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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Many Stephenson fans rate Cryptonomicon as their favorite novel. When I first read this novel back in 2007, I enjoyed it, but it didn’t impress me as much as Snow Crash had. In fact, only the first hundred pages or so lodged their way into my memory; upon rereading it, I found that 90% of the novel was more or less knew to me. Not sure why more of it didn’t settle in my brain the first time around, because it is a truly fantastic novel. The first time I read it, I had not yet formally studied computer science; I could make better sense of some of the math in the novel the second time around. Even beyond the science, it is a really fantastic, if complex, story; dense, and yet a real page turner, with lots of great insight.
The only downside is that the ending…kind of sucks. It’s a meme among Stephenson fans, but he really isn’t great at endings, and this one comes at you like a freight train: it’s fast and barrels right through you without slowing down. Like most fans, I think I’d really like more of a dénouement, some resolution to the story; I don’t mind coming up with my own ending, but I’d at least like a few hints. It feels like Stephenson felt like he had made his point and then rushes to the end to tie it all together—or rather, to just get the damn thing over with. The last hundred pages or so are a bit discordant with the pace and tone of the rest of the novel.
One thing I thought was funny this time around: his takedown of pretentious academics. In the 17 years since I first read the novel, a lot of the ideas of academia presented in this novel have broken from the ivory tower and spread to mainstream society. It’s funny that 25 years ago, even a lot of intellectuals poked fun at the people and ideas that we now treat so earnestly. I wonder how they pulled that off.
The only downside is that the ending…kind of sucks. It’s a meme among Stephenson fans, but he really isn’t great at endings, and this one comes at you like a freight train: it’s fast and barrels right through you without slowing down. Like most fans, I think I’d really like more of a dénouement, some resolution to the story; I don’t mind coming up with my own ending, but I’d at least like a few hints. It feels like Stephenson felt like he had made his point and then rushes to the end to tie it all together—or rather, to just get the damn thing over with. The last hundred pages or so are a bit discordant with the pace and tone of the rest of the novel.
One thing I thought was funny this time around: his takedown of pretentious academics. In the 17 years since I first read the novel, a lot of the ideas of academia presented in this novel have broken from the ivory tower and spread to mainstream society. It’s funny that 25 years ago, even a lot of intellectuals poked fun at the people and ideas that we now treat so earnestly. I wonder how they pulled that off.
Laugh out loud funny sometimes, dragging at times, clearly an early work of his (although I only read Anathem otherwise). I certainly enjoyed the WW2 era story telling more. He must have had a hell of a time writing the Marine Shaftoe's account -- easily the nuttiest. The more modern storyline is a bit forced, boring, not my favourite.
This was so frustrating. The story itself, like the plot, was really, really good. It was fun, it definitely seemed ahead of its time with the cryptocurrency aspect, and the interconnected storylines and relationships were super engaging. The stuff on cryptology and the pre-computers computing was super interesting as well.
Unfortunately, the author has some really terrible social opinions that he shoehorned into the story and spent a lot of effort having individual characters defend these opinions, or went off on irrelevant tangents to tell in-story parables to defend his opinions. It was extremely tiresome. If the author just didn't do that, the book would be about 300 pages shorter and infinitely better.
What bad opinions does he spew?
- it's actually really okay to use derogatory terms if you don't "mean it" in a derogatory way.
- men are incapable of directing/controlling their sexual desires and are programmed as children to be attracted to certain aspects of other people. They have no choice and no agency, so you can't fault them when they act in a certain way. (He specifically uses this to justify cheating.)
- outspoken and confident women must be lesbians by default (until proven otherwise)
- white men are being victimized for existing and do not inherently have privilege.
- the only way to fight oppression and prevent genocide is to be heavily armed and constantly training for war.
- all women use sex as a weapon and all men are helpless against this weapon.
- it's fruitless to try to understand other cultures, genders, races, or customs.
I could go on... It just was painful to get through these sections and to see these characters presented in such narrow-minded ways. Especially because he takes so much time to present these long-winded arguments that don't even have a bearing on the larger story. Might have been okay in 1999, but I'm not sure this would have successfully been published without major editing today.
Unfortunately, the author has some really terrible social opinions that he shoehorned into the story and spent a lot of effort having individual characters defend these opinions, or went off on irrelevant tangents to tell in-story parables to defend his opinions. It was extremely tiresome. If the author just didn't do that, the book would be about 300 pages shorter and infinitely better.
What bad opinions does he spew?
- it's actually really okay to use derogatory terms if you don't "mean it" in a derogatory way.
- men are incapable of directing/controlling their sexual desires and are programmed as children to be attracted to certain aspects of other people. They have no choice and no agency, so you can't fault them when they act in a certain way. (He specifically uses this to justify cheating.)
- outspoken and confident women must be lesbians by default (until proven otherwise)
- white men are being victimized for existing and do not inherently have privilege.
- the only way to fight oppression and prevent genocide is to be heavily armed and constantly training for war.
- all women use sex as a weapon and all men are helpless against this weapon.
- it's fruitless to try to understand other cultures, genders, races, or customs.
I could go on... It just was painful to get through these sections and to see these characters presented in such narrow-minded ways. Especially because he takes so much time to present these long-winded arguments that don't even have a bearing on the larger story. Might have been okay in 1999, but I'm not sure this would have successfully been published without major editing today.
Thriller with good mix of historical fiction, science, intrigue, and modern day politics. Loved the judicious use of historical characters
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
a really cool look at code-breaking during wwII and more present day. my boyfriend has read it so many times his copy is falling apart!
An absolutely incredible book. I started this book 5 years ago and only got a few pages in before I put it down. This time around I was hooked from the off. An intertwining set of stories that you know are all going to come together, and the fun is in figuring it out as you go. It’s a pretty big book, and I just didn’t want to put it down.