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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
My interest flagged a bit about 2/3 in (particularly around Randy's trip back to the US) but I'm glad I read this book. I chose it because it was on the NPR list of the top 100 Sci-Fi/Fantasy.
The multiple storylines were interwoven well, but I missed the female perspective. Even though there were strong female characters in several places, none of the writing is from their perspective or gives much insight into their thinking, except as perceived by the male lead characters.
The multiple storylines were interwoven well, but I missed the female perspective. Even though there were strong female characters in several places, none of the writing is from their perspective or gives much insight into their thinking, except as perceived by the male lead characters.
A great book that defies genre categorizing. Historical fiction, maybe? Thriller? Science fiction is a bit of a leap when it's almost all real technology. Anyway, a really great read that builds a handful of memorable characters and pulls them all over the place before bringing things together and closing the stories in a satisfying way. The only reason it's not 5 stars is the length. Took me a few months to finish this one.
One of the longest books I have read. It's very well written I was never bored even with it being mostly plotless until the last quarter of the book.
The characters were all well fleshed out. the different "plot" lines kept the story moving and never felt wasted.
Also, small minutiae of random things said, done, or seen come back to be kinda interesting later. Although, I am sure I missed tons of them, and that doesn't distract from the overall story either.
Technical detail got pretty intense a few times and it went way over my head a lot. I don't feel that that detracted from the story either. Also the technical stuff never lasts super long.
The characters were all well fleshed out. the different "plot" lines kept the story moving and never felt wasted.
Also, small minutiae of random things said, done, or seen come back to be kinda interesting later. Although, I am sure I missed tons of them, and that doesn't distract from the overall story either.
Technical detail got pretty intense a few times and it went way over my head a lot. I don't feel that that detracted from the story either. Also the technical stuff never lasts super long.
My old man recommended this book to me way back in February. Unfortunately, I was writing my master's paper and the time and did not have the mental prowess to get involved with this book. Anyway, I stopped reading it about 10 pages before it would have sucked me in/got good, as in "that's war, baby." Who knows, I may not have graduated in May if I had only read 10 more pages, fate's a strange thing. Like I said, this book is intense, but well worth the read--complex, with the perfect amount of human interest and detail.
Basically, this book follows 2 story lines. One set during WWII and the other set in the late 1990's. Most of the 1940's follows Bobby Shaftoe, Lawrence Pritchard Waterhouse, and Goto Dengo. Waterhouse is a mathematical genius who gets involed in the crypto-analysis/decryption operations of the military during WWII. He's kind of a bigwig of detachment 2072, basically, the code breaking department. Bobby Shaftoe is a Marine Raider, who, after suffering severe shell shock in the Guadalcanal, joins Detachment 2072. Goto was a Japanese engineer, who also makes an appearance in the modern day.
Most of the characters from the "present day" are linked, at least genetically, to the characters from the 1940's. Randy Waterhouse, Lawrence's grandson, gets involved with Amy Shaftoe, Bobby's granddaughter. How gratuitous! But, in some strange kismatic way, it worked. Randy meets her while building a geek heaven in the South Pacific. The modern day group also finds a whole lot of WWII loot.
Bridging it all together is Enoch Root--apparently some sort of Demi-God who is roughly the same age in both story lines. On a side note, Enoch Root also appears in other Stephenson books.
Basically, this book follows 2 story lines. One set during WWII and the other set in the late 1990's. Most of the 1940's follows Bobby Shaftoe, Lawrence Pritchard Waterhouse, and Goto Dengo. Waterhouse is a mathematical genius who gets involed in the crypto-analysis/decryption operations of the military during WWII. He's kind of a bigwig of detachment 2072, basically, the code breaking department. Bobby Shaftoe is a Marine Raider, who, after suffering severe shell shock in the Guadalcanal, joins Detachment 2072. Goto was a Japanese engineer, who also makes an appearance in the modern day.
