Rave Reviews for “The Knucklehead of Silicon Valley” from Tech, Lit, and Media Titans
“Knucklehead” is a great, eye-opening read. Vachon weaves a story that is both impossible to believe and impossible to ignore—It is ridiculously funny and frighteningly real. Be prepared to learn, to laugh and yes, to worry about what’s happening behind the cyber world curtain.”–Rick Roth, Global CEO, Ogilvy Action
“It’s all too rare to find a fun, seat-of-your-pants, literary romp like this. I got wonderfully lost with Ralph in the many cultures as he travels around the planet. And kudos for the author in the entertaining explanation of how investors examine entrepreneurial ventures for investment. As an investor myself, a lot of the anecdotes and stories resonated with me… wonderful reading.”–Raz Zia, former MD at Goldman Sachs and MD at Aldrich Capital
“Captivating and thoroughly entertaining.”–Harvey Boulter, Privacy Advocate and Chairman of Cellcrypt Inc.
“Craig Vachon has created a thoroughly entertaining international spy thriller that travels the globe with political intrigue in the current hot spots. He discusses the challenges and opportunities behind some of the newest high-tech advances and gives a behind the scenes look into the investment world of Silicon Valley. The author’s deep knowledge of places and situations makes you wonder if the book really is fiction as the author claims. Ralph is a loveable character who I felt connected with from the first chapter of the book. ‘Knucklehead’ is a fun, exciting, moving, and thought-provoking ride that literally had me laughing out loud at some points.”–Greg Post, Regional President, Sprint
“An exciting look at the worlds of cybersecurity and international espionage. The author takes you on a wild ride through the underworld of technology as you jump from country to country, meeting fascinating characters. A must-read if you are into spy novels, or just interested in how technology can impact our lives.”–Anthony Gioeli, Silicon Valley entrepreneur and author of “International Business Expansion”
” ‘Knucklehead’ is like being shot out of an Ethernet cable lined with exotic travel and baroque paintings and landing on a sea of electricity.”–Peterson Conway, PayPal Mafia
“A wonderfully exciting and comedic tale of Ralph, a venture capitalist and unlikely spy that leads us through an international tale of intrigue while unlocking the secrets of Silicon Valley. Fascinating and an absolute joy to read!”–Tim Martin, CEO of LifePrint
“Fans of Neal Stephenson’s opus, Cryptonomicon, will thrill to Craig Vachon’s new expose of the wild west of our digital era. As Stephenson introduced us to the beginnings of this era, Vachon’s adventure recounts peak Silicon Valley. Vachon’s protagonist, Ralph, glides into and out of a series of fantastic predicaments that might be less fictitious than we think. This adventure is a good one, and you’ll enjoy every minute of it.”–Michael Gilligan, President of Seek Common Ground
“This novel’s topic is so important: We stand in the middle of a storm—not just a geopolitical one, but a cyberpolitical one. It feels as if no one trusts anyone any more, and suspicion and confusion reign across our delicate cyberworld. Which way do we turn?”–Eugene Kaspersky, Hacker Hunter and Chairman, Kaspersky Labs
“If a major amusement park ever wanted to build the ultimate spy-adventure ride with mystery, suspense, white-knuckle twists and turns, comedy, and romance, ‘The Knucklehead of Silicon Valley’ would be the perfect blueprint. Not only did I love the ride, but as with all great adventures, I learned a hell of a lot. I thought I knew what went on in the mythological land of Silicon Valley, but I had no idea how insane it truly is.”–Bill Glasser, Former Supervisor and Producer, Fox Television’s “America’s Most Wanted”
“A modern-day Being There—if Peter Sellers’ Chauncey were a Silicon Valley tech investor! You will not only be thoroughly entertained but thoroughly educated as to the insanity that is the world of IPOs, internet privacy and the potential of high-tech’s misuse”.–Brian Fraser, Author of “Cartoons With my Dad: How art drew us together”
“… a lot of fun, until you think about it and then it becomes a bit scary… The protagonist clearly is smarter than he puts on, and he brings the reader on a fun ride through the new tech fun house. Because the situations feel real, the book also gives the reader a reason to pay more attention to emerging technology… you’re left thinking there is a lot going on in the real world to which we should probably be paying more attention.”–Peter Loge / To read the full review, click here.
“This thriller takes us through an insider’s view of high-tech Silicon Valley culture, authentically capturing its brilliance and ambition, as well as its silliness and hubris. Smart and captivating, it follows the protagonist who is at times ham-fisted and dim, other times deft and clever, through a fascinating journey of intrigue along the cutting edge of tech. Filled with humor, suspense, whimsy, whit and moments of pure heart, this read is fascinating, educational, and a heck of a lot of fun.”–Jordy Berson, former Head/CEO, BitTorrent
“If ‘Tech/Spy/Finance/Comedy’ wasn’t a genre before, it is now! ‘Knucklehead’ is a page-turning misadventure full of tech investors, shameless karaoke, and seemingly endless air miles. It is a delight to follow Ralph Gibson (who may or may not be a spy) in his globe-trotting tale of Silicon Valley financing, where ‘billions’ and ‘international security’ are daily issues and Ralph seems to know what he’s doing, but clearly doesn’t. ‘Knucklehead’ is not a travelog, it’s not a spy story, it’s not a tech thriller… or is it? Ralph’s just this guy, who happens to travel the world, is involved in billion-dollar investments… and may or may not be a spy. Loved it! You don’t expect this book. A spy story without guns, explosions or poison? A tech thriller where karaoke plays a central role? A comedy with the fate of the world in its hands? A hero who has no idea who he works for? Count me in!”–Brett Dewey, former writer/producer, for “Saved By The Bell”
