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The Alexandria Project: A Tale of Treachery and Technology (Frank Adversego Thrillers Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Andrew Updegrove (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,854 ratings
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North Korea's missiles areready to launch and only cybersecurity sleuth Frank Adversego can prevent a nuclear Armageddon.

Data is disappearing from computers everywhere. As the nation nears collapse, Frank Adversego, a brilliant but conflicted cyber security expert, finds himself trapped in a power play between the FBI and the CIA. Only by uncovering the Alexandria Project can he clear himself. What follows is a fast-paced, satirical tale of cyber sleuthing, international espionage, and nuclear brinksmanship that accurately portrays our increasing vulnerability to cyberattack.

THE ALEXANDRIA PROJECT is fiction that cuts close to the bone. But where George Orwell envisioned 1984 from the safety of thirty-five years out, the future that Updegrove describes may already be upon us. That's what makes it dangerous, and that's what makes THE ALEXANDRIA PROJECT an important as well as riveting read.
- Dan Geer, CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER, In-Q-Tel

Andrew Updegrove brings a rare combination of drama,satire and technical accuracy to his writing. The result is a book you can'tput down that tells you things you might wish you didn't know.
- Admiral James G. Stavridis, retired Commander, U.S.European Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and current Dean ofthe Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy

Andy Updegrove's Frank Adversego thrillers are realisticpage-turners, making it clear that if you're not worried about cybersecurityyou're not paying attention.
- Bruce Schneier, of Schneier onSecurity
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  1. Book 1 of 6
    Frank Adversego Thrillers
  2. Print length
    271 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    January 9, 2016
  6. File size
    1564 KB
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Andrew Updegrove brings a rare combination of drama, satire and technical accuracy to his writing. The result is a book you can't put down that tells you things you might wish you didn't know.
- Admiral James G. Stavridis, retired Commander, U.S. European Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and current Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy

Andy Updegrove's Frank Adversego thrillers are realistic page-turners, making it clear that if you're not worried about cybersecurity you're not paying attention.
- Bruce Schneier, of Schneier on Security

Andrew Updegrove has done it again - delivered an impossible to put down thriller while exposing a dire cyber vulnerability that until now has gone unnoticed. - "World's greatest hacker" Kevin Mitnick

From the Author

What is The Alexandria Project  all about?  Most immediately, I hope you find it to be a great read, with interesting, colorful characters, a fast-paced plot that captures and holds your interest, the requisite number of clever plot twists that you'd expect in a good thriller, and an exciting surprise ending.  I hope you'll also enjoy the sense of ironic humor that runs through the entire book.  Finally, if you're technology savvy, I hope you'll appreciate the technical credibility of the plot.  But if you're not, no worries.  I've taken care to make the book just as readable to someone that can't tell a bit from a byte.

There's a second reality to The Alexandria Project, though, that's worth remembering when you've set the book aside.  Today, everything is controlled through the Internet.  And by "everything" I mean everything.  Communications.  The financial system.  Government.  Transportation.  The power grid.  The list has no end, and our reliance on the Internet increases every day. That would all be well and good if we were spending the same effort making the Internet secure as we are making it useful.  But we haven't, and we still aren't.  If the Internet were ever to be taken down, life as we know it would literally come to a halt.  

The good news is that what you read in The Alexandria Project  is fictional.  The bad news is that it's fictional only in the sense that it hasn't happened yet.

But here's some more good news:  if you want to follow the further adventures of Frank Adversego, drop by the ConsortiumInfo.org Standards Blog, where every Monday I post a new chapter of the sequel to The Alexandria Project, called The Lafayette Deception.  If you do, you may begin to wonder where there's more to those crazy election year poll numbers than meets the eye.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01AF1H6XC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Starboard Rock Press (January 9, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 9, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1564 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 271 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,854 ratings

