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Signal to Noise
Eric S. Nylund Book Review

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Plot Summary of Signal to Noise
"A cyberpunk trip not for the weak of heart or intellect. It's a techno-filled future where everyone is implanted with links to a sensory-virtual Internet. Our hero is a brilliant but bewildered academic who discovers a way to communicate with an alien, barters for technologic information, and gets caught up in international intrigue, corporate boardroom politics, and good-old-fashioned gun battles and chases."
Craig Little, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Signal to Noise
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30%




Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Plotlets: - generally friendly contact with alien(s)
Robots, Computers, VR Yes
Robot, PC, VR Plotlets: - virtual reality
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - scientist
Age: - 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - healthy but a geeky weakling

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male Alien
Profession/status: - business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters

Setting
Earth setting: - near future (later in 21st century)
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - the book is simply packed with technical jargon
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references only
How much dialogue? - significantly more descript than dialog
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