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4.5 stars. I was not sure at first since such a long book. However, it was definitely worth it.
A rough start for the first... quarter or so of the book. Just a bit confusing until all of the threads and timelines being jumped between are pretty well solidified in your head.
That said, this was a fantastic novel. Not as fun as Snow Crash, but absolutely fascinating. Definitely deserves all of the praise it's received over the years.
That said, this was a fantastic novel. Not as fun as Snow Crash, but absolutely fascinating. Definitely deserves all of the praise it's received over the years.
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Nope. Nowhere near as engaging as Snow Crash, and life's too short to read a book that doesn't catch you in 100 pages...when it's 600. Deuces.
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
a sprawling saga. My 2nd Stephenson novel after Snow Crash and I must say I imagine I'll be reading some more of his work. Do I have some issues with the book and his style? I do, it fell short of 5 stars and could even have been only 3-1/2. It was overly long, and some of the main story threads seemed to lose steam and wander off before just fizzling. But overall I was thrilled with blending of computers, WWII action, historical figures, cryptography, weird foreign locales and how he connected the various characters across history. It helped of course that some subjects are pretty close to home in terms of my own work/job, but in a fun albeit nerdy kind of way.
This book had me in the first two thirds utterly and totally gripped. On paper it has everything I could want in a book
- Following a humorous soldier through World War II? ✅
- Following a code breaker working in Bletchley Park in World War II? ✅
- Alan Turing? ✅
- Modern Hacker storyline with in depth programming details? ✅
- _Actual_ Cryptography? ✅
I found the characters quite likable and you can absolutely tell Neal Stephenson did his research when it comes to the more arcane details of unix/cryptography/the pacific theater/german u-boats/Manila/Douglas MacArthur you name it.
However, the only thing keeping this a 5 star for me was the final act - I was expecting a twist/big reveal/avalanche of surprises, and while the ending is action pack, it didn't quite stick the landing. All in all its one of my favorites and I will definitely be reading more Stephenson in the future!
- Following a humorous soldier through World War II? ✅
- Following a code breaker working in Bletchley Park in World War II? ✅
- Alan Turing? ✅
- Modern Hacker storyline with in depth programming details? ✅
- _Actual_ Cryptography? ✅
I found the characters quite likable and you can absolutely tell Neal Stephenson did his research when it comes to the more arcane details of unix/cryptography/the pacific theater/german u-boats/Manila/Douglas MacArthur you name it.
However, the only thing keeping this a 5 star for me was the final act - I was expecting a twist/big reveal/avalanche of surprises, and while the ending is action pack, it didn't quite stick the landing. All in all its one of my favorites and I will definitely be reading more Stephenson in the future!
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I am pretty sure I would need to read this at least a couple more times to really grasp everything which happens, all the connections, etc. My original plan was to rate it five stars, but I'll reserve that for after at least the second reading. As is, I can confidently say that the book is full of intriguing plots, interesting characters, fun math, and a lot of humor. Stephenson is quite the master of storytelling and world building and characters and being, in general, an unfairly smart/talented individual.