If you read one book in 2009, read Daemon. 

It’s unusual for me to recommend a book so early in the year.  Daemon is only my fourth book of 2009.  It’s a first novel.  And it’s mental floss.  But it’s as close to flawless for a book of its genre.

I first heard about Daemon in December from Rick Klau.  I got to know Rick at FeedBurner; he’s now at Google running Blogger.  Rick told me that I had to read this book.  He pointed me to a blog post he had written in 2007 about it.

“I can remember the feeling I had, sitting in the audience as the credits rolled after seeing The Matrix on opening day. I knew I’d seen something that was different, important, and something that I’d want to see again. And again. When I finished Daemon this afternoon, I had that same feeling. Daemon is to novels what The Matrix was to movies. It will be how other novels that rely on technology are judged.”

I immediately one-clicked it on Amazon.  It wasn’t available for the Kindle so the hardcover showed up a week or so ago.  I devoured it this weekend.  Rick’s assessment was correct – this is by far the best techno-thriller I’ve ever read.

The author – Daniel Suarez (also known as Leinad Zeraus) describes himself as “an independent systems consultant to Fortune 1000 companies … An avid gamer and technologist, he lives in California.”  He doesn’t mention that he is a magnificent writer and brilliant storyteller.

I won’t ruin any of it for you.  It’s got everything you’d expect in a fast paced book that will appeal to anyone that likes Crichton, Brown, Clancy, or my newfound friend David Stone.  The tech holds together well and is completely accessible to non-nerds and nerds alike.  It’s a page turner with very little wasted plot or character development.  And it sets up the sequel (Freedom) superbly.

Yum.