It takes serious guts to try and speculate on what the near future might look like. Not many authors try, but Stross does it with care. It is not easy to depart from the comfortable realm of the space opera and I congratulate Stross for doing so in this interesting story.

Once you cut past the technical jargon and mumbo jumbo, the story itself isn't too bad. Essentially a computer geek (Jack) and an insurance adjuster (Elaine) get stuck in the middle of some high-tech extortion plan run by a few greedy people. They were "chosen" for this case because of their gaming skills (or as the author puts it, "mad skillz"). The book was rather tongue in cheek for most of the part, and I am not sure why the theme of beauty and the geek is almost pervasive among Sci-Fi techno novels. In this story, Jack is described as some fat, unshaven, and unwashed computer geek. In my mind, I am picturing Michael Moore or perhaps Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons. Elaine is described as a mousy woman of proportions similar to a librarian, with extensive training in sword play. In my mind, I pictured Kate Beckinsale with a huge sword (ala Underworld). Overall, the story was fun but a lot of the technical jargon and mumbo jumbo just got in the way. I found myself skipping paragraphs every so often.

Want to know what people spend all that time on the internet doing? Many are creating virtual worlds with characters named after themselves. Halting State is an absorbing novel about a bank robbery in that virtual world.

I have to say I enjoyed this outing in near future Scotland. This is a mystery novel crossed with gaming and spy themes. It starts out a little slow, but not slow enough to make me want to stop reading.

When Jack Reed is made redundant from his job he goes on a bender in Amsterdam only to sent speedily back home by the local police. When he gets back he finds himself rehired rather more quickly than expected by accountants of all people.

This book has all the characters written from a first person point of view. Its not something I've seen used often in SciFi but in this case the author has managed to pull it off well.

If you like mysteries and thrillers this book is worth picking up for a read from an author who is proving both prolific and readable.

Charles Stross is an excellent author who improves with each novel he writes. I'd recommend this book for anyone who likes detective novels or mysteries.