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F'nog
Amarr Celestial Horizon Corp. Celestial Industrial Alliance
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Posted - 2008.09.28 01:12:00 -
[1]
Anybody besides me reading this? I'm only about halfway through, in the midst of "Feral" but it's another in a growing list of awesome works by the man.
It's right up there with Dune in its depth and complexity, involving a whole new vocabulary of terms and a host of historical figures and events. Luckily, it's got its own glossary, and most of the new words are based on Greek and Latin, so if you've got a background in them, you'll find it fairly easy to get into.
So far it's not as funny as his previous works, but very mysterious and scientific, AND addictive. A real geek-fest with some religion and history thrown in. If you like Greek philosophy, you'll probably really love it. His version of the Cave is brief and brilliant; I wish I had thought if when explaining it to my students.
For his fans, I'd say it's most like the Baroque Cycle, in that it's very science-centered in a world where science is lacking and misunderstood. But instead of BC's focus on the beginnings of real science, e.g. Newton, this comes from the opposite end, where science is millennia old, but only the scientists understand it anymore, so it's still new to the rest of the world, if you get my meaning.
Like most of his works, it's about outsiders with a scientific mind trying to deal with the rest of the world and its selfish, hedonistic nature.
Originally by: Kazuma Saruwatari
F'nog for Amarr Emperor. Nuff said
Originally by: Chribba Go F'nog! You're a hero! Not a Zero! /me bows
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F'nog
Amarr Celestial Horizon Corp. Celestial Industrial Alliance
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Posted - 2008.09.28 01:12:00 -
[2]
Anybody besides me reading this? I'm only about halfway through, in the midst of "Feral" but it's another in a growing list of awesome works by the man.
It's right up there with Dune in its depth and complexity, involving a whole new vocabulary of terms and a host of historical figures and events. Luckily, it's got its own glossary, and most of the new words are based on Greek and Latin, so if you've got a background in them, you'll find it fairly easy to get into.
So far it's not as funny as his previous works, but very mysterious and scientific, AND addictive. A real geek-fest with some religion and history thrown in. If you like Greek philosophy, you'll probably really love it. His version of the Cave is brief and brilliant; I wish I had thought if when explaining it to my students.
For his fans, I'd say it's most like the Baroque Cycle, in that it's very science-centered in a world where science is lacking and misunderstood. But instead of BC's focus on the beginnings of real science, e.g. Newton, this comes from the opposite end, where science is millennia old, but only the scientists understand it anymore, so it's still new to the rest of the world, if you get my meaning.
Like most of his works, it's about outsiders with a scientific mind trying to deal with the rest of the world and its selfish, hedonistic nature.
Originally by: Kazuma Saruwatari
F'nog for Amarr Emperor. Nuff said
Originally by: Chribba Go F'nog! You're a hero! Not a Zero! /me bows
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Intense Thinker
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Posted - 2008.09.28 05:47:00 -
[3]
I'm thinking hard but not recalling ever reading that
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Malcanis
RuffRyders Axiom Empire
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Posted - 2008.09.28 07:41:00 -
[4]
Originally by: Intense Thinker I'm thinking hard but not recalling ever reading that
It's only just come out.
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F'nog
Amarr Celestial Horizon Corp. Celestial Industrial Alliance
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Posted - 2008.09.29 07:38:00 -
[5]
Sorry if I didn't explicitly state that it's his newest book.
I'm a bit disappointed that there haven't been more responses, but kind of psyched that I'm the first here to read it. The rest of you should too, if you're a fan of Stephenson. It's really great so far.
Originally by: Kazuma Saruwatari
F'nog for Amarr Emperor. Nuff said
Originally by: Chribba Go F'nog! You're a hero! Not a Zero! /me bows
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Louis deGuerre
Gallente Federation Zone Operations Command
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Posted - 2008.09.29 08:30:00 -
[6]
Yeah, I've got Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon. Snow Crash was fun and had some interesting concepts. Cryptonomicon however, is totally f*cking awesome. I would like to read his other books, but have a shortage of funds momentarily.
I did read "Black Man" by Richard Morgan recently and I enjoyed it more than Snow Crash, but less than Cryptonomicon. Recommended. It's kinda BladeRunner like, but it's quite well done.
What I really really want to read first is Ian M. Banks latest Culture novel, as it is the only one I don't have. That man is brilliant. -------------------------------------------------- If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles - Sun Tzu |
Buxaroo
Reikoku Band of Brothers
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Posted - 2008.09.29 13:47:00 -
[7]
Oh man thanks for this thread. I love Neal's work, but have been out of the book reading loop for the last couple of years. I have been compiling a list of books I plan to read in the next month to get back into the swing of things and this thread came in at the right time to remind me to start looking at all of the new titles from authors I enjoy reading
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P'uck
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Posted - 2008.09.29 14:08:00 -
[8]
Cryptonomicon is one of my favourite books. Snow Crash was pretty good too.
I havent touched the rest, yet, but since Cryptonomiocon was THAT good, I'm pretty sure I'll get everything else he wrote too.
And a little thread hijack: I found out that you can legally download "Roadside Picnic" in english and russian. Read it. |
Pwett
Minmatar QUANT Corp. QUANT Hegemony
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Posted - 2008.09.29 15:10:00 -
[9]
Originally by: P'uck Cryptonomicon is one of my favourite books. Snow Crash was pretty good too.
QFT x 2 |
Sunabi
Caldari Shade.
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Posted - 2008.09.29 16:04:00 -
[10]
Cryptonomicon and Snow Crash were excellent. I do have Anathem but judging by the first few pages, it's going to take a while to read
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Evasra
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Posted - 2008.09.29 16:09:00 -
[11]
I'm only a little over a hundred pages in but it is very good so far.
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F'nog
Amarr Celestial Horizon Corp. Celestial Industrial Alliance
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Posted - 2008.10.02 03:26:00 -
[12]
So close to the end, and it just keeps getting better. Perhaps this won't have a Scooby Doo ending?
Originally by: Kazuma Saruwatari
F'nog for Amarr Emperor. Nuff said
Originally by: Chribba Go F'nog! You're a hero! Not a Zero! /me bows
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Salvis Tallan
Gallente The Shadow Order
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Posted - 2008.10.02 14:24:00 -
[13]
Snow crash being one of my favorite books, I cannot wait to get a copy of Anathem. Rereading Diamond Age untill then! ------
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Yikes
Destructive Influence Band of Brothers
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Posted - 2008.10.04 21:29:00 -
[14]
I'll have to get hold of this one, Stephenson is a fantastic writer!
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F'nog
Amarr Celestial Horizon Corp. Celestial Industrial Alliance
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Posted - 2008.10.05 04:39:00 -
[15]
He's getting somewhat better at endings. This was good, but not great. He still likes to leave all sorts of unanswered questions that really pick at me. It helps that this is first-person, so it's more understandable that the narrator won't know everything that happened, and there's so much going on at the end that he could forget to mention some things, and still hasn't caught up on what he wasn't present for.
I hope he returns to the setting, it's extraordinarily rich with back story.
Originally by: Kazuma Saruwatari
F'nog for Amarr Emperor. Nuff said
Originally by: Chribba Go F'nog! You're a hero! Not a Zero! /me bows
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