Makers / Cory Doctorow

Imagine a world where anything could be printed out...where dreams could become reality at the click of a mouse...and where the blurb of books actually made sense. Fortunately, this book has the 2, but not the third. Makers is written in a similar vein to his previous book, in which a particular aspect of 'geekdom' becomes a staple of modern life. In Little brother, it was game piracy, and in Makers, it is the DIY electronics industry. I had high expectations for this book, and for the first part, I was not disappointed. For the second part, however, my hopes came crashing down. The plot loses a sense of purpose, and tries to make this a warning story about the dangers of hyper-consumerism, but by then, the book has already lost its spark. Read it, but don't be too hopeful.

Who would enjoy this? Readers of Cory Doctorow's other books, like Little brother and For the win.

Reviewed by Liam.