jan 16, 2009 |
Loved this book, could not put it down and at the end I wanted more. ( )
  gimble | Aug 1, 2008 |
Reading through the night, unable to put this book down, I realized Radio Freefall's claim of being a rock and roll cyberpunk romp that exceeds pomp and circumstance, worships various masters of at least three different science fiction sub-genres, drawing subtly new ideas, and having a really kick-ass time doing it. I rather liked the Ken Kesey character morphed into a tech guru. ( )
  psybre | Jun 30, 2008 |
Quick read. The story was engaging and through proving. Set in the not too distant future this novel explores the dynamics of technology, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness. ( )
  johncstark | Dec 28, 2007 |
Showing 5 of 5
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Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0765317842, Hardcover)

In the tradition of Robert A. Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress but with a healthy dose of cyberpunk: Radio Freefall is about a plot to take over the Earth by power-mad, sociopathic computer-geek billionaire, Walter Cheeseman. It's up to a strange cast of rock stars and oddballs to stop him.
 
Aqualung, a mysterious blues musician who also has superhuman tech skills, might be the catalyst for the resistance--or he might just be the pawn of artificial intelligences.
 
To thwart the takeover, the orbitals and the moon colonies secede from Earth. And then something like the Singularity happens, but no one is quite sure.
 
This is a novel of cyberpunk and rock and roll, of technology, artificial intelligence, and wild riffs off of Heinlein all mixed into an explosive debut.
 
Matthew Jarpe launches his SF career with a bang!

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:10 -0400)

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