Helpful Score: 3
Stephenson stumbles, or what happens when an author thinks he's outgrown the need for an editor.
I'm a big fan of Neal Stephenson, and was excited when this book came out. What a disappointment. The premise is interesting; an order of monks who (like Stephenson) worship math are the only ones on earth who hold the knowledge to potentially save the planet from a threat. Throw in the usual Stephenson sci-fi twists, like parallel universes, and you have the bones of a good story.
The problem is, Stephenson's usually entertaining stream-of-consciousness writing style fails here. The book is unfocused, self-indulgent, and ultimately rather dull. Although not his longest book, it is far too long for the story it seeks to tell. After 900+ pages I felt, not as though I'd been taken on a warpspeed trip through Stephenson's fertile imagination, but rather that I'd watched him preen in a mirror, admiring the reflection of a popular author.
I'm a big fan of Neal Stephenson, and was excited when this book came out. What a disappointment. The premise is interesting; an order of monks who (like Stephenson) worship math are the only ones on earth who hold the knowledge to potentially save the planet from a threat. Throw in the usual Stephenson sci-fi twists, like parallel universes, and you have the bones of a good story.
The problem is, Stephenson's usually entertaining stream-of-consciousness writing style fails here. The book is unfocused, self-indulgent, and ultimately rather dull. Although not his longest book, it is far too long for the story it seeks to tell. After 900+ pages I felt, not as though I'd been taken on a warpspeed trip through Stephenson's fertile imagination, but rather that I'd watched him preen in a mirror, admiring the reflection of a popular author.
Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
