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	This Book Has Bugs By Declan McCullagh January 26, 1999 America's computers crashed on January 1, 2000. Cars won't start, planes won't fly, and the military is in shambles. Soldiers of unknown origin have seized control of a key high tech company. China is preparing to invade. And the one man who can save Western civilization from a Digital Dark Age is Y2K fixmeister Mark Solvang. Mark's problem? Well, that happens to be his company those troops took over. What comes next is a predictable romp through gun battles, hacking, and government intrigue that's sure to satisfy Chuck Norris fans but leave anyone else hoping for a little more. Y2K: It's Already Too Late ($17.95), self-published by Jason Kelly, is the first Year 2000 novel, and we're sure glad it's not the only one. Society's response to widespread infrastructure failures is an complex topic that demands a deft hand, and Kelly's is far too clumsy. The book suffers from unimaginative prose ("the [shotgun] pellets spread into a Cuisinart of death") and equally uninspired characters: The good guys are unfailingly valiant and bad guys are unambiguously evil. For a book that claims to be "based on evidence" and fact, many points strain credulity, including the way Congressional hearings work (Kelly, a former technical writer for IBM, apparently has never been to one), a prediction that the press will ignore the problem (fat chance), and every modern car will stop running (not quite). We found some good things to say, too. The book is fast-moving, and it does explore some of the more apocalyptic Y2K predictions, including widespread power outages and rioting and looting in major cities. It includes the requisite geek-drama when our hero tracks his adversary through computer networks. The result is a book that may entertain, but rarely surprises. Y2K what-if buffs and those intrigued by will-it-happen-this-way predictions might well enjoy Y2K: It's Already Too Late. The rest of us would do better to spend our $17.95 on a bag of lentils.		FEATURES Book Reviews Y2K already has spawned its own genre. We tell you what books are worth buying. Chip 'n Little Cartoons Chip 'n Little goes on TV Chip 'n Little visits John Koskinen Chip 'n Little saves the world Warning: This cartoon has been called "foolish and tasteless." Y2K from A to Z Y2K Haiku Traditionalists may be shocked. Mad Cow Culture What does Y2K have in common with today's Mad Cow Culture? Answer: Everything. Declan McCullagh's Y2K articles Psychology of Y2K LATEST NEWS As of December 31, 1999 Get Your T-Shirt Quick Bill Gates Does Y2K Reader Feedback A Sarcastic Calendar Cooking After the Apocalypse A Real Y2K Disaster Hitchhiker's Guide Meets Y2K