Most of the characters from the "present day" are linked, at least genetically, to the characters from the 1940's. Randy Waterhouse, Lawrence's grandson, gets involved with Amy Shaftoe, Bobby's granddaughter. How gratuitous! But, in some strange kismatic way, it worked. Randy meets her while building a geek heaven in the South Pacific. The modern day group also finds a whole lot of WWII loot.
Bridging it all together is Enoch Root--apparently some sort of Demi-God who is roughly the same age in both story lines. On a side note, Enoch Root also appears in other Stephenson books.
Eh, got 25% though this but wasn't really enjoying it as much as I thought. I liked pieces of it but hated others. So I stopped reading- there are so many other books out there that I know I'd enjoy reading more!
I have all together mixed feelings about this book. First, the good. Cryptonomicon is smart and is not shy about going deep into digressions and esoterica. It’s the book’s biggest strength. The interweaving, time-spanning plot is pretty satisfying, and the stakes are compelling. The Gumpian (i.e. blending of fiction with actual history) aspects of the book are very well executed. The cultural examinations and depictions are not exactly pitch perfect but they’re very well told and I find them interesting, even when they’re clearly meant as context building. The Philippines is one of the most deeply explored characters in the book.
Now the not so good. I think the characters are wildly inconsistent. Some are downright annoying, unapproachable, unlikable. Some are just there. Only one or two are genuinely compelling. Unfortunately, they all get plenty of pages and hefty storylines. The more mystical themes of the book clash, imo, with the down and dirty mechanic style of the best parts of the book. I just am less compelled by the Eruditorium thing than by the cryptography and Captain Crunch things. I think it’s kind of a fluffy theme. The side characters are not developed well, the women being the most glaring examples. It’s fairly pathetic at points. It’s also a very long book and it feels long. The inconsistent storylines really exacerbate the issue. When you get into a boring subplot it just grinds to a halt. Also, the writing style can be a bit methodical but I appreciate that the focus is not on style per se but on the content of the story.
So in conclusion, the best parts of Cryptonomicon are incredible and, to me, quite novel. I think it’s worth a read if you are into topics like the early internet, WWII, cryptography, along with a touch of mysticism. But be prepared that it can be slowww going and frustrating. I took a break halfway through reading it that lasted more than a year, I believe.
I recommend the audiobook, which is narrated very well.
Now the not so good. I think the characters are wildly inconsistent. Some are downright annoying, unapproachable, unlikable. Some are just there. Only one or two are genuinely compelling. Unfortunately, they all get plenty of pages and hefty storylines. The more mystical themes of the book clash, imo, with the down and dirty mechanic style of the best parts of the book. I just am less compelled by the Eruditorium thing than by the cryptography and Captain Crunch things. I think it’s kind of a fluffy theme. The side characters are not developed well, the women being the most glaring examples. It’s fairly pathetic at points. It’s also a very long book and it feels long. The inconsistent storylines really exacerbate the issue. When you get into a boring subplot it just grinds to a halt. Also, the writing style can be a bit methodical but I appreciate that the focus is not on style per se but on the content of the story.
So in conclusion, the best parts of Cryptonomicon are incredible and, to me, quite novel. I think it’s worth a read if you are into topics like the early internet, WWII, cryptography, along with a touch of mysticism. But be prepared that it can be slowww going and frustrating. I took a break halfway through reading it that lasted more than a year, I believe.
I recommend the audiobook, which is narrated very well.
Reread after 20+ years. Some parts aged less gracefully than others but still a very exciting story. Specifically Randy was way more annoying than I remembered though.
Now if only there was a usable audiobook version of the baroque cycle
Now if only there was a usable audiobook version of the baroque cycle
A classic Stephenson, either you love his style or you hate it.....
A fitting follow up on the baroque cycle which i recently reread, more detailed review to follow later
A fitting follow up on the baroque cycle which i recently reread, more detailed review to follow later
Hard to start, easy to finish. It gets it's hooks into you after a while. Very good, but resolved a little to quick at the end.