Here is a very fun and creative, though sometimes tedious, novel from the early crazy days of cyberpunk. More fun to read and easier to identify with than the more eggheaded William Gibson, though at this point Stephenson needed some practice keeping his wild ideas from collapsing under their own weight. In this bizarre near-future (or alternate present) computer viruses are traded like drugs and hackers create real physical havoc online. This is an occasionally wild and fastpaced romp through the crazier realms of the cyberbunk genre, though things get bogged down badly in Stephenson's quite bizarre philosophical theories. He attempts a connection between binary programming code and the genetic human understanding of language, by way of ancient Sumerian mythology (yes you read that correctly). There are clear signs that Stephenson was wrapped up in the rickety new-age craze about "mind viruses" that was popular around the time this book was written.

Characters who are usually swashbuckling cyberpunks or gun-toting mafia goons drop what they're doing in reality and sit forever in what are basically chat rooms, spending dozens of pages discussing deep theology and ancient philosophy while their real life selves are engaged in wild action scenes at the same time. This really drags down large chunks of the book into a longwinded mess, with theories that aren't wrapped up by the end. However, one very cool aspect of this book is Stephenson's vision of a dysfunctional future in which corporations run all aspects of society for profit, with no social safety net from the government. It seems kind of farfetched in the book but may be a very chilling vision of the future. This is an engaging book but is two or three steps away from greatness.

Snow Crash is by far the best book I have read in the Cyberpunk genre. The story flow is excellent, there are very few dull parts, the character descriptions and settings are reasonable, and the character development flows to the point they seem truly human.
Neal Stephenson truly knows how to write a convincing story, and I must say the plot was well-wrapped and not too blatantly obvious. Compared to other books I have read in the same genre, this is the most plausible plot and the best developed characters. No post-nuclear holocaust here, just an extremely advanced form of Republicanism. The characters are described and seen through enough to provide an edge of personality to temper the realism. There are no super-people here, no cyborgs, and no in-depth description of cyberspace (which is very much like what we have now-not the lethal playground of the advanced hackers depicted in so many other books).
There are a few downsides to this book, however. There is a very heavy correlation to ancient history dealing with religion that, for those many of us who are historically deficient mentally, is a bit overwhelming. Also, this isn't exactly a kiddie book, with many **ahem** colorfully described scenes and scenarios, as well as prolific profanity. For those of us used to modern society, though, this just adds to the flow and believability of the book.
All in all a good read, and on a 5 star system it would get a solid 4 from me. As an explanation for the lacking of the 5th star, I am not truly fond of the cyberpunk genre, being from the digital age. It seems so many of the books in this genre were written before I was born, and I have seen the partial realization of some of the points, and the total failure of others.

What can one say about a cyberpunk classic like this one? Surely most fans of the cyberpunk genre will have already read (and loved) this seminal work, but plenty of surprises await those who are just discovering this peculiar sub-genre. In a not-too-distant future, Snow Crash is a mysterious newly-emerging virus (does it affect people or their computers? What's the difference?) It's the story of how a racially diverse everyman named Hiro Protagonist and his feisty young (15!) girlfriend Y.T. have to save the world from a nefarious plot to enslave all humanity. And who do they turn to for help, but the Mafia?

This book is wild, hip, intelligent, sprawling, darkly comic, and a deliberate jibe at many of our culture's basic values (religion, work ethic, etc...). It's a highly detailed futuristic sci-fi adventure into epistemology, virtual reality, Oriental sword fighting, and of course, skateboarding. Bizarre characters inhabiting bizarre cultures in two very bizarre worlds (real and virtual) lead readers through an unforgettable adventure, filled with action, fun, and sardonic silliness. The modest levels of sex and violence are handled with such breezy unreality that there's no shock value to upset more fastidious readers, although younger teens may find this book too long for their liking. Some sections seem to move pretty slowly (Hiro's researches, for example), but there's so much to love about Shepherdson's 21st Century America that most readers will surely want to wade through this tome's 500-plus pages more than once.

