History Literature / Daemon

** Loki/Gragg was also on the receiving end from Boerner in "Daemon".

* OneSteveLimit: Apparently, there are no other Matthew Sobols in the world for their obituaries to trigger the Daemon. For the Daemon to be able to differentiate between obtiuaries would almost certainly make it sentient, which it's not.

* PrivateMilitaryContractors: Korr Military Solutions, Inc. is just one of many used to fight the ''Daemon''.

* BlackAndGrayMorality: [[spoiler: As the story progresses, you learn that the Daemon is by far the least evil faction at work. Especially in the sequel. After all, the Daemon only murdered less than a dozen people at its inception and went on to improve the lives of billions, while by the climax of Freedom™ the anti-Daemon forces have re-created Nazi Germany in all but name.]]

* ChekhovsBoomerang: The Oberstleutenant Boerner bot, purpose seemingly accomplished in the first book, returns in the sequel.

** As pointed out in the first book, Sobol's game AI's true strength isn't anticipation, it's manipulation - and this is reflected in both Sobol's plans and the Daemon's tasks.

** In the sequel, "Freedom™", [[spoiler: Merritt's death at the end of "Daemon" has turned him into a martyr and folk hero to the people of the darknet. The situation avoids any irony by the fact that based on everything the darknet learns about his life, he truly was a man of honor and integrity. Ultimately, "The Burning Man" project is the key to maintaining equality in the new darknet society.]]

* PostCyberPunk: Especially in Freedom™.

* WeCanRebuildHim: In Freedom™, Daemon gives cybernetics to [[spoiler:Loki after the Major attempts to perform a BorrowedBiometricBypass - ''cut out his fingertops, eyes and tongue'']]

* BlackAndGrayMorality: [[spoiler: As the story progresses, you learn that the Daemon is by far the least evil faction at work. Especially in the sequel.]]

* PostCyberPunk: Especially in the second book.

* WeCanRebuildHim: In the second book, Daemon gives cybernetics to [[spoiler:Loki after the Major attempts to perform a BorrowedBiometricBypass - ''cut out his fingertops, eyes and tongue'']]

* [[spoiler:ANaziByAnyOtherName]]: During the final stages of Daemon's takeover, the "Operation Exorcist" anti-Daemon taskforce [[spoiler:makes an AlphaStrike on a major North American Darknet community. Their objectives(stated in order of rising importance); destroy all vehicles, destroy all computer equipment, and ''execute every man, woman and child.'' Pre-Daemon, that last one would be called an '''ethnic cleansing.''']]

* EyeScream: The Major [[spoiler:has Loki's eyes torn out - along with having his fingertips and tongue chopped off as part of an attempt to [[BorrowedBiometricBypass steal his biometrics]] and assume his high-profile Darknet identity.]]

* InvisibilityCloak: a primitive version shows up in ''Freedom™'' worn by Darknet operatives.

* PoweredArmor: Some Darknet operatives show up in ''Freedom™'' wearing the primitive [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture five-seconds-into-the-future]] "artificial musculature" suits.

* WorthyOpponent: Gragg and the rest of the Darknet see Merritt this way. (The feelings are ''not'' reciprocated.)

* [[spoiler:ANaziByAnyOtherName]]: During the final stages of Daemon's takeover, the "Operation Exorcist" anti-Daemon taskforce [[spoiler:raids a major North American Darknet community with about the same amount of hardware and manpower as was used in Desert Storm. Their objectives(stated in order of rising importance); destroy all vehicles, destroy all computer equipment, and ''execute every man, woman and child.'' Pre-Daemon, that last one would be called an '''ethnic cleansing.''']]

* BorrowedBiometricBypass: A favored technique of the anti-Daemon forces in general, and the Major in particular; he regularly [[spoiler:"rescues" teenage girls from brothels so that he can get them darknet accounts and then behead them to steal their darknet identities, keeping their heads chemically alive to spoof the biometrics. He nearly does the same to Loki.]]

* EyeScream: The Major [[spoiler: has Loki's eyes torn out - along with having his fingertips and tongue chopped off]] so he can to try steal his biometrics to try to sneak into the darknet.

* DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: The Major and thus all the anti-Daemon forces. The Major actually tells [[spoiler: Peter Sebeck]], JustBetweenYouAndMe, exactly how he believes modern civilization needs direction and control.

* DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: The Major and thus all the anti-Daemon forces.
-->'''The Major''': ''[[NecessarilyEvil ‘Bastards like me’ serve a purpose.]] People need order, Sergeant. [[TheEvilsOfFreeWill They need to be told what to think, what to do, what to believe, or everything will fall apart.]] This miracle of modern civilization doesn’t just happen. [[DystopiaIsHard It requires careful management by professionals willing to do whatever is necessary to keep things running smoothly...]]''

* TheEvilsOfFreeWill: The Major lectures [[spoiler: Peter Sebeck]] on how modern civilisation needs direction and control.

* WeCanRebuildHim: In the second book, [[spoiler: Loki, after being relieved of his fingertips, eyes, and tongue during torture by the Major]], receives cybernetic replacements.

-->'''The Major''': [[spoiler:''Rules of Engagement for darknet communities are as follows: kill everyone you find, burn every structure, and destroy every vehicle. Without exception. The knowledge and equipment that makes these communities work must be eradicated. '''[[{{Unperson}} The cultural memory that they ever existed must be erased.]''' Is that understood?'']]

-->'''The Major''': [[spoiler:''Rules of Engagement for darknet communities are as follows: kill everyone you find, burn every structure, and destroy every vehicle. Without exception. The knowledge and equipment that makes these communities work must be eradicated. [[{{Unperson}} The cultural memory that they ever existed must be erased.]] Is that understood?'']]

-->'''The Major''': [[spoiler:''Rules of Engagement for darknet communities are as follows: kill everyone you find, burn every structure, and destroy every vehicle. Without exception. The knowledge and equipment that makes these communities work must be eradicated. The cultural memory that they ever existed must be erased. Is that understood?'']]

->'''The Major''': [[spoiler:''Rules of Engagement for darknet communities are as follows: kill everyone you find, burn every structure, and destroy every vehicle. Without exception. The knowledge and equipment that makes these communities work must be eradicated. The cultural memory that they ever existed must be erased. Is that understood?'']]

* DefectiveDetective: Sebeck is cheating on his wife, [[ShotgunWeddingwhom he felt obligated to marry because he got her pregnant.]] His son is none too happy with him. And he's got an appetite for danger that borders on self-destructive. Then his mistress turns out not to be what she seems...

* DecoyProtagonist: Oh, sorry, were you thinking this detective story would have the obvious hard-bitten DefectiveDetective (who knows very little about computers, yet the Daemon seems to be intently interested in) running the case? [[spoiler: Subverted when he comes back and does end up a major character.]]
* DefectiveDetective: Sebeck is cheating on his wife, whom he felt obligated to marry because he got her pregnant. His son is none too happy with him. And he's got an appetite for danger that borders on self-destructive. Then his mistress turns out not to be what she seems...

* [[spoiler:ANaziByAnyOtherName]]: During the final stages of Daemon's takeover, the "Operation Exorcist" anti-Daemon taskforce [[spoiler:raids a major North American Darknet community with about the same amount of hardware and manpower as was used in Desert Storm. Their objectives(stated in order of rising importance); destroy all vehicles, destroy all computer equipment, and execute every man, woman and child. Pre-Daemon, that last one would be called an '''ethnic cleansing.''']]

-->[[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt There are many potential biological, geological and astrophysical events]] ([[ThePlague a theoretical Level 4+ pathogen such as an airborne, multispecies variant of Ebola or Marburg virus]], [[ChekhovsVolcano activation of the Yellowstone supervolcano]], [[ColonyDrop a "dinosaur killer" asteroid or comet (≥ 5 km) found on an Earth-impacting trajectory with less than 30 days lead time]], etc.) that are not addressable with current or near-term future technology and would render Daemon unexecutable. These are all low probability events. [[GoodOldWays Discontinuation by humanity of any data technology]] with more capacity than the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabulating_machine Hollereith Tabulator]] would also render Daemon unexecutable. [[HumansAreFlawed This is a VERY low probability event.]] Analysis indicates that a comprehensive campaign of [[KillEmAll removal of all human agents from the network]] as effective strategy, but highly risky, in terms of [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking resources, logistics and public relations.]] [[BringIt Nevertheless, Daemon is not invincible]], and certainly not boring.

