I first read Underground on a Psion Series 5 a few years after it was first published. It went out of print for while and the text was freely available, but obviously the publishers have decided to capitalise on its association with Julian Assange and his current notoriety.
Julian's input was the research and his technical expertise. Thankfully, Suelette Dreyfus' is a skillful author and the combination of her engaging style with this detailed research is a rollercoaster of a book you'll want to read again and again (I've read Underground four times which is two more times than I've been grabbed by any other novel!).
If you were involved in the early electronic bulletin board systems, you will love this book.
If you are younger, or not that technical, don't let that you put you off; there are good explanations of all the activities in terms that anyone who can surf the web and use email will understand, and Suelette takes great care to ensure the technical aspects do not interfere with the telling of the story.
What I found particularly impressive is the way that the author has managed to get into the heads of the hackers involved so that you really feel you know what drives them. The reactions of the systems administrators, law-enforcement agencies are surprisingly human, and it's great to see their side of things told as well.
Without wanting to give any spoilers away, some of the court case judgements range from heavy-handed to hilarious.
This book is a real treasure - should be compulsory reading for anyone involved in defending hacking offences or their prosecution. Would make a great film too.
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