However, the review also criticizes the book for its over-reliance on the Bay Area-tech-heyday zeitgeist and its failure to transcend its time. It suggests that the story's vision seems limited by the technology and attitudes of today, and that the main character is less interesting than his companions. Despite these criticisms, the review concludes that "Exadelic" is a fun ride for those who can tolerate a bit of nostalgia.
Key takeaways:
- "Exadelic" is a sci-fi novel by Jon Evans, a former TechCrunch contributor, that is heavily influenced by the Bay Area tech community and attempts to match the reference density of "Ready Player One".
- The plot of "Exadelic" involves an AI-driven deep tech conspiracy and expands continuously and unexpectedly, moving beyond its initial reliance on insider references.
- The book is deeply rooted in today's technological and ethical zeitgeist, featuring out of control AI, unscrupulous VCs, and questions about the nature of reality.
- While the book is praised for its imaginative plot and familiarity with the startup, tech, and investment worlds, it is criticized for its over-reliance on the Bay Area-tech-heyday zeitgeist and for its main character being less interesting than his companions.