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A review by hank
Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson
2.0
I'm out 72% DNF.
This is review is going to entertain me and probably not anyone else but that is the way I roll.
Termination Shock is like a pointless map. Maps in general are useful for summarizing and combining information into a smaller package in order to easier assimilate and see new and interesting patterns, seeing the forest through the trees as the saying goes. At some point, maps start losing their effectiveness, if we have a wall map of a globe we notice details not otherwised grasped, if we have a wall map of a U.S. State, we are similarly amazed at previously unknown features. We can continue moving down the scale with cities, towns, etc.
If however I have a wall map of...my wall we have lost all the power of scale. Termination Shock has also reached this exact state. It is a book about now, a collection of stories, events and issues that I swear I read in the NY Times yesterday, it contains mundane details and personalities that I can experience walking out my front door. It does not contain anything new, interesting or exciting. I really need at least one of those.
Why two stars instead of one? I usually reserve 1 for books that offend me. This is a coherent story, it just doesn't go anywhere.
This is review is going to entertain me and probably not anyone else but that is the way I roll.
Termination Shock is like a pointless map. Maps in general are useful for summarizing and combining information into a smaller package in order to easier assimilate and see new and interesting patterns, seeing the forest through the trees as the saying goes. At some point, maps start losing their effectiveness, if we have a wall map of a globe we notice details not otherwised grasped, if we have a wall map of a U.S. State, we are similarly amazed at previously unknown features. We can continue moving down the scale with cities, towns, etc.
If however I have a wall map of...my wall we have lost all the power of scale. Termination Shock has also reached this exact state. It is a book about now, a collection of stories, events and issues that I swear I read in the NY Times yesterday, it contains mundane details and personalities that I can experience walking out my front door. It does not contain anything new, interesting or exciting. I really need at least one of those.
Why two stars instead of one? I usually reserve 1 for books that offend me. This is a coherent story, it just doesn't go anywhere.