Helpful Score: 4
One of his best works to date, a tour de force look at the world first introduced in Snow Crash with a leap one hundred years ahead. With humanity's basic needs of food, water, and shelter all taken care of by the near miraculous manipulated world made possible by nanotechnology, Stephenson shows us a world were the concepts of culture, morality, and family are even more important and evolving (and devolving)than ever. Thomas Friedman is wrong, not only isn't the world flat, it's as hard as diamond. In such a world, heroes and heroines come from the most unlikely places.
Helpful Score: 1
Somehow I wasn't familiar with Neal Stephenson until my friend Scott mentioned him on facebook. Apparently he's (Neal Stephenson, not Scott) known for creating compelling visions of the semi-near future - speculating where the information age may take us, without space-farin' and time-machinin' and laser-zappin' and whatnot. I like it.
Given that I usually look down my nose at "this is my world and welcome to it" stuff, I'm surprised at myself. Maybe I don't dislike the idea of that kind of fiction, maybe just most authors suck at it.
Steampunk's not an apt descriptor, and I don't know what cyberpunk means, but it feels like what cyberpunk might mean.
The future's going to be real casual, and pretty cool.
Given that I usually look down my nose at "this is my world and welcome to it" stuff, I'm surprised at myself. Maybe I don't dislike the idea of that kind of fiction, maybe just most authors suck at it.
Steampunk's not an apt descriptor, and I don't know what cyberpunk means, but it feels like what cyberpunk might mean.
The future's going to be real casual, and pretty cool.
Helpful Score: 1
I'm not big into sci-fi, but I loved this book once I got into it, I loved the heroine
Helpful Score: 1
The beginning was slow. But once I muscled through, and hit the meat. Wow.
It's set in a future dominated by tech and nanotechnology. Rotating mainly around one girl as she comes of age and experiences, social, economical, ethical and ethnic trials and tribulations.
The ending was a touch abrupt leaving open and tantalizing story lines, to fuel and tantalize ones own imagination.
It's set in a future dominated by tech and nanotechnology. Rotating mainly around one girl as she comes of age and experiences, social, economical, ethical and ethnic trials and tribulations.
The ending was a touch abrupt leaving open and tantalizing story lines, to fuel and tantalize ones own imagination.
A good read. A couple of nits that I found, but overall this is good SF. In particular, his vision of the nano-tech world of the future is quite impressive.
Barbara M. S. (SWEETIE) reviewed The Diamond Age (Audio Cassette) (Abridged) on + 180 more book reviews
A science fiction thriller, set in 21st century Shanghai, it is the story of what happens when a state-of-the- art interactive device falls into the hands of a street urchin.
Interesting concepts, but excessively verbose.
Enjoyed this book. Certainly not as dense with detail as some of Stephenson's books, and not as amazing as Snow Crash, but well worth the read.
This book was recommended through a blog I greatly enjoy and respect. When I began reading it, I realized I was already lost. Stephenson uses a vocabulary and language (yes, it's English -- evolved) that my brain just couldn't wrap itself around. I may be too "last century".
Deanna S. (cozylady) reviewed The Diamond Age (Audio Cassette) (Abridged) on + 125 more book reviews
The characters are strong, the China sea locales fresh, and the writing polished.
Everything matches but the cover illustration. You can see it at this web address: http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Age-Illustrated-Primer-Spectra/dp/0553380966/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-7436707-3798419?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173323141&sr=8-1
