cfifer's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
captaincrunchabunch's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
abmgw's review against another edition
5.0
Sehr schickes Buch, von dem man einiges lernen kann was das erzählen von Geschichten angeht. Außerdem erkennt man viel von dem was Stephenson in späteren Jahren auszeichen wird: historische und politische Tiefe, mäandernder Schreibstiel, Figuren mit "diversen" Hintergrund.
Wenn man das Buch zusammen mit "Interface" betrachtet: Stephenson wollte wohl eine Karriere starten als Polit-Thiller Autor. Mit "Zodiak" hat er dann scheine Schreibe simplifiziert, wohl um massentauglicher zu werden. Mit "Cryptonomnicon" und "Baroque" hat er dann wieder aus dem Brunnen geschröpt, aus dem auch "Interface" und "Cobweb" stammen.
Die moderne Variante von "Cobweb" wäre dann wohl "Reamde": ein rasanter Thriller mit bunten Figuren und interresanten Orten und viel Bewegung.
Sollte "Reamde" als Hörbuch kaufen.
Wenn man das Buch zusammen mit "Interface" betrachtet: Stephenson wollte wohl eine Karriere starten als Polit-Thiller Autor. Mit "Zodiak" hat er dann scheine Schreibe simplifiziert, wohl um massentauglicher zu werden. Mit "Cryptonomnicon" und "Baroque" hat er dann wieder aus dem Brunnen geschröpt, aus dem auch "Interface" und "Cobweb" stammen.
Die moderne Variante von "Cobweb" wäre dann wohl "Reamde": ein rasanter Thriller mit bunten Figuren und interresanten Orten und viel Bewegung.
Sollte "Reamde" als Hörbuch kaufen.
wsythoff's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty fun read, if dated (Gulf War era story). Stephenson watered-down is still Stephenson.
travelgirlut's review against another edition
3.0
Another random book choice while waiting for others to come in off of holds. I didn't care one way or the other for the actual story in this one, but I really enjoyed the main characters. Clyde was great. Betsy was mostly great, though I have a beef with the authors about her. If you're going to make one of your characters declare themselves Mormon, you should at least have them play that role or explain why they're not playing it properly. Betsy claims to be Mormon and then acts nothing of the sort. It would have worked just as well to have her be a sheltered farm girl without needing the Mormon aspect. Just a not terribly accurate portrayal that lingered in my mind through the whole book. Other than that I was entertained.
lshapiro507's review against another edition
5.0
Sheriff Clyde is a great character. Written about the Gulf War, it's still timely today. Fun and surprising. Originally written as Stephen Bury
gobblebook's review against another edition
4.0
This is good mind-candy reading - a great beach book. It's suspenseful, the characters are engaging, the plot is pretty unpredictable, and although it is well-written, it's not at all intellectually challenging. I listened to the audiobook, and it's exactly how I like audiobooks, because I listen to them while I'm doing housework - engaging, but not demanding.
The book centers on events leading up to the First Gulf War. There are two main plotlines: one follows a low-level FBI analyst who uncovers some information that leads her to suspect Iraqis are developing biological weapons with American funding. The other plotline follows a sheriff in small-town Iowa who discovers connections between strange events in his university town, and also comes to suspect that people are developing biological weapons.
This is definitely Neal Stephenson light, or Tom Clancy meets Neal Stephenson. But Stephenson's fingerprints are all over it, especially in the witty writing and the engaging characters.
remocpi's review against another edition
4.0
El ayudante del Sheriff de un pueblecito de Iowa se encuentra con el asesinato de un estudiante de la Escuela de ingenieros agrónomos del condado. La investigación se irá expandiendo hasta llegar mucho más allá de lo inicialmente supuesto. Un único ayudante de Sheriff se las tendrá que ver con algo mucho más poderoso que él.
Me encanta el estilo de Neal stephenson, que escribió esta novela, al igual que Interface, con su tío. Dos thrillers que enganchan completamente, por la historia y por el estilo con que es narrada. Altamente recomendable.
Me encanta el estilo de Neal stephenson, que escribió esta novela, al igual que Interface, con su tío. Dos thrillers que enganchan completamente, por la historia y por el estilo con que es narrada. Altamente recomendable.