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Title: Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson ISBN: 0-06-051280-6 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 05 November, 2002 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.15 (676 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Highly impressive; highly enjoyable; but a few bones to pick
Comment: I have to admit, I am a perfect audience for this book. I live in Silicon Valley and work in the information industry where geeks have taken over and rigged the game so that *they* can be the heroes for once, goddammit. I loved the math, I loved the crypto, I loved the in-jokes. Heck, I'm even from the Palouse, Randy Waterhouse's home country. What's not to like, with such smooth, funny writing, such compassion for the geeks, the nerds, the jarheads, the gay math geniuses, such a wealth of invention? I didn't even mind the present tense writing; a style that is supposedly distancing read to me like a friend sitting next to me telling me this story: "So then Randy says--" I repeat. What's not to like? Uh, a few things. Minor things, really, like an overabundance of words (kinda like this review) and a weak ending that focuses on the least interesting of the two major plot thrusts, tossing in a truly bizarre and not too believable period of physical danger in which the hero--oh, yeah, that reminds me. And his women. I hope Mr. Stephenson works on his women, because there really are no women in this book. Sure, there's Amy Shaftoe, who acts tough, talks tough, and knows how to scuba dive, but in the end she exists solely to be rescued by her man. And you know, there really are women programmers out there. Even women hackers and gurus. But from the era of WWII (in which such an attitude can be excused) to the present (in which it cannot) Stephenson's women exist as goads, prods, inspiration for and annoyances to men. And that's it. Certainly not as people in their own right. I haven't read Diamond Age, but I heard the hero is female. I'll have to check it out and see if Stephenson was just giving his feminine side a rest this trip out.
Rating: 5
Summary: Delicious...
Comment: I've been inquiring at various book counters about new Neal Stephenson books for 2+ years now, to no avail. Having read his other offerings, I was anxious to get another fix.
I could not have been more satisfied by "Cryptonomicon". Stephenson's tongue-in-cheek style is in the same class as Douglass Adams - at times I laughed so hard that it drew looks from neighbors. His ability to braid several intricate plotlines is up there with Tom Clancy - I lost track of the time more than once. If the rumors are true, then "Cryptonomicon" is only the beginning of a wonderful series in the same lofty strata as Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" (and hopefully more frequent!).
The characters are likable. The plotlines are thick and crisp, making it easy to read 900 pages without gasping for air. The sarcasm and irony are rich and quite tasty. Even the technical detail and analyses are a joy to read! I never really considered the relationship between sex and my productivity, but now that you mention it... ...kinda makes me glad that I don't have a 747 hanging from my ceiling, y'know?
Don't wait - get the book. Savor every last encryption-encrusted bit.
PS: Yes, the typos do contain an encrypted message - and the book itself is a one-time pad. First, find all of the typos. There are several - enough for a complete sentence. Then start on the 39th line of page 209, 11th character from the right, and then skipping letters in a Fibonacci series... ...well, I'll let YOU figure it out.
Rating: 4
Summary: Codebreaking, Computers, and Combat
Comment: Reviewing an epic novel like "Cryptonomicon" is not easy. The sheer depth of Neal Stephenson's 1,100-page story about World War II codebreakers and modern-day technology entrepreneurs is bound to make any quick summary or analysis seem inadequate. That said, I will mention a few positives and negatives that struck me about this book.
POSITIVES: The story itself is remarkably clever and well thought out. Mr. Stephenson obviously did a tremendous amount of research on the World War II era and the art of cryptography, both past and present. Anyone with an interest in these subjects will not be disappointed. It is also obvious that Stephenson spent a considerable amount of time in the Philippines, where the bulk of the story unfolds. Actually, "Cryptonomicon" is several stories that run parallel to one another throughout the book and then gradually converge near the end. Stephenson makes it obvious from the beginning that these seemingly disparate plot lines are somehow related, but the relationship does not become clear for quite some time. Watching them intersect is very satisfying.
NEGATIVES: The book is far longer than necessary. Those who read Stephenson's fast-paced "Snow Crash" will be surprised by the tempo of "Cryptonomicon," which is much slower and more deliberate. Stephenson often gets sidetracked, using many pages to establish what ultimately turns out to be a minor element in the story line. The book probably would be much stronger without 300 or 400 pages of unnecessary material. Also, there are a few too many coincidences, which hurt the story's plausibility. Some of the coincidences are appropriate and necessary to the plot line, but others were thrown in for no apparent reason. For example, a primary character just happens to stumble upon the Hindenburg Disaster while riding his bike one evening, yet this episode has no bearing on the story (unless there is some hidden meaning beyond my grasp).
Overall, "Cryptonomicon" will not disappoint those who invest their time and money in it. Neal Stephenson is a stylish author with a vivid imagination and a sharp sense of humor. His passion for technology, mathematics, and history practically leap off the page. In "Cryptonomicon," he has combined these elements into an intriguing and unique tale.
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Title: Quicksilver (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 1) by Neal Stephenson ISBN: 0380977427 Publisher: William Morrow Pub. Date: 23 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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Title: Snow Crash by NEAL STEPHENSON ISBN: 0553380958 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 02 May, 2000 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: The Diamond Age : Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer by Neal Stephenson ISBN: 0553380966 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 02 May, 2000 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: The Confusion (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 2) by Neal Stephenson ISBN: 0060523867 Publisher: William Morrow Pub. Date: 13 April, 2004 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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Title: Zodiac by Neal Stephenson ISBN: 0553573861 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 June, 1995 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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