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[reviews]
Review by Kam Aures of RebeccasReads.
Roland Hughes’s Preface in his book “Infinite Exposure” begins with “This book is a work of fiction. It uses many historical events, news
articles, and company names to build a time line necessary for projection forward. Without using many of these actual names and quotes,
it would be difficult to build the sense of realism that gives credibility to the outcome. There is no slander or malice intended. Indeed this
book is intended to be a wakeup call for both an industry and a country.” (p.7) Reading through the book, I found Hughes’s writing to
indeed be very close to reality. The occurrences in the book mimic existing situations in the world and the resulting consequences are not
desirable by any means.
The basic premise of Hughes’s book is how developing data centers and sending IT jobs overseas is detrimental to the future of the
world. The result of this cost-cutting measure is the biggest al-Qaeda attack in history, and nuclear war. As anyone who has ever called
for technical support on a computer or other product knows, overseas centers are a current and prevalent fact of life. I could go on for
pages and pages about what I think about overseas support centers but this is not the place for that. However, Hughes’s fictional
account of what the resulting effects of this money-saving action could be is a frighteningly realistic possibility.
On the title page it is stated that, “The book is meant to be a warning of what very well may happen if policies, laws, and business
directions are not changed quickly.” I think that this book would be a relevant read to anyone who has ever pondered what the effects of
sending jobs offshore may be and to those that have fears about the future of the world. Hughes does a great job of presenting a
detailed account of just how everything may unfortunately play out. The writing is interesting and will definitely get the reader’s attention
and open their eyes to changes that need to be made. For those that are up-to-date on current events, the scenarios presented in the
book will hit all too close to home. Hopefully the events that occur in the fictional “Infinite Exposure” will not become a reality in the not-
too-distant future.
Review by Dr. Tami Brady of TCM Reviews.
Nedim was a good Muslim but he wasn't a terrorist. At least, that's what he told himself. It had all started so innocently. He needed a
computer to do his schoolwork. A friendly cleric wanted to help. The only thing he asked in return was that Nedim send a few emails for
him, a couple of vacation shots, an embedded message here and there. What could be the harm in that?
The next thing Nedim knows he's being questioned by an anti-terrorist unit. The men asking the questions are playing for keeps. When
they ask for Nedim's help in locating terrorist nodules, it's obvious that he has no other choice.
Infinite Exposure gives a balanced behind the scenes look at terrorism and the war on terror. Not all terrorists are religion fanatics
looking to die for their cause. By the same token, often anti-terror measures aren't all that civilized. The average person has no idea of
what's really going on or how far-reaching the implications.
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: February 23, 2009
CIA operatives, al- Qaeda terrorists, Neo-Nazis, unscrupulous IT consultants and bumbling bankers are all expertly portrayed in Roland Hughes’ timely novel Infinite Exposure. Hughes, whose previous works have been in the IT field, has taken his intimate knowledge of the computer world and weaved it into a book that takes the reader into a frightening realm of possibilities where nuclear war is just one computer keystroke away.
Infinite Exposure opens in the Middle East with the interrogation of Nedim, a “good Muslim.” Is he a terrorist or are those interrogating him the rebels? The answer comes quickly as the reader is shown the workings of an al-qaeda cell through the words and thoughts of Nedim. The action quickly jumps to those following the terrorists and then hops overseas to America where Kent, a naive director of First Global Bank and his savvy assistant Margaret are being wooed by Big Four Consulting. Along the way, Hughes introduces the Brit, Hans, and Nikolaus, a member of the Reformed Nazi Party, all of whom play important roles in the forthcoming meltdown.
As the plot builds, Big Four Consulting has convinced First Global Bank to ‘off-shore’ all of their IT operations as a cost savings measure. Kent, who is oblivious to anything related to IT, doesn’t understand the ramifications and is only concerned with a possible move to a corner office. Soon, First Global has sold their data centers and outsourced to India, where workers are not vetted by the FBI, SEC, FDIC or other government agencies. With al-Qaeda lurking in the background, what will happen to sensitive data, such as credit card information, that is kept at these centers? Will terrorists be able to extract data to sell, thus making money to buy a cache of weapons and possibly even nuclear waste to build a dirty bomb?
