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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
dark
funny
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Man, this book was a struggle nearly the whole way through. It's supposed to be a modern sci-fi classic, but I actually found it too far out for me - which is saying something. I think, in a nutshell, Stephenson is trying to do way too much in this book. There's a whole new future world that is radically different from this one, a virtual universe, ancient Sumeria, the reason ancient Sumeria matters for the plot, a billionaire villain, a megachurch, hacking, coding, viruses (both computer and biological), Aleuts, Nipponese, the mafia, and nuclear-powered guard dogs. It's like the Fifth Element meets the Matrix meets Minority report meets Hackers.
I also think this was one of Stephenson's earlier books, and you can tell he's still finding his way on things like character development, plot structure, and narrative focus.
I don't hand out 2 star ratings often, and this one probably comes out at 2.5, but I derived almost no joy from reading it and couldn't justify ranking it as merely 'average'.
I also think this was one of Stephenson's earlier books, and you can tell he's still finding his way on things like character development, plot structure, and narrative focus.
I don't hand out 2 star ratings often, and this one probably comes out at 2.5, but I derived almost no joy from reading it and couldn't justify ranking it as merely 'average'.
Finished my re-listen just in time for my book club.
This was a wild ride. I HATED the society depicted, but holy cow, the idea that evil (and other ideas) are a virus? Seems scarily relevant in today's society.
And I hate that.
This was a wild ride. I HATED the society depicted, but holy cow, the idea that evil (and other ideas) are a virus? Seems scarily relevant in today's society.
And I hate that.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
So mind numbingly ridiculous. The main character is a thinly veiled stand-in for the author in a completely lurid fantasy where he is a katana wielding hacker who saves the world. No piece of media has ever screamed poor hygine and nominal contact with women quite like this one. All that said, I had a grand time reading it.
slow-paced
Cool book. I heard about it because of it talking about the metaverse (basically a MMORPG)and how it gave a depiction of virtual reality and the internet even though it was written in the early 90's. There is a lot of what I can only guess is early 90's humor (a main character named Hiro Protagionist.. really?) but overall this book was a fun read and I probably enjoyed it moreso because of comparing it to real life and how technology has evolved.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-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
adventurous
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Sexual violence, Violence
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Not quite the book I was anticipating, given the hype, but a thrilling and fun ride. A bit choppy through some sections but quite fascinating concept of the librarian, asherah, government bureaucracy, the metaverse in todays world, as well as the megacompanies that run this world - not quite far from our own in some ways. Very prescient and still fun.