Already an underground sensation, a high-tech thriller for the wireless age that explores the unthinkable consequences of a computer program running without human controlaa daemonadesigned to dismantle society and bring about a new world order Technology controls almost everything in our modern-day world, from remote entry on our cars to access to our homes, from the flight controls of our airplanes to the movements of the entire world economy. Thousands of autonomous computer programs, or daemons, make our networked world possible, running constantly in the background of our lives, trafficking e-mail, transferring money, and monitoring power grids. For the most part, daemons are benign, but the same canat always be said for the people who design them. Matthew Sobol was a legendary computer game designerathe architect behind half-a-dozen popular online games. His premature death depressed both gamers and his companyas stock price. But Sobolas fans arenat the only ones to note his passing. When his obituary is posted online, a previously dormant daemon activates, initiating a chain of events intended to unravel the fabric of our hyper-efficient, interconnected world. With Sobolas secrets buried along with him, and as new layers of his daemon are unleashed at every turn, itas up to an unlikely alliance to decipher his intricate plans and wrest the world from the grasp of a nameless, faceless enemyaor learn to live in a society in which we are no longer in control. . . . Computer technology expert Daniel Suarez blends haunting high-tech realism with gripping suspense in an authentic, complex thriller in the tradition of Michael Crichton, Neal Stephenson, and William Gibson.

科技驚悚小說界新舵手　丹尼爾．史瓦雷茲（Daniel Suarez）

2002年，在矽谷工作了大半輩子的程式設計師史瓦雷茲發現，大部分人在工作時只是根據指示辦事，如果在公司系統裡偷偷做手腳，幾乎不會被人發現。這個體會觸動了他，史瓦雷茲開始利用下班時間提筆寫作。

兩年後，處女作《網路殺神》完稿，但沒有文學經紀人願意接手，真正看完稿子的人只有三位，而且統統不看好。

史瓦雷茲想，既然寫的是網路世界的小說，不如就讓網路來決定小說的命運。他在網路上尋找按需印刷的工廠自費印書、在部落圈找專門寫線上遊戲、軍事、人工智慧、社會網路的部落客進行試讀。

口碑漸漸發酵開來的同時，發生了兩件事情，大大改變《網路殺神》的命運。

第一是部落格訂閱系統 Feedburner 的創辦人克勞看了他的小說；第二是 Google 買下了 Feedburner。

被《網路殺神》「電到」的克勞用盡全力、逢人就推。於是，Google 負責演算法的 Matt Cutts 在他的部落格提到這本書，資訊戰專家 John Robb 在網站上給予好評，網路創業家伊藤穰一（Joi Ito）、網路思想家布藍德（Stewart Brand）、Craigslist 創辦人紐馬克（Craig Newmark），推薦人越來越多，連白宮網路安全顧問都寫下重量級推薦。

到了2008年三月，這本自助出版的書，每個月可以賣超過一千二百本。

亮眼的成績驚動了主流出版界，達頓（Dutton）出版社一口氣跟史瓦雷茲簽了兩本書。2009年重新包裝上市的《網路殺神》也不負眾望，甫推出立刻衝上紐約時報暢銷書總榜第25名。讀者盛讚史瓦雷茲足可媲美《恐懼的總和》的湯姆．克蘭西和《侏羅紀公園》的麥可．克萊頓。同一個月，派拉蒙影業宣布簽下《網路殺神》的電影版權。

至此，史瓦雷茲已成為科幻小說界新起的巨星、科技驚悚小說界的新舵手！