Anathem in Beyond Reality

Aug 06, 2008 Matt rated it liked it

Shelves: philosophy, science-fiction, science

After digesting Stephenson's latest 937 page tome, my response basically boils down to "Meh."

Ok, maybe not, "Meh." exactly. Maybe more like, "Hmmm." I wish I could say something more elegant about it, but the problem is that there isn't a lot to say about the book as a whole because the book as a whole isn't really that good or that interesting. The book as a whole is difficult to describe, because so much of the book seems like a digression from even itself that instead of a book, it's more lik ...more

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Jun 25, 2008 bsc rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, read-2008, own, science-fiction

This is only my third Stephenson novel. The other two being Snow Crash (great) and The Diamond Age (good).I was drawn to this one because of how "science fictiony" it sounded, relative to his more recent work. Though it is hard to top Snow Crash , simply due to how much fun it was to read, I think this is a much more impressive work.

Part social commentary, part philosophical dialogue, part physics lesson, he somehow makes it all interesting. The world he created in Arbre and the concents is s ...more

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Sep 14, 2010 Sandi rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, e-books, 2011

It took more than a year, but I finally finished Anathem. It had some really good parts, but it was surrounded by a bunch of really boring parts. By the last 100 pages, I just stopped caring. However, one thing you find with an e-reader is that the book you haven't finished just sits there mocking you, letting you know how close you are to the end. So, my Nook guilted me into finishing. The ending was pretty good, but it took way too long to get there. ...more

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Oct 28, 2008 Wealhtheow rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci-fi, post-apocalyptic

Sez Alec: "This is the most important book that most people are too lazy to read of all time. It is simultaneously a joyous celebration of language, an amazing intellectual joyride, and perhaps the best treatise on the purpose of existence I have ever read. "

Well then! review to follow ...more

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Sep 28, 2009 nimrodiel rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, 2009-books-read

I've been a fan of Neal Stephenson's books since I first read Snowcrash many many years ago. However, I had a hard time with this book. It wasn't the focus on hard science rather than computers. It wasn't the fact he went from the more cyberpunk plot to a fantastical world of monastaries and cloistered academics. It had a little to do with all the alternate words used for names of places and items and events.

The biggest hindrance that I had with the book was all the length to the build-up of the ...more

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Apr 17, 2012 bsc rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, favorites, audiobook, science-fiction, read-2012

Second time through this book and it was even better than I remembered. It's amazing how much I had forgotten about this considering I'd just read it a couple of years ago.

I listened to the audiobook this time and it was an incredible production. I'm not sure if I would recommend listening to the audiobook, though, unless you have read it before. I imagine it would be very hard to follow due to the large cast and the huge list of made-up words.

This is what Stephenson needs to be writing. Hopeful ...more

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Dec 20, 2008 JuliAnna rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction

I will always be a fan of Stephenson, but Anathem sets up more resistance than necessary for the reader. Some of the complexity of Stephenson's world building is immensely worthwhile, some entertaining, and some simply tedious. Once one trudges through the first section of the book things pick up. Regardless, a little more editing to focus on the plot, characters and concepts central to plot could have made this a truly wonderful book. It is still worth the effort, full of adventure and interest ...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides added it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

I need another copy of Anathem like I need a hole in the head — I have three! — plus the hardcover that I destroyed through enthusiastic re-reading — but this edition is so pretty.

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Dec 07, 2008 H. R. rated it liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, authors_neal_stephenson, apocalpyse

Just could not engage in this novel, the pendulum has swung too far toward the 'logic puzzle' that Stephenson frames so well, in this case to the neglect of an engaging plot. Anathem is also clearly influenced by 'A Canticle for Lebowitz', scoped within the cold war (Canticle was written in the 1950s). It's laborous to engage in the effort in the world-view that is required to appreciate Anathem, only to discover the substance of the novel would have been better suited in a smaller series of non ...more

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Jul 31, 2010 Michelle rated it it was amazing

One of his best - still jam-packed with gorgeous language and ideas as usual, but much more of a driving plot than many of his previous efforts.

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Aug 04, 2010 Nick rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction

Very middle-of-the-road about this one. I liked the puzzle of figuring out the odd other-world that these novice monks lived in. And the puzzles concerning physics and math were cute. But the length got to me -- I really wanted it to end on page 600!!!

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