About the author

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Andrew Updegrove

Andrew Updegrove

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Andrew Updegrove, an attorney, has been representing entrepreneurs, technology companies, and cyber-defenders for more than thirty years. When he isn't writing or predicting the next cybersecurity disaster, he's likely to be roaming the back country of the American southwest in his Jeep, scouting out settings for his next book. A graduate of Yale University and the Cornell University Law School, he spends his summers on an island off the coast of Maine and his winters in Naples, Florida.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
1,854 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Patrick
5.0 out of 5 stars Clever, gripping entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2015
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For me this is a very classy thriller. Superb opening to the story and what follows is an intriguing story of espionage with the cyber security expert Frank at the centre of the story. But it is much more than that. I loved Frank, a wonderfully flawed genius who I warmed to immediately. The author is skilled when it comes to characterisation across the board but Frank is the perfect example of how a writer needs to give depth to their creations. The narrative is strong and consistent and the writer shows off his technical knowledge without detracting from the story or losing the reader. He clearly is more familiar with the world of computers than I am and it is a complex book in terms of plot strands and the actual technical background information. However Andrew Updegrove brought me along with him every step of the way. I never for one second felt overwhelmed by this side of the book, a tribute to his knowledge of the subject matter behind the storyline and his great story telling ability. I am not generally a fan of books about espionage, cyber terrorism or conspiracies for that matter, but I was completely engrossed in this book from start to finish. There is a great sense of style here. I believe that having read this book that I know exactly what to expect from his next one. Thriller writers often revert to cliché and can be lazy in terms of recycling the ideas of others. Not so in this case. I found The Alexandria Project to be original and it carried a strength of voice that appealed to me greatly. This is a gripping, funny, clever and above all entertaining read. I am officially an Andrew Updegrove fan and cannot wait to read his next one.
15 people found this helpful
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Jor
4.0 out of 5 stars Well-written, heck of a ride, but...
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2019
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A great novel that demanded my attention to the exclusion of everything else until I was done. Loved the characters, especially the hero/antihero Frank and his other family members. The only thing I’d have to say that held it back from 5 stars (for me, anyway) was the depth of detail given about cyber-security and the technical aspects involved. While that much info would be necessary for a reader who was deep into tech, the rest of us normal people (who use computers in everyday life and at work) just had to endure all that techno-speak to get to the part that was of interest to us. I would have loved it - 5 stars worth - if not for getting bogged down in that. Otherwise, a great read and I high recommend it!
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Seth Hexx
5.0 out of 5 stars X-Files meets William Gibson
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2012
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I should begin by stating that I rarely read the work of writers who are still alive (I also don't listen to music past the early 90s). That being said, I was most impressed by Andy Updegrove's The Alexandria Project. Not was it well written without being verbose or self-conscious in prose style, but there are also little bits that are very clever and funny. Now, normally don't read thrillers of the Grisham or Baldacci type (I find them banal and pedestrian, and I'm not French), but this book is an intelligent read. The plot is well structured, there are twists and turns, and the story unfolds itself in front of you. As noted in my review title, I would classify this as X-Files meet William Gibson: you have the conspiratorial and shadowy men in government positions as well as the cybernetic setting, a la Gibson, but without leaving you nauseaus as you would in reading Gibson because he moves the plot along into very abstract and complex levels too fast. Updegrove is careful to make sure the reader follows through expository conversations, and the ideas aren't 'dumbed down'. Another thought that occurs to me is that if Hitchcock were still alive he'd probably snatch up the movie rights damn fast. The Hitchcockian elements can be seen in the basic plot of an ordinary man who begins to uncover a complex plot that threatens the nation. Also, as in Hitchcock films like Vertigo or North By Northwest, the hero's character flaws become assets.
I would highly recommend this book to almost anyone.
7 people found this helpful
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Hillel Kaminsky
3.0 out of 5 stars Great Plot, So-So Writing.
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2017
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Frank Adversego is an underperforming genius. No one is his equal when it comes to cyber security, but he’s just a loner by nature who seems content to coast on his past achievements without trying to achieve anything else.

Frank's life takes a turn when The Library of Congress is hacked and a few files deleted. The culprit leaves a signature behind, reading “The Alexandria Project.” Naturally, everyone is concerned, particularly as more and more books are being stored at the Library in digital, but not print, format. The CIA joins the search for the culprit.

The Alexandria Project cyber terrorists soon begin infiltrating other key systems including oil, food and gasoline supplies. Frank is not surprised and points out that the best way to destroy America would be via a cyber attack. The CIA pretends to think he is the culprit, but they secretly just want him to use his talents to find the real culprits and clear his name.

The actual culprit and their agenda were surprising and more than a little scary. (I wonder if the US is as vulnerable to cyber warfare as these books state?) Fortunately, Frank successfully figures out what is going on and averts nuclear disaster in the nick of time.

I liked the plot but wasn't crazy about the writing. I have already read the second and third book in the series and am pleased to report that the author's writing improves with each book.
19 people found this helpful
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nlg
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining 1st in Series
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2023
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The Alexandria Project, written by Andrew Updegrove, is the first book in the Frank Adversego Thriller series. This is the first book I have read by this author, but it won't be the last. When I first started this book, and Frank Adversego was being introduced, I was not particularly excited with him as a main character. Actually, I rather disliked him, but as the story got going, I began to see a different side of him and by mid way through the story I became a fan. From the world building to the twists and turns throughout, the storyline thoroughly held my attention. This book has mystery, intrigue, danger, adventure, humor, friendships, and family. I am looking forward to reading the second book in this series.
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Top reviews from other countries

SGS
4.0 out of 5 stars An edge of the seat thriller
Reviewed in India on June 26, 2023
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"The Alexandria Project" is a fast-paced novel and is about a brilliant computer-security expert and an eccentric character who is drawn into a conspiracy involving a cyber attack on the U.S. government's computers.