Hughes has written a riveting story that looks at what could happen as more and more US businesses take advantage of cost savings by using off-shore companies to manage much of their data. All too frequently, those with a scientific background tend to use a very concise, analytical style of writing which does not usually lend itself well to novels, but the author overcomes that with a fluid, easy style that builds believable characters and situations. Although there is a fair amount of technical information presented throughout the book, Hughes takes it down to the reader’s level and although it may require the reader to slow down at these sections, it is certainly understandable.
Quill says: A mesmeric look at a possible world-wide terror attack.
Brown Levine
Independent Professional Book Reviewers
Posted April 30, 2009, 12:57 PM EST: In Infinite Exposure, author Roland Hughes portrays the global activities of a variety of less than savory groups. These activities culminate in a perfect storm of terror against the world banking system. Combining historical facts and philosophical theory, this work of fiction offers frightening scenarios for the future of the global community. The story opens with the capture of Nedim, an al-Qaeda operative who becomes a valuable asset to a group whose mission is to collect members of the terrorist group. Nedim believes himself to be a "good Muslim" even though he does not buy completely into all of the tenets of his religion (e.g. martyrdom or the seven virgins promise). This character lays the groundwork for a story that has a number of interconnected plots played out by an ensemble of personalities with complicated personal and professional lives. While Nedim is adjusting to life under surveillance, he secretly informs one of his al-Qaeda cohorts, John, of his situation. Reacting quickly, John acquires a new identity and relocates to India where he stumbles upon an opportunity at an American bank's off-shore data center where "roughly one-third of the world's money supply" would soon be passing through the system. On another level of the multiple sub-plots, human organs are being harvested and sold to the wealthy and desperate on the black market. Hughes has done extensive research in putting this book together. It is steeped in history and political theory while also rife with unusual and flawed characters who have familiar and often disheartening traits. The author skillfully incorporates his research into the book without overshadowing the plot. This is a long story, but it commands the reader's attention and will appeal to history and political buffs. It may also attract conspiracy theorists. Infinite Exposure is an insightful and powerful look at terrorism and the vulnerability of a post-911 world. I highly recommend it.
reviewed by Emily Hinton
The US Review of Books
"It's not every morning that you wake up with armed men kicking in your door and rushing into your bedroom, but that's certainly how this morning started. All because he really wanted a new computer. But that want was satisfied over a decade ago. Today, he couldn't even sell that computer on eBay. Today, it was a trip with a bag over his head, wearing handcuffs to an interrogation room."
This is a story written in factions, with several key plots occurring simultaneously in the Middle East. A man suspected of working with Al-Qaeda is picked up by a secret multinational organization and forced to help them uncover and kidnap members of terrorist cells. Captives are sent to a pair of secret interrogation camps in Germany, which are so swamped with black market profits that they call in a Russian investing firm. The Russian firm works very closely with Americans who harbor information that can destroy a large and powerful US bank. The bank has recently relocated all of its data centers to India in an effort to cut corners, and their data centers employ a man working with Al-Qaeda and plotting a massive covert operation. While all these plots seem only coincidentally linked, the final plot twist makes it clear that they are inextricably connected.
Writing fiction about events so close to our times is often a risky move. Pairing that with Hughes' unique arrangement of plot lines creates a weighty story, but the result is a deeply researched, highly detailed, and technically loaded novel, with a revolving pace that keeps the reader moving and resists getting bogged down in jargon. What an immense undertaking, and quite an achievement to pull off successfully.
Reviewed by: Sarah Moore
You can imagine a suitcase exploding in the middle of Times Square, slaughtering hundreds of tourists and commuters in its wake. We have seen the aftermath of a suicide bomber who makes a violent statement at a crowded marketplace in Baghdad. But, how many of us have contemplated the possibility of a terrorist plot that does not involve a single missile or IED? In his compelling novel Infinite Exposure, Roland Hughes challenges his readers to look at a world in which technology, economics, and old-fashioned greed merge to spark the Armageddon in a way that, although perhaps much different than most of us have imagined, seems all too plausible.
