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jodyinbk's review against another edition
3.0
Didn't find it to be great literature. Many interesting ideas and concepts however.
ritahl's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed reading it. Yet if I rate this 5/5 I would have to rate many books 6/5.
markproxy's review against another edition
3.0
Why this title shows up on Best of Science Fiction lists is beyond me. Entertaining book, but nothing particularly thought-provoking. Stephenson clearly had a lot of fun with language in this book, with results that were sometimes delightful, sometimes laughably bad. An example of the latter, from page one: "A bullet will bounce off its arachnofiber weave like a wren hitting a patio door, but excess perspiration wafts through it like a breeze through a freshly napalmed forest."
If you can get over -- or perhaps even relish -- the over-the-top Genre voice, then you can look forward to a fairly well paced adventure novel (aside from a few awkward multi-page expository dialogues), set in an amusing alternative-modern-day world. The characters aren't particularly compelling, but they're likeable enough. I found the book easy to set aside, and easy to get back into, with an ending that doesn't try to be more than it is.
If you can get over -- or perhaps even relish -- the over-the-top Genre voice, then you can look forward to a fairly well paced adventure novel (aside from a few awkward multi-page expository dialogues), set in an amusing alternative-modern-day world. The characters aren't particularly compelling, but they're likeable enough. I found the book easy to set aside, and easy to get back into, with an ending that doesn't try to be more than it is.
jooleno's review against another edition
1.0
Might just be that I’m not one for maximalist storytelling, or that I’m alone in my refusal of Stephenson’s comparison between computer programming and ancient Sumerian language, but, to me, this is 550 pages of inexcusable garbage.
leemartin91's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lievreokami's review
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sarah0_0's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
gwyndae's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
misseh's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
1.75
algorithminflux's review against another edition
4.0
The book took place at nighttime in my mind as I read, until the end, when it was actually written that it was daytime.
Pretty cool ideas, very descriptive. A lot of the descriptions were lost on me as at some points all I really wanted to read was action and moving the story forward, and less describing. Alas, it was probably needed.
Pretty cool ideas, very descriptive. A lot of the descriptions were lost on me as at some points all I really wanted to read was action and moving the story forward, and less describing. Alas, it was probably needed.