A Not Bad Debut
Leaving aside the inaccurate and slanderous portrayal of Spain, this was a rather good debut. It was a fun ride, a bit immature perhaps but truly enjoyable. Brown had the intention of outdoing Sidney Sheldon, as one of Sheldon's books had inspired him to start writing his own and pen a "better" thriller. I would say he achieved his aim, although I'm not sure if that can be considered a victory. DB is really bad when it comes to the background. You can say whatever you want about Sheldon, but he did his research right, or at least most of it.
I read this during good times when the world seemed a little less gray. It was never innocent, not even in 2005, so I have nothing but affection for Digital Fortress. I miss those days. I believed in humanity then.
Then I met people and became like an Audioslave song, perhaps a bit more cynical and jaded. But still, Digital Fortress holds a special place in my heart as a reminder of a time when things were a little bit brighter.