At the heart of the plot in Infinite Exposure is the desire by Kent Braxton, a business school graduate eager to move up the management ranks of First Global Bank, to find some cost-cutting measures for his company and therefore earn the promotion and larger salary that he craves. His solution, marketed to him by Big Four Consulting, is to consolidate all of the bank’s data centers to one location in India. Now, one-third of the world’s money supply will be traveling through a place in which the workers receive little training and are subject to minimal security checks, and where al Qaeda can easily infiltrate. The consequences of this naïve and ill-informed decision result in a run on money and resources that is catastrophic.
Hughes lends substantial credibility to his work through the ease with which he employs the language of computer systems and data networks in his writing. As someone who admittedly is not well-versed in these fields, I found my literary comfort level stretched when reading the technical details in Infinite Exposure. However, I also realized that I was reading the work of someone who approached the dire situation he lays out in his book with the expertise to know that the scenario is not necessarily restricted to the world of fiction. While I may not have understood every reference to backup media and terminal emulators, I became convinced of the warning that Hughes sends us in the pages of his novel.
Beyond detailing the technological manipulations that take place on a global scale, Infinite Exposure puts forth questions of ethics and international policy that should result in its readers looking at the stories on the 24-hour news networks from a different perspective. How is the drive to relocate our businesses to offshore sites in order to increase the profit margin opening the doors for terrorists to infiltrate our financial systems? What happens when we allow corporate greed to take precedence over sound and informed decision-making? What are the consequences of partnering with strange bedfellows, such as Nazis who want to harvest the organs of captured terrorists, when a shared enemy is being hunted?
As someone who always has been drawn to novels with a basis in history or actual world events, I was naturally curious about the premise put forth by Roland Hughes in Infinite Exposure. It did not take long for his masterful writing and chilling use of realistic scenarios and personalities to engage me fully in the storyline. While not a book that you can curl up in a chair and read in one Sunday afternoon sitting, Infinite Exposure will drive you forward through each new chapter as the simmering tension developed by Hughes slowly mounts with sophisticated craftsmanship. I strongly encourage everyone to read Infinite Exposure by Roland Hughes and then decide if our collective fear over national security threat levels has overlooked a more dangerous attack than any of us have imagined.
BookReview.com Review
Review by Kam Aures of RebeccasReads.
Roland Hughes’s Preface in his book “Infinite Exposure” begins with “This book is a work of fiction. It uses many historical events, news
articles, and company names to build a time line necessary for projection forward. Without using many of these actual names and quotes,
it would be difficult to build the sense of realism that gives credibility to the outcome. There is no slander or malice intended. Indeed this
book is intended to be a wakeup call for both an industry and a country.” (p.7) Reading through the book, I found Hughes’s writing to
indeed be very close to reality. The occurrences in the book mimic existing situations in the world and the resulting consequences are not
desirable by any means.
The basic premise of Hughes’s book is how developing data centers and sending IT jobs overseas is detrimental to the future of the
world. The result of this cost-cutting measure is the biggest al-Qaeda attack in history, and nuclear war. As anyone who has ever called
for technical support on a computer or other product knows, overseas centers are a current and prevalent fact of life. I could go on for
pages and pages about what I think about overseas support centers but this is not the place for that. However, Hughes’s fictional
account of what the resulting effects of this money-saving action could be is a frighteningly realistic possibility.
On the title page it is stated that, “The book is meant to be a warning of what very well may happen if policies, laws, and business
directions are not changed quickly.” I think that this book would be a relevant read to anyone who has ever pondered what the effects of
sending jobs offshore may be and to those that have fears about the future of the world. Hughes does a great job of presenting a
detailed account of just how everything may unfortunately play out. The writing is interesting and will definitely get the reader’s attention
and open their eyes to changes that need to be made. For those that are up-to-date on current events, the scenarios presented in the
book will hit all too close to home. Hopefully the events that occur in the fictional “Infinite Exposure” will not become a reality in the not-
too-distant future.
Review by Dr. Tami Brady of TCM Reviews.
Nedim was a good Muslim but he wasn't a terrorist. At least, that's what he told himself. It had all started so innocently. He needed a
computer to do his schoolwork. A friendly cleric wanted to help. The only thing he asked in return was that Nedim send a few emails for
him, a couple of vacation shots, an embedded message here and there. What could be the harm in that?
