'Blockland' book review: Part gonzo, part Bitcoin-thriller, 100% recommended

The first hint that Blockland - 21 Stories of Bitcoin, Blockchain and Cryptocurrency is perhaps not quite the same as the average book on the subject of crypto is splashed bold, right across its cover.

So could Blockland be Bitcoin's first sacred text?

In the foreword, the author, Elias Ahonen, describes a whistle-stop crypto-fuelled globe-spanning trip of almost biblical excess, which brought back to mind the truly abominable The Little Book of Crypto by Cal Evans.

So perhaps Blockland is actually cryptocurrency's first rock'n'roll biography?

Once upon a timeThe book tells 21 stories of "Blockland" - the cryptocurrency space to you and me - starting with the creation of the first "Golden City of Bit" and the settlers who initially chose to inhabit it.

Ahonen's previous book was the infinitely more straight-laced Encyclopedia of Physical Bitcoins and Crypto-Currencies, published in 2016, which led to him being described as "One of the first Bitcoin historians."

While both books are technically reference works, Blockland feels more like a fictional thriller in its pace and style.

A right riveting readSo part holy scripture, part gonzo journalism, and 100% roller-coaster ride, Blockland succeeds amazingly in both mythologizing and explaining the current state of the cryptocurrency industry.

This is the cryptocurrency book for people who are too cool to read cryptocurrency books.

The hardcover edition of Blockland: 21 Stories of Bitcoin, Blockchain and Cryptocurrency is available for pre-order from cryptonumist.com.