From the Bookshelf of Apocalypse Whenever…

Anathem

Neal Stephenson

Why we're reading this: For ten years Fraa Erasmas, a young avout, has lived in a cloistered sanctuary for mathematicians, scient…more
[close] For ten years Fraa Erasmas, a young avout, has lived in a cloistered sanctuary for mathematicians, scientists, and philosophers, protected from the corrupting influences of the outside world. But before the week is out, both the existence he abandoned and the one he embraced will stand poised on the brink of cataclysmic change—and Erasmas will become a major player in a drama that will determine the future of his world, as he follows his destiny to the most inhospitable corners of the planet . . . and beyond.

Anathem is the latest miraculous invention by the New York Times bestselling author of Cryptonomicon and The Baroque Cycle—a work of astonishing scope, intelligence, and imagination.

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What Members Thought

Jun 25, 2008 bsc rated it it was amazing

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

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

Shelves: science-fiction, fiction, audiobook, favorites, 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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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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Apr 12, 2009 Hectaizani rated it really liked it

Shelves: bookcrossing, z2009

It took me forever to get through this book, normally I absolutely adore Stephenson but this time his writing was really hard to get into. Maybe it was his insistence on creating his universe by making up a language. All that flipping back and forth to the glossary breaks up the flow of the reading. The story itself was a good one and well worth the time spent.

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