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tbookstwo's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favourites...
- See, the world is full of things more powerful than us. But if you know how to catch a ride, you can go places.
- When you are wrestling for possession of a sword, the man with the handle always wins.
- I just saved your fucking life, Mom. . . . You could at least offer me an Oreo.
- I don't even want you to nod, that's how much you annoy me. Just freeze and shut up.
- Did you win your sword fight?"
"Of course I won the fucking sword fight," Hiro says. "I'm the greatest sword fighter in the world."
"And you wrote the software."
"Yeah. That, too," Hiro says.”
- This Snow Crash thing--is it a virus, a drug, or a religion?
Juanita shrugs. What's the difference?
- Shit, if I took time out to have an opinion about everything, I wouldn't get any work done.
- See, the world is full of things more powerful than us. But if you know how to catch a ride, you can go places.
- When you are wrestling for possession of a sword, the man with the handle always wins.
- I just saved your fucking life, Mom. . . . You could at least offer me an Oreo.
- I don't even want you to nod, that's how much you annoy me. Just freeze and shut up.
- Did you win your sword fight?"
"Of course I won the fucking sword fight," Hiro says. "I'm the greatest sword fighter in the world."
"And you wrote the software."
"Yeah. That, too," Hiro says.”
- This Snow Crash thing--is it a virus, a drug, or a religion?
Juanita shrugs. What's the difference?
- Shit, if I took time out to have an opinion about everything, I wouldn't get any work done.
birdarise's review against another edition
4.0
It's been a while since I read something as packed with both action AND ideas as this novel. Insanely inventive, prescient. At this point it's 20 years old and doesn't feel dated at all. I haven't read much science fiction since the early 80s, but if someone can point be to more stuff like this, I'll thank you heartily.
darthval's review against another edition
4.0
Rating: 3.5
I have very mixed feelings about this book. There was a lot that I loved about this book, but then there were bits that I felt were more than a little discordant.
On the positive side, I loved the action and the humor. As a friend aptly pointed out, "You have to admit Hiro Protagonist is great name for the....umm...protagonist." (Thank you, Hank). I also love how he played with the concepts of theology, technology, symbolism, linguistics, and, most of all, data.
On the other hand, there were some relationships and how they played out that did not sit well with me. I guess I will sum it up as a miss when trying to present a certain female perspective or two. His portrayal kind of gave me the squicks. Not enough so that I would say I didn't enjoy the book, but enough that I am still wondering why he went there.
Oh well, not every scene is every reader's cup of tea. Knowing that this was written in the 90s wows me a bit. Very interesting and thought provoking read.
I have very mixed feelings about this book. There was a lot that I loved about this book, but then there were bits that I felt were more than a little discordant.
On the positive side, I loved the action and the humor. As a friend aptly pointed out, "You have to admit Hiro Protagonist is great name for the....umm...protagonist." (Thank you, Hank). I also love how he played with the concepts of theology, technology, symbolism, linguistics, and, most of all, data.
On the other hand, there were some relationships and how they played out that did not sit well with me. I guess I will sum it up as a miss when trying to present a certain female perspective or two. His portrayal kind of gave me the squicks. Not enough so that I would say I didn't enjoy the book, but enough that I am still wondering why he went there.
Oh well, not every scene is every reader's cup of tea. Knowing that this was written in the 90s wows me a bit. Very interesting and thought provoking read.
caecilius's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
schroederius's review against another edition
5.0
Love Neal Stephenson books. This was interesting and exciting. Still one of my favorite books.
nerdislav's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely the best cyberpunk work after the Neuromancer. An absolute must-read for every cyberpunk fan.
thegoatboy's review against another edition
4.0
Got a bit talky towards the middle but overall quite enjoyed this.
colormist's review against another edition
3.0
The last 100-odd pages suckered me in with momentum enough to give this a third star.
scottcurtis10's review against another edition
4.0
This is the book that clearly launched Stephenson's reputation as a post-cyberpunk author. The narrative is shot full of his sense of humor, knowledge of information systems, and satiric view of a near-future world. So the ending is unbelievable. So what? For me, Stephenson's books are always about the joy-ride of reading them, never about the conclusion. Hiro Protagonist careens implausibly through a dangerous, chaotic fun-house world, chock full of characters drawn with the detail and palette afforded by a technicolor crayon set. Even the main characters, while trying to be cool, have reasons to become totally unglued. The mood is by unpredictable turns intoxicating, nervous, paranoid, infectious, ebullient, and laugh-out-loud funny.
The reason for four stars, not five, is a matter of personal taste. I prefer my alternate reality to have a little more plausibility in the narrative. From my previous reading I should be used to the Stephensonian creation of can't-fail characters - Bobby Shaftoe in "Cryptonomicon" should have prepared me for Hiro Protagonist. So, in defense of the novel, I can at least say that my faint criticism appears to be a stylistic trait of the author.
Recommended for information-loving, alternate-reality SF junkies.
The reason for four stars, not five, is a matter of personal taste. I prefer my alternate reality to have a little more plausibility in the narrative. From my previous reading I should be used to the Stephensonian creation of can't-fail characters - Bobby Shaftoe in "Cryptonomicon" should have prepared me for Hiro Protagonist. So, in defense of the novel, I can at least say that my faint criticism appears to be a stylistic trait of the author.
Recommended for information-loving, alternate-reality SF junkies.
yergie's review against another edition
3.0
My favorite parts were the narrations by the "rat-thingies." :)