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rbixby's review against another edition
4.0
First Stephenson book I read. Loved the eccentric characters and the way the author weaved the stories of the two generations together.
The Captain Crunch scene alone is worth the price of admission.
The Captain Crunch scene alone is worth the price of admission.
gilles's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
While this book had some interesting moments, it was far too long with too many tangents that had no bearing on the plot. It's already a sprawling story that can be difficult to follow without side plots being introduced that don't have a lot of bearing on the main story threads besides world building. I generally don't mind world building, but it needs to serve the narrative, and I'm not sure a lot of this did. Many of the threads that seemed irrelevant did come together in the end, but I feel this could've been a much tighter story. There were also entire chapters devoted to the horniness of main characters and it was dropped in throughout the rest of the novel as well, which I could've done without.
yates9's review against another edition
3.0
Command of prose and plot / nifty translation of the technologies of cryptology to fiction / exciting war action…
The author does a great job at building a world that can carry deep description of the early computers, their mathematical drivers, the asymmetric competition for information and espionage.
The problem is a consant flipping of place, time and character through complications that are built just to drive forward. Almost everyone dies and we end on climax with little resolution.
At best what i see is a kind of technoidealism that crypto technology of all sorts means power to the “good guys” because it can only develop when open to criticism/scientism. And yet the author buries the loss of life worn through the book, in the end all that seems to matter is gold.
But maybe i misunderstood… I read the book and then tried to understand why i read the book and could not answer this.
The author does a great job at building a world that can carry deep description of the early computers, their mathematical drivers, the asymmetric competition for information and espionage.
The problem is a consant flipping of place, time and character through complications that are built just to drive forward. Almost everyone dies and we end on climax with little resolution.
At best what i see is a kind of technoidealism that crypto technology of all sorts means power to the “good guys” because it can only develop when open to criticism/scientism. And yet the author buries the loss of life worn through the book, in the end all that seems to matter is gold.
But maybe i misunderstood… I read the book and then tried to understand why i read the book and could not answer this.
dale_in_va's review against another edition
2.0
I ended up giving up on ths book about 3/4 of the way through.
The vignettes are vaguely interesting, albeit a bit overwrought with the male gaze for me. I got past the midpoint of the book and I still don't know where the plot is going, if there is a plot. I seems as if the various storylines are leading somewhere, but I don't know where and I don't know if I care. Perhaps it is because I can't relate to the characters on any level. They aren't really admirable characters and the science while there, doesn't seem to be driving the plot.
So not sure if this would be an entertaining novel for someone, but for me, I don't really love war stories, nor stories about not-quite enlightened young men during their sexual awakenings discussing women in not so flattering ways. I only picked this up because I liked Seven Eves quite a bit, but I decided to move on to something more tolerable.
The vignettes are vaguely interesting, albeit a bit overwrought with the male gaze for me. I got past the midpoint of the book and I still don't know where the plot is going, if there is a plot. I seems as if the various storylines are leading somewhere, but I don't know where and I don't know if I care. Perhaps it is because I can't relate to the characters on any level. They aren't really admirable characters and the science while there, doesn't seem to be driving the plot.
So not sure if this would be an entertaining novel for someone, but for me, I don't really love war stories, nor stories about not-quite enlightened young men during their sexual awakenings discussing women in not so flattering ways. I only picked this up because I liked Seven Eves quite a bit, but I decided to move on to something more tolerable.
jjk2020's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
julieverive's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 - it isn't easy to get through but well worth the ride.
iceberg0's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating and compelling look at the number theory and code making and breaking inside of a sprawling, exciting story.
mylhibug's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
afranchilli's review against another edition
5.0
When a book defies all genres, it's hard to grade it by comparing it to other books you have read. Cryptonomicon doesn't have much of a structure to wrap your head around, but it's so packed with great set pieces, interesting characters, hilarious dialogue, and shrewd observations, that the loosely sketched plot does not seriously detract from the book as a whole.
In the end, it's narrative is the story of why and how cryptology is important, historically and prospectively. But what keeps the book afloat are the story lines that center around the thrill of entrepreneurship, adaptability in the face of adversity, and the "mathematicizing" of life.
The criticisms I have read are not all off the mark. For one: it is inconsistent at times. There are intermittent lags where the level of detail is simply not necessary. On the other hand, some deviations from the plot are among the most memorable sections - the explanation of various cultures' treatment of geeks as a reflection of their religion stands out for me, but lets not forget about the various disquisitions on topics like cap'n crunch cereal or staple removers.
Another complaint is the ending. And again I would have to refer to the fact that this is a unique work. I was not disappointed when I finished it, and because I enjoyed his writing so much during the journey, I didn't feel let down by the finished product.
It's not a perfect book, but it still gets 5 stars because I am hard pressed to find a book I enjoyed more.
In the end, it's narrative is the story of why and how cryptology is important, historically and prospectively. But what keeps the book afloat are the story lines that center around the thrill of entrepreneurship, adaptability in the face of adversity, and the "mathematicizing" of life.
The criticisms I have read are not all off the mark. For one: it is inconsistent at times. There are intermittent lags where the level of detail is simply not necessary. On the other hand, some deviations from the plot are among the most memorable sections - the explanation of various cultures' treatment of geeks as a reflection of their religion stands out for me, but lets not forget about the various disquisitions on topics like cap'n crunch cereal or staple removers.
Another complaint is the ending. And again I would have to refer to the fact that this is a unique work. I was not disappointed when I finished it, and because I enjoyed his writing so much during the journey, I didn't feel let down by the finished product.
It's not a perfect book, but it still gets 5 stars because I am hard pressed to find a book I enjoyed more.