The next thing Nedim knows he's being questioned by an anti-terrorist unit. The men asking the questions are playing for keeps. When
they ask for Nedim's help in locating terrorist nodules, it's obvious that he has no other choice.
Infinite Exposure gives a balanced behind the scenes look at terrorism and the war on terror. Not all terrorists are religion fanatics
looking to die for their cause. By the same token, often anti-terror measures aren't all that civilized. The average person has no idea of
what's really going on or how far-reaching the implications.
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: February 23, 2009
CIA operatives, al- Qaeda terrorists, Neo-Nazis, unscrupulous IT consultants and bumbling bankers are all expertly portrayed in Roland Hughes’ timely novel Infinite Exposure. Hughes, whose previous works have been in the IT field, has taken his intimate knowledge of the computer world and weaved it into a book that takes the reader into a frightening realm of possibilities where nuclear war is just one computer keystroke away.
Infinite Exposure opens in the Middle East with the interrogation of Nedim, a “good Muslim.” Is he a terrorist or are those interrogating him the rebels? The answer comes quickly as the reader is shown the workings of an al-qaeda cell through the words and thoughts of Nedim. The action quickly jumps to those following the terrorists and then hops overseas to America where Kent, a naive director of First Global Bank and his savvy assistant Margaret are being wooed by Big Four Consulting. Along the way, Hughes introduces the Brit, Hans, and Nikolaus, a member of the Reformed Nazi Party, all of whom play important roles in the forthcoming meltdown.
As the plot builds, Big Four Consulting has convinced First Global Bank to ‘off-shore’ all of their IT operations as a cost savings measure. Kent, who is oblivious to anything related to IT, doesn’t understand the ramifications and is only concerned with a possible move to a corner office. Soon, First Global has sold their data centers and outsourced to India, where workers are not vetted by the FBI, SEC, FDIC or other government agencies. With al-Qaeda lurking in the background, what will happen to sensitive data, such as credit card information, that is kept at these centers? Will terrorists be able to extract data to sell, thus making money to buy a cache of weapons and possibly even nuclear waste to build a dirty bomb?
Hughes has written a riveting story that looks at what could happen as more and more US businesses take advantage of cost savings by using off-shore companies to manage much of their data. All too frequently, those with a scientific background tend to use a very concise, analytical style of writing which does not usually lend itself well to novels, but the author overcomes that with a fluid, easy style that builds believable characters and situations. Although there is a fair amount of technical information presented throughout the book, Hughes takes it down to the reader’s level and although it may require the reader to slow down at these sections, it is certainly understandable.
Quill says: A mesmeric look at a possible world-wide terror attack.
Brown Levine
Independent Professional Book Reviewers
Posted April 30, 2009, 12:57 PM EST: In Infinite Exposure, author Roland Hughes portrays the global activities of a variety of less than savory groups. These activities culminate in a perfect storm of terror against the world banking system. Combining historical facts and philosophical theory, this work of fiction offers frightening scenarios for the future of the global community. The story opens with the capture of Nedim, an al-Qaeda operative who becomes a valuable asset to a group whose mission is to collect members of the terrorist group. Nedim believes himself to be a "good Muslim" even though he does not buy completely into all of the tenets of his religion (e.g. martyrdom or the seven virgins promise). This character lays the groundwork for a story that has a number of interconnected plots played out by an ensemble of personalities with complicated personal and professional lives. While Nedim is adjusting to life under surveillance, he secretly informs one of his al-Qaeda cohorts, John, of his situation. Reacting quickly, John acquires a new identity and relocates to India where he stumbles upon an opportunity at an American bank's off-shore data center where "roughly one-third of the world's money supply" would soon be passing through the system. On another level of the multiple sub-plots, human organs are being harvested and sold to the wealthy and desperate on the black market. Hughes has done extensive research in putting this book together. It is steeped in history and political theory while also rife with unusual and flawed characters who have familiar and often disheartening traits. The author skillfully incorporates his research into the book without overshadowing the plot. This is a long story, but it commands the reader's attention and will appeal to history and political buffs. It may also attract conspiracy theorists. Infinite Exposure is an insightful and powerful look at terrorism and the vulnerability of a post-911 world. I highly recommend it.
reviewed by Emily Hinton
The US Review of Books
"It's not every morning that you wake up with armed men kicking in your door and rushing into your bedroom, but that's certainly how this morning started. All because he really wanted a new computer. But that want was satisfied over a decade ago. Today, he couldn't even sell that computer on eBay. Today, it was a trip with a bag over his head, wearing handcuffs to an interrogation room."
