... engrossing.

... a major contribution largely absent in the earlier efforts.

Gellman wants us to know that he’s not in the pocket of Big Snowden, and he flaunts his independence throughout Dark Mirror.

... a series of lively exchanges, fallings out and making ups. It is a fine and deeply considered portrait of the US-dominated 21st-century surveillance state.

What Gellman provides us with, in fact, as he trawls through the investigations he undertook into NSA malfeasance in the wake of Snowden’s data drop, is a necessary and deep meditation about how far our online lives can or indeed should remain completely private. Gellman, unlike Snowden, is able to interrogate American spymasters as well as tech companies about where the limits should lie, and he also has a sufficient sense of his responsibilities not to reveal much of the sensitive operational detail that the leaker gave him.

Gellman narrates all the twist and turns of this story with a gusto worthy of John le Carré.

... a thorough overview of the circumstances and consequences of [the Snowden leak]. One doesn’t have to necessarily agree with Gellman’s premise that Snowden’s exposure 'did more good than harm' in order to find this account of the ensuing legal and ethical questions surrounding NSA’s counterintelligence efforts to be an engaging one.

Gellman’s masterful narrative proceeds along two primary tracks. One relates the life story of the whistleblower, the now-famous Edward Snowden. The other is a primer about investigative journalism regarding one of the highest-risk exposés in U.S. history. As the author unspools his own saga, he also delivers an endlessly insightful narrative about the practice of investigative journalism, a book that deserves its place alongside All the President’s Men, Five Days at Memorial, Nickel and Dimed, and other classics of the genre.

... an eloquent behind-the-scenes account of his reporting on NSA contractor Edward Snowden’s leak.

Gellman provides new insights to this saga based on his own research and reflection .... Foremost a journalist, Gellman delivers a compelling story while recounting difficult predicaments and behind-the-scenes events. He takes a deep dive into the surveillance state while recalling being subjected to government investigations, legal pressures, and threats from foreign agencies determined to steal his files. Readers will be drawn into the conversational style of the book. It will be of interest to conspiracy theorist, historians, those interested in technology and surveillance, and readers looking for a balanced view of this notorious government leak..