You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
If Snow Crash was so good that cyberpunk went in to a coma, The Diamond Age effectively pulled the plug.
Much like seemingly everyone else I loved the first part of this book and felt that the second part didn't quite live up to the same extremely high standard.
Aside from the literary death of cyberpunk when Bud (a character that I'm sure we've all read about many times before but still want to know his story in this instance) is the victim of Confuscian capital punishment and the data transfer implications of sexual activity this novel is really quite incomparable to [b:Snow Crash|877974|Snow Crash|Neal Stephenson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327902160s/877974.jpg|493634].
Stephenson creates an incredibly believable world filled with interesting little details and intriguing characters (most of whom do not make it through a few pages in the entire novel) and tells a story of social change using the orphan Nell as the basis and catalyst. The mention of Nell is very important here as it is her intertwined narratives that leave you flipping page after page, breathlessly devouring a pretty hefty book.
It is only as you enter part the second that things start to slow down, make less sense, have a tendency to confuse and most irritatingly take huge jumps forward in time. This last aspect has the combined effect of a Rocky montage sequence or even more disconcertingly the final episode of an unexpectedly cancelled tv series trying to answer all of the questions from their mythology that they initially thought they'd have 5 years to dripfeed you. In an ideal world the Baroque Cycle has allowed Stephenson to tell his stories in a better (if long winded) style and potentially amazing novels will no longer be ruined by trying to squeeze them in to a paltry 500 pages.
Much like seemingly everyone else I loved the first part of this book and felt that the second part didn't quite live up to the same extremely high standard.
Aside from the literary death of cyberpunk when Bud (a character that I'm sure we've all read about many times before but still want to know his story in this instance) is the victim of Confuscian capital punishment and the data transfer implications of sexual activity this novel is really quite incomparable to [b:Snow Crash|877974|Snow Crash|Neal Stephenson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327902160s/877974.jpg|493634].
Stephenson creates an incredibly believable world filled with interesting little details and intriguing characters (most of whom do not make it through a few pages in the entire novel) and tells a story of social change using the orphan Nell as the basis and catalyst. The mention of Nell is very important here as it is her intertwined narratives that leave you flipping page after page, breathlessly devouring a pretty hefty book.
It is only as you enter part the second that things start to slow down, make less sense, have a tendency to confuse and most irritatingly take huge jumps forward in time. This last aspect has the combined effect of a Rocky montage sequence or even more disconcertingly the final episode of an unexpectedly cancelled tv series trying to answer all of the questions from their mythology that they initially thought they'd have 5 years to dripfeed you. In an ideal world the Baroque Cycle has allowed Stephenson to tell his stories in a better (if long winded) style and potentially amazing novels will no longer be ruined by trying to squeeze them in to a paltry 500 pages.
Re-read this for the second or third time during my Neal Stephenson marathon while I wrote my PhD dissertation. What an amazing world to dive back in to! I definitely feel like this is one of Stephenson's more underappreciated works, given how little I see it mentioned / talked about etc. The concept and execution are both really well done, and I love the characters. Watching Nel grow and learn as she interacts with the titular Primer (and through it Miranda) is a joy, and a wonderful way to see Neal's amazing Diamond Age world.
I like how much thought goes into Neal Stephenson's books. I dislike how much detail he goes into to show us how much thought goes into his books. I like his writing style. I dislike that style and description can detract from plot progression. I like his varied and interesting characters. I dislike that we never fully explored any of these characters. I liked the premise of the novel. I disliked how it just, simply ended. (In a week I doubt I'll even remember the point of the Primer and the entire world he has created. Which is sad.)
This is where I wish there were half stars in Goodreads. I really like Neal Stephenson's writing but feel the plotting missed the mark.
This is where I wish there were half stars in Goodreads. I really like Neal Stephenson's writing but feel the plotting missed the mark.
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've never been able to get into the techno-punk style of sci-fi, which I mostly attribute to Gibson's hectic and schizophrenic writing. I haven't picked up a Stephenson book because of this, although several are on my wishlist. This was our monthly book club choice that I suggested because I had also heard this was an interesting take on how our society might handle powerful AIs, which is a topic I'm really into at the moment. I'm disappointed to report that my worst fears about the writing style were manifested, and the AI ideas are not as explored as I would like. There are a few scattered moments of ingenuity (the "turning air into Fiona" thought, the structure of phyles, permanent eye spam!), but they are so buried under overlong flamboyant descriptions that it was hard to connect any of it into a whole thesis. Here are some notes I took while reading:
Hard to visualize his descriptions; “mold on an overripe strawberry”. Tons of similes didn’t work for me. Definitely cares more about things than people —long elaborated descriptions of places and objects but all the conversations are short. but yeah, I know I did body for life and they tried to get you to do like brown rice.
Mediatronic distractions very similar to cell phones….except still have paper books and recording tapes for some reason
Is this capitalism or communism? Seems very corporate, but not sure why everyone can’t just produce goods and money in Feeds?
150 pages in and I still can’t get a handle on the plot
Was shocked to see two years had passed
Liked the discussions on how the phyles are different. Doesn’t glorify any of them
Explained bitcoin/crypto in 1995, way before 2009
Primer has augmented reality ability
Too many names/places. Road names of intersections: is that really necessary? Some concepts don’t get defined until part 2 Exhausting
Nature vs nuture book, and it heavily favors nurture. A strong enough culture and upbringing can override any nastiness
Lots of jokes, but often smothered in verbosity
Seems to ultimately be arguing that only human connection matters in regard to living/raising the best life, not tech. But I don’t think the author cares that much about these characters as people. Mostly using them as ideas.
Also arguing that the power of storytelling cuts across everything else. “There are many people and many tribes, but only so many stories.”
What’s up with the structure? Chapter titles?
Hard to follow such an economical book last month (Before the Coffee Gets Cold) with this one, which takes its sweet time and has so many unnecessary flourishes
Not a big fan of the global alchemist plot
Wealth comes from virtue, not cleverness
Nell as killing machine…not sure about that turn!
Hard to visualize his descriptions; “mold on an overripe strawberry”. Tons of similes didn’t work for me. Definitely cares more about things than people —long elaborated descriptions of places and objects but all the conversations are short. but yeah, I know I did body for life and they tried to get you to do like brown rice.
Mediatronic distractions very similar to cell phones….except still have paper books and recording tapes for some reason
Is this capitalism or communism? Seems very corporate, but not sure why everyone can’t just produce goods and money in Feeds?
150 pages in and I still can’t get a handle on the plot
Was shocked to see two years had passed
Liked the discussions on how the phyles are different. Doesn’t glorify any of them
Explained bitcoin/crypto in 1995, way before 2009
Primer has augmented reality ability
Too many names/places. Road names of intersections: is that really necessary? Some concepts don’t get defined until part 2 Exhausting
Nature vs nuture book, and it heavily favors nurture. A strong enough culture and upbringing can override any nastiness
Lots of jokes, but often smothered in verbosity
Seems to ultimately be arguing that only human connection matters in regard to living/raising the best life, not tech. But I don’t think the author cares that much about these characters as people. Mostly using them as ideas.
Also arguing that the power of storytelling cuts across everything else. “There are many people and many tribes, but only so many stories.”
What’s up with the structure? Chapter titles?
Hard to follow such an economical book last month (Before the Coffee Gets Cold) with this one, which takes its sweet time and has so many unnecessary flourishes
Not a big fan of the global alchemist plot
Wealth comes from virtue, not cleverness
Nell as killing machine…not sure about that turn!
funny
hopeful
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
