Scan barcode
greaydean's review against another edition
4.0
Frighteningly predictive of today... despite being 27 years old.
neilsarver's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jsokohl's review against another edition
4.0
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).
adamcagey's review against another edition
Abandoned for now, but I'm sure I'll come back to it. Right now I just cannot get into it.
lesliefh's review against another edition
2.0
Boy, has this book aged badly.
Its premise, "a group of shadowy rich men decide to run a third-party candidate to take over the US to ensure it pays its debt" is just so needlessly complex, when the reality of US history was that "a group of shadowy rich men bought themselves all of the Republican party and most of the Democratic party". It also ignores the immense power of tribalism and first-past-the-post electoral system combined with the electoral college (a "US presidential elections" book that ignores the Electoral College seems just plain naive in the 21st century).
As a cherry on the top it makes a throwaway reference to "post-greenhouse effect Illinois" being much warmer than in the childhood of one of the main characters, but the rest of the world remains unchanged by climate catastrophe.
(When I read it for the first time more than a decade ago I liked it so much more)
Its premise, "a group of shadowy rich men decide to run a third-party candidate to take over the US to ensure it pays its debt" is just so needlessly complex, when the reality of US history was that "a group of shadowy rich men bought themselves all of the Republican party and most of the Democratic party". It also ignores the immense power of tribalism and first-past-the-post electoral system combined with the electoral college (a "US presidential elections" book that ignores the Electoral College seems just plain naive in the 21st century).
As a cherry on the top it makes a throwaway reference to "post-greenhouse effect Illinois" being much warmer than in the childhood of one of the main characters, but the rest of the world remains unchanged by climate catastrophe.
(When I read it for the first time more than a decade ago I liked it so much more)
ianl1963's review against another edition
2.0
For me this was very hard work. Made worse by authors seeming very smug.
wyldkyss's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book.
Wish I'd finished it a few days BEFORE, not AFTER the presidential election.
Also: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/arts/television/13hoax.html
Wish I'd finished it a few days BEFORE, not AFTER the presidential election.
Also: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/arts/television/13hoax.html
dogtrax's review against another edition
4.0
A political thriller that meshes technology, politics and ethics
sharonrhh's review against another edition
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0