The story starts when Frank receives an email that appears to be from the National Security Agency (NSA), asking him to help with a security breach. But when he arrives at their headquarters, he realizes that he has been set up as a fall guy for a cyber attack that could cripple the entire U.S. government. As he races against time to find the culprits and stop the attack, Frank faces danger at every turn, from assassins to Russian hackers to his own government's bureaucracy.

The writing style is very engaging and keeps the reader hooked from the beginning to the end. His protagonist, The protagonist is a unique and quirky character, making the story more interesting.

Compared to his other books, this book stands out with its humour and unique protagonist. His other books, such as "Cryptic" and "The Lafayette Campaign," are also technology-based thrillers that explore the dangers of the digital age. Overall, "The Alexandria Project" is a thrilling read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
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R. K. M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story with excellent characters
Reviewed in Canada on July 24, 2019
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Very good story with excellent characters and non stop actions referring to mind games and computer simulations. In the end all is reviled.
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bb
5.0 out of 5 stars it's a great reminder of many of the basic issues
Reviewed in Australia on March 21, 2018
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For us old cynics and observers of the very big downsides of today's dependence on IT, it's a great reminder of many of the basic issues. But at the same time it displays quite a lot of the positives that IT delivers. The book itself is clearly written, often cynical, often pragmatic and frequently humorous. I loved it.
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RuddersReviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Tom Sharpe meets Michael Crichton - Brilliant!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 19, 2014
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Tom Sharpe meets Michael Crichton... What we have here is a real rollercoaster of a thriller, combining home grown and international cyber terrorism, the threat of nuclear war and destruction, and not to mention, some of the funniest and satirical writing it’s been my pleasure to read in a very long time.

It begins with an excellent prologue, detailing the cyber theft of national security files from a highly secure Govt. Dept. thus providing the reader with an early glimpse of the wider picture. What follows is the gripping story of an emerging threat to national and international cyber security, and the frantic efforts of both the CIA, the FBI, and one man in particular, Frank Adversego Jr, a brilliant IT security expert and innovator, to track down and counter the threat and to avert catastrophic consequences that no one could have imagined at the start, culminating in a genuinely nail biting finish.

Interspaced amid the storyline are some fascinating insights into the world of I.T and the net, written in such a way as to be informative and entertaining, yet never requiring the reader to have anything but the most basic understanding of the net to follow and enjoy the story. There are some truly funny and yet very pertinent accounts of the original dot com bubble, venture capital, and the sheer absurdity and madness of the early days of the net and the overnight millionaires it created; mentions of Netscape et al give the explanations real credibility. The author uses these examples to lampoon much of the internet, using such phrases as “spear phishing venture capitalists,” and gives an account of “virtual kittens” that really has to be read to enjoy its sheer absurdity. There are many other examples too of the author’s humour, such as when the principal character, Frank, describes one of his neighbours as looking like the North Korean president... but with hair curlers. One of the funniest satirical examples is when the cyber security breaches are said to be undermining the very foundations of culture and society, namely when the computer systems of American Idol, the Home shopping channel, and Disney World are compromised. Running alongside the cyber investigations, across the ocean, events are rapidly unfolding to instigate a violent change of leadership in North Korea whilst dragging America into a war of literal self-destruction.

There are some very clever twists too, mainly concerning a number of the characters who turn out to be not quite they seem; even Lily, the overweight corgi that Frank has to look after, plays its part in the grand scheme of things!

With just the right balance of dialogue, action, flashback, and explanation, the author develops both the storyline and the characters with equal interest and believability: Frank Adversego, the middle aged I.T expert, whose geeky talents and early promise somehow never reached their full potential, his daughter, the confident and self assured Marla, loyal to her dad, but despairing of his faults at times, and his Boss, Frank Marchand, equally despairing of Frank’s failure at times to live up to his potential, yet ultimately confident in his ability to do his job, and of course the mysterious retired FBI agent and the enigmatic, wait for it... Yoda!

A funny, satirical, and pacey thriller, combining the murky world of the cyber terrorist with that of the political machinations of high office, tyrannical military dictatorships, and the threat of nuclear war. A cracking good read that will have you laughing and biting your nails in equal measure and in anticipation of what's coming next...
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4.0 out of 5 stars Possible Outcomes
Reviewed in Canada on September 9, 2023
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Sort of complicated at first until things got unraveled then plunged into a scary scenario of possible uncertainty in the world order.
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