Digital Fortress by Dan Brown

Fiction. Paperback from Corgi Books. Originally published in 1998, republished 2004. Purchased at Books, Etc. at London Luton Airport, UK.

As we were heading out on our trip to Ireland, I stopped in the bookshop for something to read, and this is what caught my eye. I figured since I'd read all the other Dan Brown books published so far, I'd go ahead and read this one as well. Since his popularity has soared since The Da Vinci Code, the publisher has been reissuing his older books. This is the oldest one they've recently put out. I'm under the impression that it is his first book, though I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

The book doesn't seem to have the smoother writing style of his later books, but is still an enjoyable enough read. I would not want to place all my faith in his knowledge of how computers work, but I don't have to believe that something would really work in order to enjoy a book. I do get a little tired of all the main characters in books being drop-dead gorgeous and long-legged or stunningly handsome - as if she or he wouldn't be an enjoyable character otherwise.

Publisher's summary:
When the NSA's invincible code-breaking machine - encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls in its head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, a brilliant and beautiful mathematician. What she uncovers sends shock waves through the corridors of power. The NSA is being held hostage...not by guns or bombs, but by a code so ingeniously complex that if released it will cripple U.S. intelligence.

To buy from amazon.co.uk, click here: Digital Fortress
from amazon.com, click here: Digital Fortress