Cyberterrorism as an Attack on our Minds as Much as our
Bodies
CyberStorm is a story
of survival, a tale about Mike Mitchell and his family and friends struggling
to stay alive in New York City without power, without water, with rapidly
diminishing food supplies, and with limited, unreliable communications. Presumably
the result of a cyberattack, the situation deteriorates further when the city
is hit with a major snowstorm. Under these dire conditions, the psychological
growth of the characters is particularly well portrayed by author Matthew
Mather. I enjoyed watching the relationship between Mitchell and his wife
change. Their initial discord gave way to a bond they forged under the threat
of starvation, illness, injury, and freezing to death. Mitchell’s growth is
also well portrayed. The women, in general terms, are disappointingly shallow
for much of the book, making their later adaptation seem a bit too little, too
late, but it is there. Of course, the threat to life didn’t bring out altruism
in everyone. Author Mather’s villains are viable, although not as diabolical as
they might have been.
As
an attack on our physical existence, the book is somewhat lacking in creativity.
If you design a situation where some eight million or so people are trapped in
a dying city, which Mather does, it’s not hard to imagine what would happen.
Looting at first, then killing to survive when the stores are picked clean.
True, these events are chillingly described, but I did not find them surprising
or particularly gripping (but then, maybe I read too many dystopian novels).
What
is, however, much more insightful is the book’s portrayal of the effect of
cyberterrorism on our minds. As a reader, we know what Mike Mitchell believes
to be true and what he believes is shaped by his expectations as much as his
experiences. In the final few pages, Mather peels back the distorting
influences of the main character’s preconceptions and we as readers get a look
at ground truth, witnessing how the isolation and deprivation caused by a
cyberattack and massive storm might play with our heads. If there is a
limitation in this aspect of the story, it is that Mather left it until very
late, making it feel a bit rushed and underdeveloped. But from my perspective,
this insight, along with a well-told story of surviving against all odds makes
this book a stellar read.
(I am a participant in the
Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program
designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and
affiliated sites.)
I’m honored that Mind
in Chains has been recognized as an Indie BRAG Medallion Honoree.