I'm a huge fan of Stephenson, so giving him 4 stars is like giving other authors 20, so I'll start with my summary: a great book which you should buy if you've enjoyed his other stuff.

In typical page-turner fashion, this story of nano-technology grabbed me from the start. He delves deeply into establishing the atmosphere and feeling of this near-future earth, to the point where every "scene" is visualized in my head. And, as Stephenson often does, he takes a few seemingly disparate storylines and slowly weaves them together into a big "grand finale."

The slight flaw, in my opinion, is that character development is sacrificed so that the story is driven forward. Some of the characters make choices that I don't understand their "motivation" other than that's the decision they need to make in order for the plot to "work". But that is a minor complaint compared to what a great read this novel is.

This is a great vacation read, if you're looking to escape into another world for a while.

The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson was one of the most insightful an original books I've read in a long time. After a brief absence from the world of science fiction, I picked this book up, almost entirely because of my love for his earlier novel, Snow Crash. In Snow Crash, Stephenson gave us a view of a future not all that far away. The technology of the Diamond Age takes us into the very distant future.

On the Earth of the Diamond Age, mankind has developed and perfected the concept of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is based around the concept of using microscopic computers to allow people to literally make anything possible. Often times, the tricky part of designing an object is making it heavier than air so it won't float away. Matter compilers can create any object with the proper program, and a pair of wooden chopsticks has flashing advertisements running up and down their sides. As backlash to this technological heaven, the elite members of society borrow their culture from the British during the Victorian era. These Victorians -or Vicky's, as some derogatorily refer to them- place value in items that are hand made, and pay exorbitant amounts of money for such items.

This novel varies from many typical science fiction novels, in that its focus is not on the technology or the rich, but rather on a single girl from a dysfunctional family in one of the poorest parts of the world. Nell, comes across one of three copies of the Young Lady's Illustrated Primer, a book of sorts intended to educate a young girl. This book, while itself not a technological marvel, displays a true ingenuity in its content, as any good book. Through the use of this book, Nell is taught the lessons that one misses in school, the lessons that truly allow one to become successful in life. Through the characters and the primer, the reader gets many insights on what makes a person special.

Reading through other people's reviews of this novel, I see that I am not unanimously supported in my opinion of this novel. Many people cited its length and lengthy description as the book's downfalls. I can understand these comments, although in all honesty, to eliminate the details would eliminate any science fiction this book had and reduce it to merely a trashy sci-fi pulp novel. Clearly, Stephensons' goal is to accomplish far more than a simple adventure. In my eyes at least, the best of science fiction is to envision brave new worlds and use the different setting to critique our own society. Those who want a book they don't have to think about, will not enjoy this book. For them, there are summer movies and Dean Koontz.

One person felt the characters were dull and two-dimensional, which I found to be an entirely bogus comment. Each character is full of his or her own quirks and agendas. From the exceptionally rich Victorian technology tycoon to the Neil's thug-like yet compassionate older brother, the characters all manage to be completely original and completely realistic. Most importantly, each character inspires a bit of emotion in the reader. One is disgusted with Neil's mother and sympathetic for Nell. So, while some readers found the characters to be a fault, I found them to help draw the readers into the novel and provide the reader a familiar point so they don't get lost in the futuristic world. After all, unlike technology and trends, people for the most part do not change.

In his first novel, Snow Crash, Stephenson proved that he is perfectly capable of crafting an exciting adventure story. However, Snow Crash had nowhere near the insight or vision that he achieves in the Diamond Age. In the Diamond Age, Stephenson holds nothing back, and refuses to dumb down his book to make it an easy read. It is definitely difficult for anyone not into pure science fiction. However, anyone who makes it through the book, will find an entirely elaborate world and many insights to our own world, ranging from critiques of modern education to the depressing lack of subversiveness in our culture. Those that enjoy the true science fiction genre, will find this book to be nothing short of brilliant.

