The Deadline : A Novel About Project Management is (surprise surprise) a novel about
project management and
software engineering written by the classic author
Tom DeMarco (yes, the guy who together with
Timothy Lister gave us
Peopleware), published by
Dorset House in 1997 (
ISBN: 0-932633-39-0).
Contrary to most other books on the subject, it is really really entertaining, even fun, and reads faster than Tom Clancy.
The downside of this is, even though a good amount of Project Management advice and fascinating ideas are squeezed into the 320 pages, it is neither fish nor fowl. The novel plot will be too interspersed and linear for anyone not seriously into PM, and the PM content does not serve for easy reference at a later point, except for the project log book entries at the end of each chapter.
Nevertheless - an outstanding read, both for the initiate and experienced Project Manager.
The going price for a new book as per 06/04/2001 is around $25.
P.S. What I found particulary peculiar is that the main hero (Webster Tomkins) goes to my home country, Latvia at one point in the story. Nice touch - thanks, Tom!