He was just a guy who really liked monkeying with computers.
-- Narrator (Chapter 1 paragraph 3)

Importance: Martin Banks dislikes being referred to as a hacker, and does not consider himself one. He dislikes the image that the term “hacker” conjures up, and finds that being a hacker requires too much effort since it means he has to be rebellious all the time. Yet, Martin’s skills with computers are immense, and will prove to be instrumental to the plot of the novel.

He put a great deal of thought into all the things he should not do. Things that might be possible, using the file, but would probably lead to no good.
-- Narrator (Chapter 2 paragraph 12)

Importance: Having discovered he can alter reality through the repository1-c.txt file, Martin contemplates all that he can do. Many of them are things which he knows he should not do, but endeavors to try anyways. This attitude will ultimately come to get...