I am a big fan of Neal Stephenson, and I think this is an excellent example of his work. It isn't a fast-paced thriller (I read it over the course of a month because I was really busy), but it is still an excellent book. It takes place in a future world here on earth in an intriguing society where, instead of countries, there are societies that you can apply to join, spread out across the world instead of in just one spot. It is the story of a piece of interactive technology -- a book that responds to the reader and the reader's surroundings -- that was created for the granddaughter of a rich tycoon. It is the story of what happens when this book (A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer) falls into the hands of a girl in a poverty-stricken, abusive family. An amazing story, and very thought-provoking. If you liked Snow Crash, you'll love The Diamond Age.

Ok, so I just finished plowing through the grand adventures of ST and what can I say: wow! comes to mind. I introduced myself to Stephenson's world with The Diamond Age followed closely by Snow Crash, and yes, finally read Zodiac, finishing it about 10 minutes ago. While I wouldn't put it up to par with the calibre of some of his later works, Stephenson definitely has a gripping story here. My only problems had to do with some of the characters. While ST was described in near infinite detail, I am afraid that even nearing the end the book, the baddies were so numerous I had trouble keeping them straight. As well, SC and DA were both complicated books, with twisting and intermeshed plots.. this one had one, linear and clear story.. admittedly a tiny disappointment.... Still worth a read, especially if you're a fan!

I am a big Stephenson fan after having read Diamond Age, Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon, but I was a bit hesitant to pick up Zodiac after I heard some mediocre reviews by other readers. However, I found Zodiac to be of the same quality reading as the other Stephenson books and a must read for any fan.

As with his other books, Stephenson has done his homework as he creates the world of the environmental activist living near the chemical soup called Boston Harbor. The story takes some twists and turns as we follow our hero S.T. as he tries to make the life of big time polluters a bit more difficult. However, overall the book is really enjoyable as Stephenson mixes toxins and science to create a plausible story. At the very least, it will make you a bit more wary of swimming near an outflow any time soon.

This book isn't particularly deep. Its protagonist is a cynical jerk. But DAMN, is this book fun! It takes off like a rocket a few chapters in and just doesn't stop. Of course, it helps if you know an aging Hippie type who talke JUST LIKE Sangamon Taylor. I can imagine the voice of this guy with every line of the book I read, it's like a built-in special effect. I also learned something about organic chemistry and ecology, although I have no idea how much of the science in the book is legit and how much was made up for plot purposes. Don't expect "Snow Crash" and you'll probably enjoy this a lot.

The best thing about this book is the writing style; multiple sub-plots spanning different countries and times are still kept tight and focused by the detailed primary characters.

While the book was a genuine pleasure to read, (descriptions of the phillipines was nailed dead on, while the 'tech' writing for the most part displayed a decent understanding of Unix.)

Unfortunately with a novel so complex, details tend to go awry; prime example being the character of Enoch Root who seems to have been subjected to serious editing - at one point (during WW II) this character is supposed to have died while possibly leaving a son (of a different name) behind. Later on in the novel, the same? or another character of the same name and profession pops up in modern time with no clear explanation.

Additionally some characters such as Bischoff the U-boat captain are simple dropped into limbo - the reader having no clue what happens to them.

Finally the conclusion in my opinion was a bit weak leaving more questions than it answered. Its to the Authors credit however that the novel was so engrossing that I am intent on nitpicking over these issues.

This book by Neal Stephenson is very unlike his other works.

It is unlike his first book, _The Big U_, which is a fun fictional telling of outragious college life. (Try and find that in print!)

It is unlike _Snow Crash_, his first foray into Cyber Punk.

It is unlike _The Diamond Age_, science fiction nanotech meets social evolution.

Don't know about _Zodiac_ because I haven't read it yet.

