The Silence of Six by E. C. Myers. Published by Adaptive Studios

September 14, 2014 by cayocosta72 Leave a comment

During the live streaming of a presidential debate at Matt’s school, his friend Evan hacks into the feed and kills himself before all his classmates. Before he dies he asks”What is the Silence of Six and what are you going to do about it?”. Officials believe Matt knows what Evan meant and begin following him. He becomes a target. But why? He has to find out what his friend meant about the Silence of Six before he ends up just like his buddy – dead.
A heart pounding YA thriller that will easily appeal to adults as well

REVIEW: THE SILENCE OF SIX by E. C. Myers

THE SILENCE OF SIX is a top-notch thriller and I devoured it in one setting, unable to set it aside. Although a YA novel, it's great for us "older" readers of thrillers and mystery as well. Literally non-stop action from the very beginning, an innocent protagonist "on the run," political-corporate misbehavior, megalomaniac villains, and a backstage "hero" with Asperger' s Syndrome--a brimming cauldron of thrills, chills, and sheer excitement; plus realistic character evolution. I definitely mark this as a rereader, and I'm anticipating the author's next release.

I am familiar with E. C. Myers' previous works. He is an award-winning author for his debut novel, "Fair Coin". This is a change of pace from him and I am pleased to see him do so well with a thriller.
This is an exciting ride as our protagonist Max Stein is forced to return to the hacker lifestyle he had given up to discover why his best friend committed suicide over "The Silence Of Six" and why he himself is implicated in the death and hacking activities of his friend. This is a well researched and timely tale of Internet privacy and how far companies will go to collect data on their customers. Highly recommended.

Cory Doctorow, in a lot of ways, has the market cornered on sort of technopunk/cybersecurity issues tales, so seeing someone else enter the space and give things a shot is welcome no matter what. That EC Myers, who wrote the solid Fair Coin series, the one who made the jump is even better. That the book is actually a really solid, suspenseful tale? Further icing on the cake.

The story starts with a hack into a political debate and an on-screen video chat suicide. With a question about "the silence of six" and a reactionary government in place, a former hacker teen is dragged back into the culture to try and solve the issue as to why his friend offed himself and what the government is hiding.

There's going to be unavoidable comparisons to Doctorow's Little Brother, and they're fairly well deserved on a whole, as they are, at its basis, about the era of privacy in a world where it's disappearing fast. Where Doctorow's books invariably devolve into advocacy, however, Myers keeps it simple by presenting the sorts of apps and programs and activities a privacy-minded person would use as simple plot points rather than paranoia. It works well as it allows the story to remain just that even when more savvy readers might know where things are headed.

The downside? The pace is almost too breakneck for its own good at times, meaning the slower points feel really draggy in comparison. There's the occasional issue of the government agents both being far too competent and bumbling all at once, and I can't say the ending felt all that realistic, but in what is a book that celebrates paranoia a bit, it works in the setting.

Overall, if you're looking for lighter fare that hits upon a lot of notes we don't see too often in YA or otherwise, this one is worth a look. Certainly one of the better reads in the genre as of late.

“The Silence of Six” is an exciting page turner that begs you not to put it down until you know how it all will end. Built around the world of computer hacking, compromised security, and government overstepping its bounds, in this day and age it could almost be described as a horror story. I know it has left me a bit on the paranoid side.

The characters are well-developed, the plot picks up its quick pace from the very beginning, and the plot is unpredictable, which is exactly how any good thriller should be. The hacker world is also rather extensively explored, which can be both a good and a bad thing. For those with computer knowledge, it adds to the fun. For those who are able to gloss over details they do not understand and go with the flow, it does not take away from the excitement. However, for those who can get lost in details, it may be overwhelming. It is for that reason that I would not recommend “The Silence of Six” for reluctant school-aged readers.

However, should you fit one of the first two categories listed above and enjoy cyber thrillers, “The Silence of Six” is one fun and exciting read that is not to be missed.

Myers has crafted an intense young adult book that's frightening in its plausibility. It's also the most realistic fictional account I've read of hackers and hacking. He's done his research, and the content rings true (Hollywood, take note, please). Max is a good kid, loyal to his family and friends, and the type of protagonist you want to cheer for. The characters are nuanced and complicated, hackers included. It's a very personal thriller in terms of the stakes, but it also has a lot of major stuff going on in the background: the power of the internet, the prevalence of social media and how it can be abused, and the role of the government and politics. Great stuff. I raced through the book in a day.

I really loved this book. It was one very nice surprise! The silence of six is an exciting page-turner. My head was completly into this story from page one. It’s action pack and emotional (that ending!!!!). Max was such a great character, he’s well-developed and interesting. I had a very stronge connection with him, i cared so much. He is in pain, but he is trying his best to keep his head focus on what he has to do. The story is about hackers and sometimes i did get lost in all the geek terms used, but overall it was pretty fascinating. I don’t know much about hacking, but it felt real to me. The plot was unpredictable and exciting. I also really liked Myers writing and i can’t wait to see what she will create next.

The Silence of Six : 4/5

The Silence of Six is a YA novel by the author the Norton Award-winning author of Fair Coin and Quantum Coin (neither of which have I read).

The first chapter or two had me wondering if I'd continue reading (very YA), but then I became interesting is some of the information about hackers. The two groups mentioned are Anonymous and Dramatis Personae -- and the loose group of hackers known as Anonymous (they released private information in Ferguson) actually exist. I don't know about D.P.

While elements of the story are not realistic, the theme about cyber security and the possible use and/or misuse of private information is quite genuine as most people have reason to know. The story is fast paced, and while I failed to truly feel much connection to the teen protagonists, the vulnerability of our personal and financial privacy on the internet and the ways in which social media can be used and/or abused are certainly relevant to all of us.

Read in October. Review scheduled for Nov.
NetGalley/Adaptive Studios

YA/Mystery/Tech/Conspiracy. Nov. 5, 2014. Print length: 245 pages.

Let me start with saying I DEVOURED every word & finished it in 2 days! The story starts off with a dramatic event leading the reader immediately into questioning everything & everyone. This is The Net meets The Social Network meets Conspiracy Theory. I found the story contained a lot of technical terms regarding the world of hacking, but even as a novice in that world, I was able to follow along great and even became more captivated. There is murder, mystery, teenage suicide, political corruption & more!!! You start by wanting to know the truth and seek that truth throughout the book, one adventure at a time. Now you know about The Silence of Six- What are you going to do about it?