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The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer
The Diamond Age Or a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer
Author: Neal Stephenson
In Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson took science fiction to dazzling new levels. Now, in The Diamond Age, he delivers another stunning tale. Set in twenty-first 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 named Nell. Her life -- and the entire futur...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780553380965
ISBN-10: 0553380966
Publication Date: 5/2/2000
Pages: 512
Rating:
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 152

4.1 stars, based on 152 ratings
Publisher: Spectra
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer on + 8 more book reviews
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.
bup avatar reviewed The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer on + 166 more book reviews
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.
reviewed The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I'm not big into sci-fi, but I loved this book once I got into it, I loved the heroine
loftydreams avatar reviewed The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer on + 3 more book reviews
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.
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reviewed The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer 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.
jeffp avatar reviewed The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer on + 201 more book reviews
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.

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