This book is a WW2 Historical Fiction meets current day Internet business. It has very colorful characters in crazy but just on the edge of believable adventures. So, throw away any expectations of the author from previous works. I have renewed respect for the author's skill at doing well in new genre. (Unlike some authors who keep turning out the same type of crap over and over again.)

There are some editorial errors in grammar that a professional editor should be embarrassed to have been paid for.

But overall, very entertaining!

The measure of respect I have for Neal Stephenson can best be summed up by noting that apart from my J.R.R. Tolkien collection, his books provide nearly the entire balance of my permanent SciFi/Fantasy fiction collection. (Well, ok, Gibson, Dick, Heinlein, and Lem also occupy some shelf space....)

That _Cryptonomicon_ is 'unsurprisingly awesome' seems to be derivative of the fact that Neal wrote it, and thus far he has failed to disappoint. The author segues back and forth historically and navigates vast geographic distances convincingly, but it's the interplay and dialog of his characters perhaps that makes the story so compelling and suspension of disbelief completely unforced. If you read Neal's "Hacker Tourist" piece printed in "Wired" (hmm, a few years ago already?), you'll instantly recognize his use and integration of that research into this latest title.

Allow me to sum up by saying that I feel nary a twinge of guilt nor resentment at having paid full retail list price for this hardcover title, and I encourage anyone and everyone else to acquire a copy as well. And if you haven't already read _Zodiac_, _Snow Crash_, or _The Diamond Age_, you are encouraged to do so, though they are certainly not prerequisites to reading _Cryptonomicon_. (I haven't read _The Big U_ yet, and was unaware of its existence until last week.)

While Stephenson isn't as careful a writer as I'd like, he does make many interesting assertions in the course of this essay. The metaphores and similes are mostly well handled, and the writing is straight-forward and non-technical enough for the average non-techie reader to follow. If the book is treated as the flow-of-consciousness essay it appears to be, then the minor flaws can be forgiven, allowing the reader to enjoy the sometimes brilliant writing that went into the work.

I recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about what it means to use a windows/icons/mouse/pointer interface vs. the command line. Every little detail of what he says isn't true, but the overall themes he hits are at least arguably true. And the message of the book - that not only doesn't simpler equal better, it actually makes things worse for anyone but the most casual of users - is demonstrably true.

Definitely worth a read.

After 50 or so pages of throat-clearing, Neal Stephenson gets down to the real business: he regards the GUI (graphical user interface: think Windows/MAC desktop)as a metaphor for the failure of intellectual discipline and curiosity in our age and in the generations of children and grandchildren we will leave behind.

The very simplicity of using a GUI-based computer these days is, to Stephenson, exactly the problem. We don't know what we don't know, and we are rapidly losing our ability to learn just what it is one should learn if we are going to function as intellectual beings. Once the thread is lost, how will we regain our grip?

Sure, we're victims of time pressures and the world is overcomplicated and we can benefit from the "executive summary," but how does consuming predigested knowledge make us fit for our job of advancing man's place in the universe?

This is a heavy challenge, especially to parents who deal on a daily basis with offspring who either won't or, sadly, in some cases, CAN'T read.

Just as pocket calculators cover up arithmetical shortcomings and Velcro conceals an inability to tie one's shoes, reliance on a technological marvel such as the GUI (whether it's on a computer or a TV screen, or, in a tableau vivant, at Disney World) actually accelerates the dumbing-down of society.

That Neal Stephenson presents such a grim picture within a personal, quirky and quite humorous narrative is a terrific achievement. This is a book I am going to pass around to my friends, techies and non-techies alike.

Note to my friends: Beware, there are lessons contained in this slim volume.

Warning: I am a die-hard Neal Stephenson fan. If this bothers you, don't read further!