This is a story written in factions, with several key plots occurring simultaneously in the Middle East. A man suspected of working with Al-Qaeda is picked up by a secret multinational organization and forced to help them uncover and kidnap members of terrorist cells. Captives are sent to a pair of secret interrogation camps in Germany, which are so swamped with black market profits that they call in a Russian investing firm. The Russian firm works very closely with Americans who harbor information that can destroy a large and powerful US bank. The bank has recently relocated all of its data centers to India in an effort to cut corners, and their data centers employ a man working with Al-Qaeda and plotting a massive covert operation. While all these plots seem only coincidentally linked, the final plot twist makes it clear that they are inextricably connected.
Writing fiction about events so close to our times is often a risky move. Pairing that with Hughes' unique arrangement of plot lines creates a weighty story, but the result is a deeply researched, highly detailed, and technically loaded novel, with a revolving pace that keeps the reader moving and resists getting bogged down in jargon. What an immense undertaking, and quite an achievement to pull off successfully.
Reviewed by: Sarah Moore
You can imagine a suitcase exploding in the middle of Times Square, slaughtering hundreds of tourists and commuters in its wake. We have seen the aftermath of a suicide bomber who makes a violent statement at a crowded marketplace in Baghdad. But, how many of us have contemplated the possibility of a terrorist plot that does not involve a single missile or IED? In his compelling novel Infinite Exposure, Roland Hughes challenges his readers to look at a world in which technology, economics, and old-fashioned greed merge to spark the Armageddon in a way that, although perhaps much different than most of us have imagined, seems all too plausible.
At the heart of the plot in Infinite Exposure is the desire by Kent Braxton, a business school graduate eager to move up the management ranks of First Global Bank, to find some cost-cutting measures for his company and therefore earn the promotion and larger salary that he craves. His solution, marketed to him by Big Four Consulting, is to consolidate all of the bank’s data centers to one location in India. Now, one-third of the world’s money supply will be traveling through a place in which the workers receive little training and are subject to minimal security checks, and where al Qaeda can easily infiltrate. The consequences of this naïve and ill-informed decision result in a run on money and resources that is catastrophic.
Hughes lends substantial credibility to his work through the ease with which he employs the language of computer systems and data networks in his writing. As someone who admittedly is not well-versed in these fields, I found my literary comfort level stretched when reading the technical details in Infinite Exposure. However, I also realized that I was reading the work of someone who approached the dire situation he lays out in his book with the expertise to know that the scenario is not necessarily restricted to the world of fiction. While I may not have understood every reference to backup media and terminal emulators, I became convinced of the warning that Hughes sends us in the pages of his novel.
Beyond detailing the technological manipulations that take place on a global scale, Infinite Exposure puts forth questions of ethics and international policy that should result in its readers looking at the stories on the 24-hour news networks from a different perspective. How is the drive to relocate our businesses to offshore sites in order to increase the profit margin opening the doors for terrorists to infiltrate our financial systems? What happens when we allow corporate greed to take precedence over sound and informed decision-making? What are the consequences of partnering with strange bedfellows, such as Nazis who want to harvest the organs of captured terrorists, when a shared enemy is being hunted?
As someone who always has been drawn to novels with a basis in history or actual world events, I was naturally curious about the premise put forth by Roland Hughes in Infinite Exposure. It did not take long for his masterful writing and chilling use of realistic scenarios and personalities to engage me fully in the storyline. While not a book that you can curl up in a chair and read in one Sunday afternoon sitting, Infinite Exposure will drive you forward through each new chapter as the simmering tension developed by Hughes slowly mounts with sophisticated craftsmanship. I strongly encourage everyone to read Infinite Exposure by Roland Hughes and then decide if our collective fear over national security threat levels has overlooked a more dangerous attack than any of us have imagined.
BookReview.com Review
| Copyright 2009.
All rights reserved. |
INFINITE EXPOSURE by Roland Hughes |