 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||
 |
|
||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
|
||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
|
||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
|
||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
|
||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
|
||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
|
||||||||
Neal Stephenson
I'm not generally a fan of the "cyberpunk" genre. All too often, the cyberpunk authors use vague terms, obtuse writing, and invented words to disguise a lack of talent, or an absence of purpose. Perhaps I'm jaded, because I work with computers for a living, and I have some idea what the technology is like -- and where it is likely to be in the near future.
Snow Crash, Stephenson's first major novel, is refreshingly different. For starters, it's genuinely funny in a great many places. No short plot summary can do any justice to this book: A samuari-sword wielding über-hacker named Hiro Protagonist (sound it out), employed as a high-speed pizza delivery boy for the Mafia, is caught up in international/commercial espionage intrigue when he discovers a computer virus that can infect human programmers, because of their ability to "think" in code. It sounds ridiculous, and... well, it is. But it's also a very, very good book.
Stephenson's gift is finding just-plausible ideas that merit serious consideration. Like the Golden Age science fiction of yore, Snow Crash is literally thought-provoking. Several times while reading the book, I found myself putting it down to just marvel about the concepts being presented. It engaged my brain to a greater extent than any other book I've read recently.
The characterizations are top-notch, realistic and well fleshed-out. Stephenson can even handle writing female characters that would give many women authors trouble.
By the time I finished Snow Crash, I was eager to read more about Hiro Protagonist and his universe. Unfortunately, Stephenson hasn't written any sequels -- although I'm not sure he should. Still, I did run right out and buy the rest of his books. That's about the strongest recommendation I can give!
Click here to buy this book from Amazon.com.
(Note:
The Amazon.com links provided will take you to the same version of the book
that I own. This may be hardcover or softcover. The link may not take you to
the least expensive version of the work available. When you purchase books from
Amazon.com by means of these links, I receive a small commission through Amazon.com's
Associates program. This does not increase the cost to you, the purchaser, in
any way.)
macwhiz.com • Photos • Granby Drummer • Bio • Articles • Links • Contacts