flthomc's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this yarn, anything with a bad guy that you can't kill for fear that doing so will destroy 20sq miles and has a pizza mafia king is fun.
I also was impressed by how spot on his description of tec and the Internet for a book writer in the early 90s
The only downside was that he beat the whole Sumrian deal to death and then some.
I also was impressed by how spot on his description of tec and the Internet for a book writer in the early 90s
The only downside was that he beat the whole Sumrian deal to death and then some.
snutedute's review against another edition
Felt like I was being explained a story rather than being told a story.
panelparty's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to love this book more than I did - my husband talked up how amazing it is and he's usually spot on with recommendations! I did really enjoy the last half or so of the book, but I found the first half to be kind of boring and extremely info-dumpy. Since this was the last book in my Popsugar Reading Challenge, I forced myself through to the interesting parts, otherwise I probably would have abandoned this one.
jane_henningsen's review against another edition
3.0
For a book written in 1992, Snow Crash predicts today’s society and technology with spooky accuracy. Society and social services (notably, prisons) are dominated by private companies and franchises. People who can afford to socialize and conduct business in the Metaverse by donning VR headsets. This book even predicts the gig economy- two of the main characters deliver pizza and packages as contract workers. Their employers use technology to keep a close eye on their whereabouts and track productivity. When this book was written, people were making mix tapes on cassette and if you were a fancy person you drove around with a “car phone” the size of a lunchbox. Amazing- 5 stars for this.
The story itself is… ok. My first impression was that this is what Pynchon would have written if he took a stab at sci fi. It’s stylized and dense, and the characters find themselves in all kinds of bizarre situations while chasing down information about a conspiracy. No character development to speak of - they exist so that a reader can experience the book’s world-building. The conspiracy they’re chasing is a little too convoluted. Like I said, it’s a sci-fi “the crying of lot 49”. 2 stars for plot and characters, though I definitely still enjoyed the book.
The story itself is… ok. My first impression was that this is what Pynchon would have written if he took a stab at sci fi. It’s stylized and dense, and the characters find themselves in all kinds of bizarre situations while chasing down information about a conspiracy. No character development to speak of - they exist so that a reader can experience the book’s world-building. The conspiracy they’re chasing is a little too convoluted. Like I said, it’s a sci-fi “the crying of lot 49”. 2 stars for plot and characters, though I definitely still enjoyed the book.
kerphi's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
conor_f's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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
4.0
actually_owen's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
rimusa's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
An amazing fast-paced book that warns us of the dangers of letting megacorporations take over... which has been seen as guide rather than as a warning for people in tech companies.
Neal Stephenson creates a wide and believable world, which allows us to immerse in the story. However, the sheer amount of names and acronyms can make it hard to keep track of who is who throughout the story. Despite that, most of the major characters get their chance to shine in one way or another, leading to a very rewarding read from cover to cover.
The connections between language, programming, religion, mythology, and many others are a bit sketchy if you take them at face value, but they make for a very compelling story.
Neal Stephenson creates a wide and believable world, which allows us to immerse in the story. However, the sheer amount of names and acronyms can make it hard to keep track of who is who throughout the story. Despite that, most of the major characters get their chance to shine in one way or another, leading to a very rewarding read from cover to cover.
The connections between language, programming, religion, mythology, and many others are a bit sketchy if you take them at face value, but they make for a very compelling story.
kwermann's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
lockebyproxy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
slow-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
3.5