That aside, "In the Beginning Was the Command Line" should be required reading for anyone who a) regularly uses a personal computer b) has expressed an opinion on the current DOJ vs. Microsoft case. Most computer users are as unfamiliar with why they use Windows (or Macs) as they are with the history of the elevator. The elevator did not significantly change the world; GUI's & PC's have. I know half of you are already yawning, looking for another book to purchase, but wait...this is a really quick read, &, better yet, it's hysterically funny! Yes, folks, you not only get informed, are given some concepts to contemplate, you actually enjoy the process!

Stephenson admits this book is simply an essay, his musings on the 4 main operating systems currently in use (MacOS, Windows, Linux, BeOS) & how they can be viewed in the context of global culture. He gives examples from personal experience, & unlike most techno-geek/hacker types, he doesn't appear to view Bill Gates as the anti-christ (which is probably why some people hate this book). But please, don't let that scare you off. This book is an easy read for those who have never typed a single line of code in their life, while still being thought provoking for even the "Morlocks" (Stephenson's term) of the world.

Let's face it: if you're reading this, you're an Internet user. Thus, you use computers. You need the information in this book. It's only $6. BUY IT!

A wise man once told me not to write a book right out of college, that I should go out unto the world and get some experience first. Neal Stephenson did not hear from this wise man.

I guess any Neal Stephenson fan is going to read this book anyway, since he wrote it, and any book he wrote is going to have some degree of wit and imagination to it, so let me just warn all of you Stephenson fans: don't expect much. Really. It's messy, the structure is lousy, the narrator is unnecessary, etc etc. The story's been done many, many times over (read Fool on the Hill by Ruff, Moo by Jane Smiley, or even Tam Lin by Pamela Dean or White Noise by Don Delillo, for more entertaining/insightful looks at college life). So basically your only draw is to see how Stephenson's developed along the way, and your answer will be: a lot. The good points? It's not completely without merit: the Go Big Red Fan Thing Whatever it is sequence is funny the first time, several characters are likeable, and a few bits of obscure knowledge seep through. The style is already well on the way to the Snow Crash / Cryptonomicon casual-smartass-genius tone (I discount The Diamond Age, which is a bit different though equally good) which makes most of it at least mildly entertaining even when the plot is wandering. Still, one can see how this book went out of print - if it wasn't Stephenson, it wouldn't be back.

If you're not hard-core Stephenson fans already, I would reading recommend any of his other books first. This book barely hints at what the writer is capable of.

After a long hiatus, Neal Stephenson's first novel is back, and, having read it, I see not good reason why it was out of print for so long. It's certainly amusing enough and should be a big hit among geeks, and the weaknesses the book has are not all that much worse than what Stephenson's other books prior to _Cryptonomicon_ suffered from.

Somewhat reminiscent of Matt Ruff's _Fool on the Hill_, _The Big U_ is set around dueling subcultures in an university setting. Characteristic for Stephenson, we get technological implausibilities instead of Ruff's magical realism, the characters have plenty of attitude and a good deal of senseless violence, and the geek subculture is lovingly portrayed.

Like many of Stephenson's novels, the end of _The Bug U_ is not quite as brilliant as the beginning. Also, the first person narrator is not one of the strong points of the book. Still, this is overall a highly amusing book and strongly recommended if you liked any other Stephenson novel.

This book was my introduction to the work of Neal Stephenson, and oddly enough I read (and bought) my copy when it first came out. It was described to me as a book about open warfare at a college, but I found it to be much more-the characters are actually realistic, especially if you attended college in the eighties, as I did. It also was a harbinger of things to come- the political correctness movement, for example. It is also a brilliant parody of college politics, and the naive intelligentsia that rule there. Mostly, though, it is just plain fun, with (yes) open warfare breaking out, battling groups of Airheads, Terrorists (thinly veiled Greek-types), Right wing religious fanatics and acid-warped Communists. Plus, subplots of unrequited love, revenge, computer programming, dungeons and dragons and food fights.The most unusual feature in the book has to be that the science geeks are the most normal people in the campus- a feature that I found has been followed in most of Neal Stephenson's work since. David Payn