Back cover blurb:
"In the future, the world will be run by giant American coporations. Everybody will be so happy, tax-free and rich that they will change their name to that of their company.

Hack Nike, however, is a lowly Merchandising Officer with negative career equity. In the future, this is not a good thing.

So when John Nike and John Nike offer Hack Nike a job marketing a new line of really, really expensive trainers he is understandably thrilled. He is less thrilled when he discovers that his duties include shooting teenagers."


I found this to be a well-written, well-paced black comedic thriller. There seem to be quite a lot of characters to keep track of at the start, but they all have their part to play, with selfish and unselfish reasons alike for their actions.

A great story and a welcome satirical look at the influence major corporations could have (and sometimes currently do have) in our everyday lives if we let them get away with it.

Starting a bookray for this. Shipping order as follows:

1. Auglaise (UK)
2. Geegal (Germany)
3. symphonicca (Austria)
4. RoryG (Finland)
Then out to the States
5. LaughAtlantis (MA)
6. Megi53 (VA)
7. weeblet (VA)
8. Mokona (MI)
9. GraceTX (TX)

Released on Monday, July 12, 2004 at n/a in n/a, Sent to another BookCrosser Controlled Releases.

Starting it's journey by heading off to Auglaise in Wales. Hope you all enjoy it!

Received it in the post yesterday. Thanks JonAzrael!

I enjoyed this one. Although I'd read the back in WHSmith's before, the back doesn't really tell you what the book is really about. It was refreshing to read a book where the vision of the future isn't dominated by a repressive government - athough science-fiction has moved mostly away from that kind of vision I knew exactally what John Nike meant when he was reading the old science fiction novel. I think that biggest surprise was finding out what Jennifer's tattoo was!

At any rate, as soon as I get Geegal's address, I'll be posting it on to her.

Released on Monday, July 26, 2004 at Bookring in Bookring, A Bookring Controlled Releases.

Posted this a few days ago, and am just remember to finally make the release notes. Sorry!

Thank you Auglaise!

RELEASE NOTES:

Yahoo! Just arrived in my mailbox yesterday, and I will get to it ASAP, as soon as I am done my current book. Thanks a ton for passing it on--- will journal more when i am through.

Started it last night, and stayed up longer than i wanted to reading the first few chapters (damn my poor willpower when it comes to limiting my time reading before i go to bed....)

First impressions are good, though i was DYING for more of a set up before the story started off and running. Describe this corporate world, tell me how it is different (or the same) as what is happening today---- and then start telling me the story taking place in this context.

Just a picky thing maybe, or a style thing, but i really would have liked to know more about this world before getting into the meat of the narrative.

But I will soldier on nonetheless. :)

Will write more when i am finished it completely.

I finished this book last night, and though this is not typically something I would read (the genre, not the content), I enjoyed it more than I expected. It kept me reading, kept me hooked and I had to get to the end to see how it all played out--- there are many books that don't keep me as rapt, so I give this book its kudos in that respect.

I still maintain my first reaction and WISH that there had been more context given as to the way this corporatized world worked, in a more explicit and concrete way. The story, as it progresses, gives us a context, but I would have liked it spelled out, since i really think the 'capitalizm' world that the author had in his head was richer and more interesting than what I had constructed from the narrative.

One other small gripe I had is that nothing really changes at the end of the book. Sure the bad guy is classically down and out, but for all I could tell, the same old capitalistic system was still in place, and the world was still on its gluttenous track (albeit with less murders). So what are we to take from this? I am not sure.

All in all a good read though, with many a warning about the problems of capitalistic group-think, the power of the dollar and the need to curb our obsession with growth and money before indeed we become this world in the book--- terrifying!!

Thanks so much, JonAzrael, for starting this interesting and important ring--- I am very glad I got to read this book! I will be PMing RoryG shortly, and it should be in the mail soon to the next reader.

Got the address of RoryG a few days ago--- popped in the mail this morning! Enjoy!

Got it! I have another bookring before this, but I hope I'll be getting to this one real soon, since I've been waiting for this.

I really loved this book. It took me awhile to get to it, I had a lot of big things happening in my life at the same time, but when I finally got to it, I just couldn't put it down. I like books with lots of characters (except when the writer doesn't seem to keep track of all of them, which waqsn't the case here). It was fun to compare it with Orwell's 1984, which I read awhile ago, since this was about company dominated world and that was about government dominated world. I guess any kind of domination ends up being a bad thing...

Well, I'll get the book on its way as soon as I get the next person's address.

Received yesterday - thank you! I've been looking forward to this!

RELEASE NOTES:

I *really* liked this book. I'd heard about Jennifer Govenrment quite a while ago but didn't really know much about it. I love Max Barry's writing style and thought that the world he created was wonderful. I liked the way that the action built and how the stories began to overlap more and more. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

Sending to the next person on the list this afternoon.

Arrived in the mail at noon today. I've really been looking forward to this one!!

I always get a kick out of reading books set in the future. This one had a very unusual, though not totally unlikely premise -- corporations as all-powerful, with a weak wimpy government.

I loved the map in the front, showing all the places in the world that did and didn't belong to "The United States Federated Economic Blocs". And it was interesting the way people's names changed with their jobs: "Jennifer Maher" to "Jennifer Government" and "Violet Enterprises" to "Violet ExxonMobil". The kids were named after their schools. I had fun imagining what I'd have been called: Megi Jarman, Megi Jay, Megi San Antonio, Megi Gibson...neat!

It was incongruous that people in the future still watched VIDEOS and used PAY PHONES. I've yet to read a "future novel" that predicts the ubiquity of dvds and cell phones. Jennifer's habit of frequently saying "and yet" and "meant to" gave the dialogue a futuristic feel.

The romances and family relationships in the book were a nice counterbalance to the frequency of the violence. So was Billy NRA's constant hoping for his ski trip to happen.

I used to participate on the NationStates site, which was founded to promote this book, so I've long wanted to read it -- thanks for organizing the ring and giving me the opportunity! It was a fast, fun, very distracting read.

And it would have gone -- was MEANT TO go -- to weeblet in the mail yesterday if not for that wonderful ice and snow storm we got surprised with Sunday evening. I'll try to get to the Post Office this afternoon.

Mailed to weeblet yesterday via Media Mail.

got it! i an currently in the middle of another ring book, but will read promptly :)
thanks!
**update 3/14**
starting today :)

well, i finally finished! i loved it! thank you so much for the opportunity to read this extremely prescient book. it made me wince, shudder, and laugh, but it *really* freaked me out. almost like 1984, but possible. the only thing it was missing was the moral majority. did anyone else have kevin spacey in mind as john nike? i *swear*, he wouldn't leave!
the only problem i had w/ the plot was jennifer leaving her kid w/ buy. huh? is there anyone else out there that would leave you your child with with an almost perfect stranger? yeesh.
mailing soon!

Rcvd this afternoon, with a few other bookrings.. yikes!

Luckily it's the weekend, so I will get started ASAP, also PMing GraceTX for her address. :)

Eek! Sorry I forgot to update.

This was pretty enjoyable, it sure took off fast. Some parts were a little slow, and a little too "business-y" for me, but overall it seemed very believable.

Thank you for sharing this book, I'm really glad I had a chance to read it. Mailed today to GraceTX.

RELEASE NOTES:

Mailed to GraceTX

Received in the mail today. I'm adding it to my TBR pile. Jon, do you want me to send it to you when I'm done or keep it until you're back in the country?