Plot Introduction and Book Structure

The story begins with Marcus Yallow facing accusations of hacking into his high school's system. This sets the stage for the tension between youth and authority that permeates the novel. The plot quickly escalates when Marcus and his friends are caught in the chaos following a terrorist attack on the city.

Example: While playing a mixed reality game, Marcus and his friends are wrongfully detained by the Department of Homeland Security, suspected of involvement in the terrorist attack.

This incident serves as the catalyst for the main conflict of the novel, pitting the tech-savvy teenagers against an overzealous government agency.

The book's structure is unique, with each chapter dedicated to a different bookstore, such as Bakka-Phoenix, Borderlands Books, and Books-A-Million. This approach not only adds an interesting layer to the narrative but also pays homage to independent bookstores.

Highlight: Cory Doctorow offers a free e-book version of Little Brother under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike license, encouraging sharing and remixing of the work.

This distribution model aligns with the book's themes of information freedom and challenges traditional publishing norms.

Vocabulary: Creative Commons - A type of copyright license that allows for the free distribution of an otherwise copyrighted work.

General Overview and Characters

Little Brother, written by Cory Doctorow in 2008, is a compelling young adult novel that tackles contemporary issues of surveillance and civil liberties. The story is set in San Francisco in the aftermath of a terrorist attack on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

The novel centers around four main characters:

1. Marcus Yallow: The 17-year-old protagonist and leader of the group, known for his technological prowess and hacking skills.

2. Darryl Glover: Marcus's best friend and fellow high school student.

3. Vanessa Pak (Van): A 17-year-old North Korean girl who serves as the group's idea generator.

4. Jose Luis Torrez (Jolu): A brilliant student from a nearby Catholic school, considered the most technologically adept of the group.

Highlight: The novel was listed as number 9 on "The New York Times Best Seller list", showcasing its popularity and relevance.

Quote: "I'd recommend LITTLE BROTHER over pretty much any book I've read this year." - Neil Gaiman, author of SANDMAN and AMERICAN GODS

This endorsement from a renowned author underscores the novel's impact and appeal.