-->[[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt There are many potential biological, geological and astrophysical events]] ([[ThePlague a theoretical Level 4+ pathogen such as an airborne, multispecies variant of Ebola or Marburg virus]], [[ChekhovsVolcano activation of the Yellowstone supervolcano]], [[ColonyDrop a "dinosaur killer" asteroid or comet (>= 5 km) found on an Earth-impacting trajectory with less than 30 days lead time]], etc.) that are not addressable with current or near-term future technology and would render Daemon unexecutable. These are all low probability events. [[GoodOldWays Discontinuation by humanity of any data technology]] with more capacity than the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabulating_machine Hollereith Tabulator]] would also render Daemon unexecutable. [[HumansAreFlawed This is a VERY low probability event.]] Analysis indicates that a comprehensive campaign of [[KillEmAll removal of all human agents from the network]] as effective strategy, but highly risky, in terms of [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking resources, logistics and public relations.]] [[BringIt Nevertheless, Daemon is not invincible]], and certainly not boring.

-->[[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt There are many potential biological, geological and astrophysical events]] ([[ThePlague a theoretical Level 4+ pathogen such as an airborne, multispecies variant of Ebola or Marburg virus]], [[ChekhovsVolcano activation of the Yellowstone supervolcano]], [[ColonyDrop a "dinosaur killer" asteroid or comet (>= 5 km) found on an Earth-impacting trajectory with less than 30 days lead time]], etc.) that are not addressable with current or near-term future technology and would render Daemon unexecutable. These are all low probability events. [[GoodOldWays Discontinuation by humanity of any data technology with more capacity than the Hollereith Tabulator]] would also render Daemon unexecutable. [[HumansAreFlawed This is a VERY low probability event.]] Analysis indicates that a comprehensive campaign of [[KillEmAll removal of all human agents from the network]] as effective strategy, but highly risky, in terms of [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking resources, logistics and public relations.]] [[BringIt Nevertheless, Daemon is not invincible]], and certainly not boring.

The sequel, ''Freedom™'' (yes, the trademark symbol is part of the title), picks up shortly after where ''Daemon'' leaves off and focuses further on the motives and goals of the Daemon's actions. Through the main viewpoint character, whose identity is a spoiler for the previous book, we learn that the Daemon has moved beyond merely attacking the old system to building a new one and making itself more appealing to the massses. We also get a look at the powerful parties both corporate and governmental who oppose it for their own reasons.

*** This is first [[JustForPun daemonstrated]] in the FBI's early siege of Sobol's mansion: while the preparations for an assault are rather crude, the actual goal is manipulation of attention. An integral part of the Daemon's lifetime is the recruitment of human agents which can adapt to the details of a situation with the Daemon just setting broader goals and doing automated tasks.

** As pointed out in the first book, Sobol's game AI's true strength isn't anticipation, it's manipulation - and this is reflected in both Sobol's plans and the Daemon's tasks. This is nicely shown in the FBI's early siege of Sobol's mansion: while the preparations for an assault are rather crude (relying on sheer force/mass and being circumvented in the second assault), attention is diverted precisely as needed.

* FormerRegimePersonnel: One small part of ''Freedom'' gives us the viewpoint of a mercenary who used to work for Romanian Communist leader Nicolae_Ceaușescu.

The sequel, ''Freedom™'' (yes, the trademark symbol is part of the title), picks up shortly after where "Daemon" leaves off and focuses further on the motives and goals of the Daemon's actions. As well as those who oppose it.

* DeathByOriginStory: The second type applies to both Matthew Sobol and, later, [[spoiler:Pete Sebeck. Except that he gets better]].

* ImmuneToBullets: Razorbacks and the first [=AutoM8=].

Among its first actions are to kill two of Sobol's coworkers. When they try to forcibly enter his mansion after connecting Sobol with the aforementioned murders, a number of police and FBI agents are maimed or killed by an impressive set of boobytraps, including an autonomous, murderous Humvee that is nearly impervious to everything they can throw at it. The Daemon then frames its actions on a handful of people to cast doubt on its very existence and withdraws from the public eye. It quietly offers certain people in key positions fame and success if they make a deal with the devil, or more accurately, the Daemon. Then, ominously, it goes silent. [[ItGetsWorse When it resurfaces, things go downhill. Fast.]]

* {{Jerkass}}: Gragg/Loki. His character is introduced by describing how he orchestrates the gang-date-rape of a teenage girl at a rave so he can put the video on the Internet for money. He [[ItGetsWorse doesn't get any better]], although...