Neal Stephenson Book Fans

Galaril · 10-13-2007, 05:57 PM

Anyone read any of his books and recommend a good to start with. I am looking at Cryptonomicon, Snow Crash, Diamond age, Cob Web? My boss actually highly recommend the author and his book diamond mind.

Bad-example · 10-13-2007, 06:11 PM

Diamond Age and Snow Crash are both very good reads. I really enjoyed them both quite a bit. I tried to get into Cryptonomincon but it never grabbed me.

rowech · 10-13-2007, 07:05 PM

Cyrptonomincon is a fantastic book. I need to re-read it so I can appreciate it even more.

SirFozzie · 10-13-2007, 07:06 PM

Snow Crash is a great first book. The others are just.. advanced reading.

Toddzilla · 10-13-2007, 07:29 PM

Agreed - Snow Crash is definitely your best bet for a first novel - and In The Beginning There Was The Command Line is a nice essay-ish way to get your feet wet w/ Stephenson too. U is boring and I punted 2/3 the way through.

I dove right into The Cryptonomicon and was blown away - it's by far and away my favorite novel of all time.

Avoid his latest trilogy - about 15,000 pages of self-indulgent nonsense IMO.

rowech · 10-13-2007, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

Agreed - Snow Crash is definitely your best bet for a first novel - and In The Beginning There Was The Command Line is a nice essay-ish way to get your feet wet w/ Stephenson too. U is boring and I punted 2/3 the way through.

I dove right into The Cryptonomicon and was blown away - it's by far and away my favorite novel of all time.

Avoid his latest trilogy - about 15,000 pages of self-indulgent nonsense IMO.

I tried his trilogy 3 different times. I really SHOULD like it but it's just drivel.

Calis · 10-13-2007, 09:41 PM

I've always heard Snow Crash is fantastic.

I tried reading one of his books, not sure if it was the latest trilogy but I think it was Quicksilver?

I was not impressed. I haven't tried another one yet.

Malificent · 10-13-2007, 11:40 PM

Snow Crash is fantastic and the only one of his that is pretty much widely accessible to anyone who likes science fiction. Everything else varies. I've tried Cryptonomicon like 4 times and not managed to finish.

path12 · 10-14-2007, 07:25 AM

Cryptonomicon is one of my very favorites. I've never been able to get into the Quicksilver books at all though.

10-13-2007, 07:06 PM	#4
SirFozzie Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: The State of Insanity	Snow Crash is a great first book. The others are just.. advanced reading. __________________ Check out Foz's New Video Game Site, An 8-bit Mind in an 8GB world! http://an8bitmind.com

10-14-2007, 07:25 AM	#9
path12 Coordinator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Seattle, WA	Cryptonomicon is one of my very favorites. I've never been able to get into the Quicksilver books at all though. __________________ We have always been at war with Eastasia.

10-13-2007, 06:11 PM	#2
Bad-example College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: san jose CA	Diamond Age and Snow Crash are both very good reads. I really enjoyed them both quite a bit. I tried to get into Cryptonomincon but it never grabbed me.

10-13-2007, 07:05 PM	#3
rowech Pro Starter Join Date: Feb 2006	Cyrptonomincon is a fantastic book. I need to re-read it so I can appreciate it even more.

10-13-2007, 07:29 PM	#5
Toddzilla Pro Starter Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Burke, VA	Agreed - Snow Crash is definitely your best bet for a first novel - and In The Beginning There Was The Command Line is a nice essay-ish way to get your feet wet w/ Stephenson too. U is boring and I punted 2/3 the way through. I dove right into The Cryptonomicon and was blown away - it's by far and away my favorite novel of all time. Avoid his latest trilogy - about 15,000 pages of self-indulgent nonsense IMO.

10-13-2007, 09:41 PM	#7
Calis College Starter Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kansas	I've always heard Snow Crash is fantastic. I tried reading one of his books, not sure if it was the latest trilogy but I think it was Quicksilver? I was not impressed. I haven't tried another one yet.

10-13-2007, 11:40 PM	#8
Malificent High School JV Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Durham, NC, USA	Snow Crash is fantastic and the only one of his that is pretty much widely accessible to anyone who likes science fiction. Everything else varies. I've tried Cryptonomicon like 4 times and not managed to finish.

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