To say Marcus—w1n5t0n to his close friends—is into computers would be an understatement.  Constantly bored with school he and his friends make a habit of breaching online security and hacking into secure systems.  One day, while out gaming near Bay Bridge in San Francisco his world ends.  Terrorists have blown up Bay Bridge and Marcus, Darryl, Jolu, and Van are caught up in the middle of it. 

Detained by Homeland Security, interrogated for days, then released with an ominous “we will be watching you,” he arrives home to see his community the thumb of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  Determined not to let big brother watch his every move Marcus vows to take down the DHS.  Faced with insurmountable odds he strikes back at the US Government!

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow is an Orwellian tale of terrorism, oppression, and what it means to be a true citizen.  But above all it is the story of a boy—a young man—struggling to deal with increasing complicated issues of love, loss, and friendship.  Marcus’s struggle will resonate with teens everywhere dealing with these issues. 

The book does read a bit like a technology handbook at times, going into detail about computers, hacking, and cryptography, but handling it in a way that won’t overburden the reader.  Marcus’s references to Google and Wikipedia help to keep the perspective of a modern teen apparent.

Doctorow’s dystopian future may seem a little harsh and unforgiving at times, but his message is clear…how far are you willing to go to protect your freedom?