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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
Couldn't finish. Could barely start. Got to around 40 pages in before giving up.
I just couldn't. Technobabble + casual racism + sexism = no go zone.
I just couldn't. Technobabble + casual racism + sexism = no go zone.
Pretty much what the title says, a long encyclopedia about cryptography and it's consequences worked into a novel that showcases its application in WW2 and the 90' Data and digital currency boom.
Honestly the book is long and tedious. I read this book on and off for 4 years... I think. Had to put it down many times. But for what it was worth it was an enjoyable read over multiple chapters. Some where packed full of interesting concepts and some where just there for pure comedic relief, but some were just pointless. But I guess that is the spirit of cryptography, hiding the real message inside of a lot of noise. I can appreciate the converging correlated character cast of the two timelines, but the last few chapters where rather boring, leading to a mild and obvious end.
I am happy to have pushed my self to finish the book, and don't regret it.
Honestly the book is long and tedious. I read this book on and off for 4 years... I think. Had to put it down many times. But for what it was worth it was an enjoyable read over multiple chapters. Some where packed full of interesting concepts and some where just there for pure comedic relief, but some were just pointless. But I guess that is the spirit of cryptography, hiding the real message inside of a lot of noise. I can appreciate the converging correlated character cast of the two timelines, but the last few chapters where rather boring, leading to a mild and obvious end.
I am happy to have pushed my self to finish the book, and don't regret it.
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
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
I've never really gone in for historical fiction, so Cryptonomicon, a book that claims to straddle both history and science fiction, seemed like a good place to start.
That's what I thought before I started. A few pages in, I was daunted to say the least. This book is DENSE. Not just in the lengthy-descriptions manner of speaking. It's been written by a man with a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of everything even tangentially related to the subjects he writes about, and it shows.
That's not to say that Stephenson is flexing his admittedly impressive grasp of everything from World War 2 history to modern day digital cryptography. In fact, he's kind enough to slow down now and then, and let his readers fully digest the more technical jargon he's putting out, page after page.
Once you come to terms with that fact - that this is a book occasionally indulgent enough to feature 3 pages of graphs dedicated to the relationship between the frequency of orgasm and mental clarity, it's a hell of a ride. But again, it's a ride that's not for the faint of heart, or for the "numerically challenged" as a college professor of mine used to say.
That's about as much as I can say without giving away spoilers. This is a book that demands your complete attention, and rewards your intelligence in a way that I haven't seen since the Artemis Fowl books of my childhood. Breathtaking in ambition, riveting in execution. I'd like to think I finished this one book a better informed person than I was when I started it.
That's what I thought before I started. A few pages in, I was daunted to say the least. This book is DENSE. Not just in the lengthy-descriptions manner of speaking. It's been written by a man with a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of everything even tangentially related to the subjects he writes about, and it shows.
That's not to say that Stephenson is flexing his admittedly impressive grasp of everything from World War 2 history to modern day digital cryptography. In fact, he's kind enough to slow down now and then, and let his readers fully digest the more technical jargon he's putting out, page after page.
Once you come to terms with that fact - that this is a book occasionally indulgent enough to feature 3 pages of graphs dedicated to the relationship between the frequency of orgasm and mental clarity, it's a hell of a ride. But again, it's a ride that's not for the faint of heart, or for the "numerically challenged" as a college professor of mine used to say.
That's about as much as I can say without giving away spoilers. This is a book that demands your complete attention, and rewards your intelligence in a way that I haven't seen since the Artemis Fowl books of my childhood. Breathtaking in ambition, riveting in execution. I'd like to think I finished this one book a better informed person than I was when I started it.
This book is enjoyable, and clever and full of insightful anecdotes, but I do think it goes on for a couple hundred pages too long.
Finally finished!! Great book, just very lengthy and detailed style of writing, so it took me longer than most books (plus I'll admit I've spent more time playing Wii games than I have been reading). I really enjoyed the book, especially the story-line taking place in WWII. It took me longer to become absorbed in the current day story-line until all the connections were secure in my head. Great characters who you come to know through great details (for example, the author describes for multiple pages the precise way that one of his characters eats a bowl of Captain Crunch cereal).
Thanks for the recommendation, Jeremy! I don't have any secret messages to encrypt, but I want to learn to use the Solitaire code!
Thanks for the recommendation, Jeremy! I don't have any secret messages to encrypt, but I want to learn to use the Solitaire code!
I love books where it feels like I'm learning something, and there's just so much detail here, history and modern technology interweaving, music and Turing and nazi gold and...
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Sometimes I know when I start reading a book I’m really going to like it. Maybe it’s because I love other books by the author, the book got great reviews, or the book covers areas of significant interest to me. But I try not to get my hopes up too high, because the trough of disillusionment is real. Despite my unavoidably high expectations for Cryptonomicon, I loved it.
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes