Daemon - A techno-thriller by Leinad Zeraus

“Daemon is a thought-provoking novel that presents real technologies in a new and terrible light. It's a hard book to put down.”
— Tom Leonard, Lead AI architect Half-Life 2 (Valve Software)

“Someday, we may be defending our systems against automated threats that aren't just dumb viruses—and the ideas in Daemon will move from the fiction to the nonfiction section.”
— Jim Rapoza, eWeek (Ziff Davis)

“Daemon is better than early Tom Clancy...The tech is invoked with inside knowledge, the writing is better, and deeper issues are explored with greater imagination.”
— Stewart Brand, Founder Whole Earth Catalog & co-founder the Long Now Foundation

“Zeraus is the best author of tech fiction since Bruce Sterling and Neal Stephenson. Buy everything he writes.”
— John Robb, futurist & Author of Brave New War

“Daemon is the real deal—a scary look at what can go wrong as we depend increasingly on computer networks.”
— Craig Newmark, Founder Craigslist

“Daemon is to novels what The Matrix was to movies. It will be how other novels that rely on technology will be judged.”
— Rick Klau, VP FeedBurner

“A first-class story that raced, twisting, to a conclusion that left me dying to read Mr. Zeraus's next offering. This book will change the way you look at our society.”
— Wurzel Parsons-Keir Co-founder, Continuous Computing

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The next killer app has arrived

Daemon brings readers on a harrowing journey through the dark crawl spaces of the modern world. It's a cutting-edge high-tech thriller that explores the convergence of MMOG's, BotNets, viral ecosystems, and corporate dominance—forces which are quietly reshaping society with very real consequences for us all.

It all begins when one man's obituary appears online. . .

Matthew Sobol was a legendary computer game designer—the architect behind half a dozen popular online games. His premature death from brain cancer depressed both gamers and his company’s stock price. But Sobol’s fans weren’t the only ones to note his passing. He left behind something that was scanning Internet obituaries, too—something that put in motion a whole series of programs upon his death. Programs that moved money. Programs that recruited people. Programs that killed.

Confronted with a killer from beyond the grave, Detective Peter Sebeck comes face-to-face with the full implications of our increasingly complex and interconnected world—one where the dead can read headlines, steal identities, and carry out far-reaching plans without fear of retribution. Sebeck must find a way to stop Sobol’s web of programs—his Daemon—before it achieves its ultimate purpose. And to do so, he must uncover what that purpose is . . .

The modern world is about to get 'pwned'

Drawing on over a decade of experience as a corporate IT consultant, Leinad Zeraus has written a potentially controversial book – one that targets the public’s uneasiness over a world they no longer fully understand. It will (and should) unsettle those who read it.

More than just a techno-thriller, Daemon is a timely and relevant book that’s receiving high praise from technology experts and everyday readers alike (see more reviews here). Quickly expanding beyond its high-concept premise, Daemon is fast-paced, technologically accurate, and terrifying in its scope. It demonstrates what a house of cards the modern world has become, and what may soon rise in its place.

Look for the Sequel to Daemon in 2008

If you enjoyed Daemon, be sure to look for Freedom^TM, coming in late 2008 from Verdugo Press. Get updated release information at the Verdugo Press web site.

Technology in the News . . .

“Daemon is a thought-provoking novel that presents real technologies in a new and terrible light. It's a hard book to put down.” — Tom Leonard, Lead AI architect Half-Life 2 (Valve Software)

“Someday, we may be defending our systems against automated threats that aren't just dumb viruses—and the ideas in Daemon will move from the fiction to the nonfiction section.” — Jim Rapoza, eWeek (Ziff Davis)

“Daemon is better than early Tom Clancy...The tech is invoked with inside knowledge, the writing is better, and deeper issues are explored with greater imagination.” — Stewart Brand, Founder Whole Earth Catalog & co-founder the Long Now Foundation

“Zeraus is the best author of tech fiction since Bruce Sterling and Neal Stephenson. Buy everything he writes.” — John Robb, futurist & Author of Brave New War

“Daemon is the real deal—a scary look at what can go wrong as we depend increasingly on computer networks.” — Craig Newmark, Founder Craigslist

“Daemon is to novels what The Matrix was to movies. It will be how other novels that rely on technology will be judged.” — Rick Klau, VP FeedBurner

“A first-class story that raced, twisting, to a conclusion that left me dying to read Mr. Zeraus's next offering. This book will change the way you look at our society.” — Wurzel Parsons-Keir Co-founder, Continuous Computing