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timinbc's review against another edition
3.0
After 400 pages I would have given this book 6 stars and every possible award. Now that I've finished it (at page a thousand and something) we're down to three stars. I suspect Stephenson built up so many great ideas that the whole heap was unsustainable.
By the end, I realized how many times I had thought, "well, isn't THAT convenient" as, for example, a character appears to make a random decision on where to go next, and it JUST HAPPENS to be where everyone else is going. This is the sort of plotting that has a character fall off a cliff only to land on the wing of stunt biplane that JUST HAPPENS to be flying low on the way to the state fair.
Sure, there's plenty of action. Some good guys get hurt and worse. Some plot challenges are solved ingeniously (although others are a little too convenient). We go all over the world, and learn a lot about gaming and guns.
I'll give him a nod for the work that must have gone into placing everyone for the final scenes. I wondered if he built a papier mache model of the area.
Chet? Twenty words after he appeared I thought that this is Walter Brennan/Gabby Hayes and he's going to die a thousand pages later.
Jones? Nah. Not convincing. Especially his decision about creating a "diversion."
T'Rain? So much work building it, and in the end it was more or less irrelevant.
It was a good read, even memorable, but in the end it was a disappointment.
By the end, I realized how many times I had thought, "well, isn't THAT convenient" as, for example, a character appears to make a random decision on where to go next, and it JUST HAPPENS to be where everyone else is going. This is the sort of plotting that has a character fall off a cliff only to land on the wing of stunt biplane that JUST HAPPENS to be flying low on the way to the state fair.
Sure, there's plenty of action. Some good guys get hurt and worse. Some plot challenges are solved ingeniously (although others are a little too convenient). We go all over the world, and learn a lot about gaming and guns.
I'll give him a nod for the work that must have gone into placing everyone for the final scenes. I wondered if he built a papier mache model of the area.
Chet? Twenty words after he appeared I thought that this is Walter Brennan/Gabby Hayes and he's going to die a thousand pages later.
Jones? Nah. Not convincing. Especially his decision about creating a "diversion."
T'Rain? So much work building it, and in the end it was more or less irrelevant.
It was a good read, even memorable, but in the end it was a disappointment.
commander's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Neal Stephenson writes a darn good, long, easy-to-read page turner.
testaroscia's review against another edition
5.0
Reread in anticipation of [b:Fall, or Dodge in Hell|35429993|Fall, or Dodge in Hell|Neal Stephenson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1543868021l/35429993._SY75_.jpg|45833113]. Looking back not really worth it for just that objective, however still a damn good read and I enjoyed every bit as much as the first time.
argenterie4's review against another edition
5.0
A true behemoth of a novel, it took me a stunning 20 days to read this beast, and I was reading every day. I really enjoyed it, despite its ridiculous length. Plot is convoluted, thrilling, excessive at times, but overall, engaging. (Secret Confession: I want to play T'Rain IMMEDIATELY and I would pay good money to do so.) Overall 5 stars.
hyzerchan's review against another edition
5.0
I love Neil Stephenson. I don't think I've ever gone from 0 - Megafan with an author quite so quickly. Can't wait to read the rest of his stuff.
leflambeur's review against another edition
3.0
Ok, even though I rates this three stats I enjoyed the book. The main problem is that the overall story seems like it was assembled so that the author could info dump all the extra stuff he had in his head from articles he may have researched or written. In many cases very interesting info dumps, but the core story just didn't hold me.
angus_mckeogh's review against another edition
3.0
International terrorism and ransomware are the two major drivers of the plot. Not too bad of a read but I definitely prefer Stephenson’s historical or futuristic novels to those set in the modern day.
codergrl's review against another edition
5.0
1056 pages of pure awesomeness! This book is now sharing the #1 spot on my favorites list with Seveneves.
robrogan's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to the Audible version of this book and it was fan-tas-tic! The narrator had a great voice and was quite flexible given the range of characters. In terms of the book itself:
Stephenson is Stephenson. I've now read 4 books by him and have loved them all. I describe his plots like huge boulders: they often start out very slow and it's hard to see all the way around as he introduces many characters and settings, but it steadily picks up the pace and has such momentum!
At one point in the middle of the book, it felt like he could have concluded it right there with the primary "conflict" of the story about to be resolved, and then he slingshots the story from there to an even more exciting arc of the story.
If you haven't read this author before, I would recommend Anathem or Seveneves first. If you've read Cryptonomicon, I'd say this one is similar.
Stephenson is Stephenson. I've now read 4 books by him and have loved them all. I describe his plots like huge boulders: they often start out very slow and it's hard to see all the way around as he introduces many characters and settings, but it steadily picks up the pace and has such momentum!
At one point in the middle of the book, it felt like he could have concluded it right there with the primary "conflict" of the story about to be resolved, and then he slingshots the story from there to an even more exciting arc of the story.
If you haven't read this author before, I would recommend Anathem or Seveneves first. If you've read Cryptonomicon, I'd say this one is similar.
brandongryder's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic. This book isn't just a thriller, it's a meta-thriller. It is to the thriller genre what True Grit and All The Pretty Horses are to westerns. Not Cryptonomicon good, but highly recommended.