I’m about six chapters into Cory Doctorow’s novel Little Brother and it’s turned into a real page turner. For me, it has been one of those books that when you aren’t reading it you’re thinking about the story and when you’ll get to read it next. So far the story has had a similar feel to be that 1984 did in that I have this funny feeling in my stomach due to the suspense of the story.
Doctorow sets close to the beginning what will happen to the lead character if he gets caught, and I get the feeling that he will get caught, but while I’m reading I’m hoping I’m wrong. You know what I mean? Anyhow, this really adds to the “page turning” qualities of the story.
The story involves a terrorist attack on US soil and the Department of Homeland Security’s overreaction to that. Unthinkable, I know *rolls eyes*. Anyhow, I suggest giving this a look. Again, you can download and read the novel for free. I’m reading it for free on my Sony Reader, which has worked well for me. However, I like the book so much I plan on buying a copy as well.
Along those same lines of overreacting and taking away our freedoms, there have been an alarming number of instances reported on Boing Boing (Cory Doctorow is a writer there too) regarding innocent people being harassed by the police for the serious crime of taking pictures of public buildings. Not private buildings. Public buildings, you know the ones our tax money pays for?
There was a post earlier today by a guy who says “Two FBI agents just showed up at my door for taking photos in the Port of Los Angeles”.
Another post was titled Taking pictures on LA’s Red Line violates the “9/11 Law” with a Metro Worker quoted as saying “Hey! It’s against the 9-11 Law to take pictures down here man!”. First of all, the “9/11” law? Second of all, this is supposed to make me feel safe? It makes me more afraid.
See, they are allowed to put cameras up everywhere and monitor our movements whenever they like. However, we aren’t allowed to take pictures of a building because we might be planning terror. Please.
These are only two examples. There have been many more. How long will they continue to take our freedoms away in the name of “keeping us safe”? As long as we let them.
The Struggling Writer 
Damn, I forgot about this one. Thanks for the reminder.
I’m all into dystopian things.
And perhaps, this story is not so much about the future…
“How long will they continue to take our freedoms away in the name of “keeping us safe”? As long as we let them.” ABSOLUTELY SPOT ON. As long as we let them. We must fight these kinds of things if we are to resist the encroaching fascism trying to take over our beautiful country. Thanks for the post!
Hear, hear! A very pertinent post. Thanks for letting us know about this book. I shall definitely read it.
Cory is in Seattle this weekend, and I had the opportunity to speak briefly with him in anticipation of an appearance he’ll be making at one of our libraries, (and to do a couple of posts on Shelf Talk, the library’s blog). It is really really great to see this title bringing a lot of new readers to him, and maybe inspiring other writers with his creative commons ethos. Clearly if you give it away, you can still sell it – I think he just hit #9 on the NYT list.
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