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2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
A techno-thriller for men AND women Jul 09, 2008
By Al Past
The Shadow Warriors is set in the world of computer viruses and malware, and the intelligent and often quirky people who counter them and create them. It spans several genres: mystery, thriller, and techno- both of those things. There's also a generous dose of romance. The narrator and main character is an attractive woman with a history, many male admirers, a lover of good food, fancy restaurants and hotels, and a classy dresser. She's also intelligent, computer-savvy, and inquisitive, traits which put her in the middle of a complex and dangerous situation.
Reminiscent of the famous Millennium Bug of 2000, the story centers around the efforts of a group of computer hackers, including the protagonist, Emma Davis, to retrieve some software which has gotten away from its creators and been turned into--possibly--a fearsome, world-stopping doomsday suite of computer programs. While this goes on, Emma must sort out her personal life with three men, one being her husband. The threat of digital disaster is a timely and entertaining notion, and there is no need to detail the course of the action here. It's enough to say there are murders, chases, narrow escapes, creepy suspects, intimate trysts (PG-13), and building tension enough for anyone looking for an absorbing experience.
While there is some amount of techno-speak it is minimal and will not disturb the reader who does not care to wallow in it. The heroine closely observes the dress of other characters and describes meals and hotels in considerable detail. It may be that female readers will particularly enjoy this aspect, but in fact this male reader did too--the author's descriptive powers are considerable. Many of the settings are described wonderfully well--those who have traveled widely, or would like to, will especially enjoy this aspect of the book. The author also has a fine ear for dialog.
The text is cleanly written and edited, and the small number of typos and grammar glitches that slipped through did not significantly detract from the experience. The story line was quite complex, what with the heroine's personal life intertwined with a large group of other significant characters, some with similar names. The reader should be prepared to make an effort to keep track of them.
The Shadow Warriors was a timely and fun book. The general reader would enjoy it, and I for one look forward to more by this talented, promising author.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Well written, complex and entertaining. Jun 20, 2008
By Odyssey Reviews
The Shadow Warriors, by Judith Copek, tells the story of Emma Lee Davis -- a vibrant character from the start -- as she works with an information security team to crack a series of computer agents for a secretive client. While the subject is slanted towards nerd-dom, Emma is first and foremost a woman, which is a refreshing change of pace from male-dominated thrillers.
Emma, nicknamed "Emmental" by her hacker buddies, is a busy woman. She must complete her job; balance two repressed romances while attempting to repair a marriage; protect herself and her friends from terrorists; decode a series of intricately interconnected computer agents; and all while (hopefully) wearing the right outfit to present herself correctly to her friends and peers. Don't be misled into thinking this is just another chick-lit thriller, however. Emmental's femininity is used to augment a fast-paced plot full of murder and intrigue, and her empathy strengthens the plot, rather than detracting from it. All of the characters are believable and richly crafted, and the plot is something you might find in an Ian Fleming novel: taking us to foreign cities and cultures, rich with language and cuisine that are reflected delightfully within the prose.
Unlike Tom Clancy's novel of the same name, Judith Copek's book is independently published: a point only worth mentioning because the production seems amateurish. Copek's The Shadow Warriors presents a potential reader with pixelated photos on the back of a poorly designed cover: a poor first impression. Yet it would be a pity to overlook Copek, as her story is robust, entertaining, and terrifyingly prophetic. As is often the case with self-published books, there are a few typographical errors tucked away inside this 476 page adventure--but only a few, and nothing that detracts from the enjoyability of the book.
I suspect that the author is not an expert on the rather sophisticated topics of computer hacking and information security, and yet the hacker lingo and technical terms are used correctly, both to further the plot and also to define the colorful cast of computer cryptics. Only small portions of this rather intricate tale seemed forced: the relationship between Emma and her distant husband was lacking, and I found myself not caring whether or not they reunited; also, as the story progressed, I found myself wishing for more detail of the events of the apocalyptic Info War, and less of the detail leading up to it. Overall, The Shadow Warriors, by Judith Copek, was well written, complex and entertaining.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Couldn't put it down Sep 15, 2010
By Scott F Kimmich
I devoured this book in two days, stopping only to eat and sleep, both of which pastimes figure prominently in the story. Emma, the protagonist, is an epicurean whose passions are good food, good clothes and good sex. She is also a dedicated computer geek with a political conscience and, thank goodness, a rye sense of humor. In one of the memorable scenes that captures her indomitable spirit, she performs a strip tease in public in order to create a diversion to help a colleague escape from mayhem.
The action spans continents. from Singapore to Boston, with many stops in Europe -- particularly Germany -- along the way, giving a nod to the picaresque tradition of early fiction. The sometime exotic settings are so well drawn that you feel you are part of the scene, and the author describes in vivid detail what the characters are wearing, how they dress their hair, and their widely varied personal mannerisms. And there is action aplenty; you'll rarely find Emma key stroking, and in fact, stroking an 8-oared shell is perhaps the only strenuous activity that she does not undertake.
I found the description of computer sleuthing and the development of soft-ware weapons that would bring the cyber universe to its knees hit the right balance between technology and a rip-roaring good story. The reader learns the rudiments of covert action via computer, but is never burdened with technical detail; this is a novel, not a software manual. All the same, most of the two dozen characters are computer experts, some bent on perpetrating crimes; some trying to preventing them, and others like Emma whose abilities are sought by both sides.
The plot writhes along through a maze of suspenseful obstacles, both in Emma's professional and private lives, and only in the final pages do we learn what, if any, resolutions have occurred in either domain. I would recommend this book to any one who would enjoy meeting an all-american noble woman
Techno all the way Jan 05, 2011
By Shadowfriend
Judy Copek's books are Techno all the way, as befits an author working in IS. The Shadow Warriors was first published as Print-on-demand when that was state of the art. Her book did well, but the publisher went out of business, so it is good to find Shadow Warriors now a state of the art e-book. Other reviewers have described the plot of this international thriller. I will note the lucid, descriptive and entertaining prose, especially pleasing to non-geek readers.
Don't miss it!
Great book!!!! Sep 16, 2010
By Margo Lemieux
I read mysteries all the time and this is among my top picks. There is no gratuitous violence but it is edgy enough to keep you in suspense. The characters are well constructed. While the technology is important, it is in service to the story...seamlessly interwoven to enhance and move the plot forward. I was so entranced, I wanted to be there actually living in the book. I can't wait for the movie!
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