The Rapture of the Nerds

The Rapture of the Nerds is a 2012 novel by Cory Doctorow and Charles Stross.^[1] It was released on September 4, 2012 through Tor Books and as an ebook, DRM free, under the CC BY-NC-ND.^[2] The book can also be downloaded for free.^[3]

The Rapture of the Nerds

First US edition cover
Author	Cory Doctorow & Charles Stross
Language	English
Genre	Science fiction
Published	Tor Books
Publication date	2012
Publication place	US
Media type	Print (Hardcover), ebook
Pages	349
ISBN	978-0-765-32910-3

Synopsis

The novel is a fixup of two novellas, "Jury Duty" and "Appeals Court", along with a new third section, "Parole Board". The book, set in the late 21st century, takes a generally comic look at the technological singularity through the eyes of Huw, a technophobic member of a "Tech Jury Service" tasked with determining the value of various technological innovations and deciding whether to release them.^[4]

Reception

Stross and Doctorow read from the book at Makerbot's former Brooklyn factory on Dean street in 2012.

Critical reception for The Rapture of the Nerds was mixed to positive,^[5] with the book gaining a positive review from Quill & Quire.^[6] NPR and Kirkus Reviews both gave mixed reviews, with NPR stating that the conclusion, when it "finally comes, feels like a simulation of a satisfying conclusion rather than the real thing".^[7][8]