Intellectual Property Law

Geek Reading: Cory Doctorow's "For the Win"

By hugh

Prolific author and blogger, tireless advocate of freedom in the networked world, Cory Doctorow's voice is needed now more than ever. His new novel "For the Win" hits the stores today, and he will be making a rare appearance here in San Francisco at EFF's Geek Reading on Wednesday May 19th.

Here's how his publisher describes the story:

At any hour of the day or night, millions of people around the globe are engrossed in multiplayer online games, questing and battling to win virtual "gold," jewels, and precious artifacts. Meanwhile, others seek to exploit this vast shadow economy, running electronic sweatshops in the world's poorest countries, where countless "gold farmers," bound to their work by abusive contracts and physical threats, harvest virtual treasure for their employers to sell to First World gamers who are willing to spend real money to skip straight to higher-level gameplay.

Mala is a brilliant 15-year-old from rural India whose leadership skills in virtual combat have earned her the title of "General Robotwalla." In Shenzen, heart of China's industrial boom, Matthew is defying his former bosses to build his own successful gold-farming team. Leonard, who calls himself Wei-Dong, lives in Southern California, but spends his nights fighting virtual battles alongside his buddies in Asia, a world away. All of these young people, and more, will become entangled with the mysterious young woman called Big Sister Nor, who will use her experience, her knowledge of history, and her connections with real-world organizers to build them into a movement that can challenge the status quo.

If you're in San Francisco, come support EFF and hear a great contemporary science fiction author read from his latest work!

Geek Reading: Cory Doctorow reads from For the Win
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010, 7:30pm
111 Minna Gallery, 111 Minna Street, San Francisco

Buy tickets here, RSVP to events@eff.org, and learn more here.

Full post as published by Electronic Freedom Foundation - Deep Links on May 11, 2010 (boomark / email).