Neal Stephenson - Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer

Pros: Incredible visions of technology. Penetrating insights into the nature of creativity, morality, spirituality, etc.
Cons: Shaky plot, flat characters, immature style. Occasionally ridiculous fantastical vision of technology.

In preparation to embark on Stephenson’s latest novel(s), the 3000 page monumental Quicksilver series, I have been working to finish his earlier endeavors. In my first book review on epinions, on Stephenson’s ...

Pros: A vibrant, multidimensional world full of hip technology and crazy people.
Cons: Wait, there's a story in here somewhere, if I could only find it.

The Problem With Modern Science-Fiction Many science-fiction writers find themselves lost ...

Pros: Interesting exploration of benefits and detriments of taking nanotechnology to an extreme.
Cons: Some social forces seem unrealistic, giving the book a psychotic feel.

Not as good as Cryptonomicon!

Even so, Stephenson's novel does a good job of playing "what if" with the idea of deploying "matter compilers" ("M.C.") throughout society so that, whenever you want something, you simply tell your M.C. to build...

Pros: fascinating, thought provoking
Cons: not provocative or gripping

Let me just say, I think Neal Stephenson is a genius. To fully appreciate just how amazing he is, you have to appreciate his catalog of recent work. His eco thriller is hard to find, so to date I have read his three latest novels, the ones he is really...

Pros: Great, vivid decsriptions of possible nanotechnological applications in daily life.
Cons: The last 25% of the book.

If you have to skip reading one of the Stephenson's novels, then this would be the one. I picked this up when I went on a big reading binge, and I read it after Snow Crash, and Cryptonomicon. Like I said, this is probably Stephenson's worst, but it's a...

Pros: Nell's story is deeply enthrawling
Cons: Jumps around too much

Neal Stephenson's book, The Diamond Age, was almost as good as it could have been. Through 3/4 of the book, I simply could not put it down. The greatest hardship was getting through the other characters to get back to Nell. While the other characters...

Pros: fabulous plot vehicle
Cons: nothing, really

Out of all of Stephenson's novels, even including Cryptonomicon, I think that this is my favorite. If in his other novels, Stephenson uses building blocks to create a fantastic world, in this book he uses the most delicate pieces and instruments to...

Pros: Great look into the future of technology, More Stephenson
Cons: Slow story within a story

After reading Snow Crash I was very interested to read more of Neal Stephenson, like most of the other reviewers.

What I found was in Diamond Age was that Stephenson continued to provide a fascinating view into the future. Many of his "new"...

Pros: Half good.
Cons: Half bad.

I have abandoned science fiction. All right, so I still watched The Matrix. So I’ve read “Neuromancer.” So I booed and hissed at Johnny Neumonic… but I have abandoned science fiction. I really don’t have much against sci-fi, it is simply that my...

Pros: Fascinating and realistic view of life in the age of nanotechnology; more realistic, less turbulent than Snow Crash
Cons: Ending was a bit abrupt, but falls under artistic license

I am temporarily working in San Francisco right now, shuttling back and forth between Vancouver most weekends. To help pass the time in airports and on the plane (at least until cruising altitude, when I can take out my laptop) I’ve been buying books...

Pros: engaging characters & ideas
Cons: weak ending

Neal Stephenson's fourth novel - The Diamond Age - is at least as good, if not better, than his well-received third novel - Snowcrash. Both feature Stephenson's spectacular view of the future, but where Snowcrash features a skateboarding Kourier, a...

Pros: engaging epic story; charismatic heroine; author's prose
Cons: tech concepts and society not fully realized; lack of denouement

I have been reading Neal Stephenson (in fits and starts) since 1984, which was when his vainglorious and little-read comic epic The Big U appeared on bookshelves at University bookstores. With its trade-paperback size and cute cover of dormgirl eating...

Pros: wild look at future technology
Cons: too tough for casual sci fi reader

I had already had a taste of Neal Stephenson's style in "Snow Crash"- his epic cyberpunk novel of computer hackers and virtual reality. He careens through his writing in a frantic, free-flowing, almost stream of consciousness way. This book- The Diamond...

Pros: Fantastic evocation of a world dependent on nanotechnology and a evocative story line.
Cons: Stephenson squanders a lot of rich material here. This could have been a great trilogy.

For me, the definition of a good sci fi novel is one that makes me excited about the ideas. I don’t need a perfectly resolved experience with all the ends neatly tied up. Blade Runner and the novel it’s based on (‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’)...

Pros: cool future tech, interesting characters
Cons: a bit disjointed at times

The story takes place in the future when nation states have largely ceased to exist. Tribalism, technology clades, and all pervasive nanotechnolgy rule the world. The description of nanotech is rich and its applications many. The invasion of these...