3 out of 4 stars
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Superhighway tells the coming-of-age story of Alex Fine. He grew up in an orphanage under the care and guidance of Ms. Jenkins. Occasionally placed in foster care and hoping for adoption Alex was always disappointed. He realized that education was the key to having control over his future. Being a clever and dedicated student, he earned a scholarship to Stanford. Meanwhile, in an exciting discovery, Alex learns that he can travel through the internet and that he can read, store, and analyze enormous amounts of data in his mind.
Unable to resist the temptations of the internet, Alex declines the scholarship and proceeds to test his powers. He travels the world meddling in the affairs of criminal gangs, fraudulent banks, and Russian oligarchs. Believing himself akin to a modern-day Robin Hood, Alex steals from the criminal rich to give to the poor. He also enriches himself with nearly unlimited funds. While learning to understand and control his new powers Alex lives independently for the first time. Thus, this coming-of-age story is also the origin story of an aspiring superhero in the making.
Superhighway is an exciting book with a quick pace. It explores interesting ideas about internet security and privacy in a time when neither is assured. Fayman gives readers a protagonist with a unique and timely superpower. The explanations for the workings and development of Alex's superpower make it easy to accept the wide-traveling exhilarating plot that unfolds.
Alex Fine is a smart and head-strong character. He has an insatiable hunger for food that is a result of the physical energy required to travel through the internet, but Alex also has a hunger that can’t be satisfied with things or food. At times I found myself frustrated by his attitudes and decisions. He doesn’t demonstrate true loyalty to people, although he helps them financially. I had to remind myself of his age and that as an orphan, he is still learning how to form healthy relationships with people.
I think Superhighway would be enjoyed most by fans of science fiction and fantasy and by those interested in the unintended consequences of technology. There are brief descriptions of sex, drug use, and violence. It will not be appropriate for all young readers or those who are bothered by those types of topics.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Superhighway is certainly entertaining, and the premise of the story is original. Fayman's writing is good, although some dialog is strikingly formal. I wanted the primary female characters in the book to be more fully developed because they inform Alex's important decisions and motives. Nevertheless, Fayman has done a great job of setting the stage for an exciting series. It will be interesting to see how Alex Fine matures as a character and where he and the internet will take readers next.
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Superhighway
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