True Names

'The first hint that Mr Slippery had that his own True Name might be known came with the appearance of two black Lincolns humming up the long dirt driveway . . .'

Roger Pollack is Mr Slippery, a computer hacker who inhabits the 'other plane' - where like-minded individuals penetrate the world's computers for profit or kicks. Unfortunately, the US government has discovered Mr Slippery's identity, his True Name. They force Roger to track down the Mailman, a new hacker wreaking havoc in the real world. But the closer Mr Slippery gets to the Mailman, the more frightening he appears. Who is the Mailman? Is he even human? And how on earth can Roger stop him?

About the Author

Vernor Vinge is a computer scientist, mathematics professor and science fiction author. He is best known for his Hugo Award-winning Zones of Thought series, including novels A Fire Upon the Deep and The Children of the Sky. He published True Names in 1981 and it was awarded the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award in 2007. Vinge retired from teaching at San Diego State University in 2000 and currently sits on the selection committee for the Free Software Foundation's Award for the Advancement of Free Software.