We're back in the world of Little Brother and Homeland, where the state has assumed enormous powers and, aided by contractors, has developed tools that enable them to monitor and nudge all human behavior. Only this time, we're behind the screens and in the world of the high-tech contractors who design these systems - and, sometimes, on the streets with protestors whose dissent is being crushed by the police. Masha is the skilled hacker who floats between these two worlds, advising activists in an East European country on how to protect their privacy (while making it clear there's really no way to defeat the powers of the state's surveillance systems) while also working for the massive company that provides systems for clients worldwide. returnreturnBefore we're done, she's back in the United States meeting up with her old friends who are fighting police repression in Oakland. One of them remembers the trauma of being interrogated by Homeland Security all too well, but they are determined to somehow defeat the impressive powers arrayed against them. Meanwhile, Masha continues to work for a global corporation while her previous employer, the very scary Carrie Johnstone, tries to win her back. She's that good at her job, and it's the joy of code and, let's face it, the money that keeps blinding her to the moral catastrophe she's enabling. The conflict between her cynical side and her more idealistic side is the heart of the story, as she helps friends dodge the surveillance and control systems she creates. Meanwhile, there are some personal relationships that unfold in a time-syncopated fashion as we learn Masha's past and watch her decide what side she's on. returnreturnThis novel isn't aimed at pleasing everyone. For some readers, the technical detail will get in the way of the story, but for nerds, it's fascinating to see Masha think through the challenges and then help her dissident friends find work-arounds. This third book in what could loosely be considered a trilogy offers a meaty ethical challenge right up to the final pages. There's no need to have read the previous books, but if you have, this one is a treat. And it may make you feel differently about autonomous vehicles.