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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
I liked it but I also think it needed an editor. I liked a lot of the characters and the science of the book was pretty cool, but I felt like there was some unnecessary stuff in the beginning and then that forced the end to be really rushed. It was a cool book thought and a good story.
Took a while to get drawn into the story. Some sections are clearly directly from Stephenson. The political parts were frequently reductive simplifications of reality, plus some gross misogyny (weird how nobody writes about their male characters' underwear...), so overall not stellar but still fun. If you're not also on a Stephenson completionist quest, feel free to skip this one?
Especially in our current world, this does not seem farfetched. Neal saw the future clearly, years ago. The story is interesting and fun. Originally published under Steven Bury pseudonym, a collaboration between Neal and another writer, it still has that great Neal Stephenson voice.
Not exactly brilliant, but I generally do find this an interesting/horrifying re-read around election time. Much in this book is horribly outdated, but the general plot still works -- could be a great single season tv show.
Reading this book during an election year was perfect timing; it's all about the staging of a (fictional) presidential election. Imagine a mashup of "Terminal Man" with "All The President's Men" and you get the basic idea. It's not typical of Stephenson's writing in the sense that it's fast-paced and tightly plotted, but Interface was clearly fueled by his imagination.
This was a very nice read. A lot of it is eerily prescient about the role of media in elections and the peril of moneyed influence within our political system. At times though it does remind you it is definitely a product of the 1990’s and has surprisingly weak points to make about politics as commonly discussed.
challenging
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ironic book from so many years ago whose prescience illustrates one of my favorite things about science (speculative) fiction: When they get it right, they get it right! An early Stephenson book, this novel really showcases political manipulation, digital ethics, and the future of accessibility (see the TED talk that talks about the brain implant that turns your thoughts into text on YT).
Abandoned for now, but I'm sure I'll come back to it. Right now I just cannot get into it.