R- Cryptonomicon (v,x?,b), Snow Crash (v,x,b)

Neal writes what-if novels. Normally this would be called Science-Fiction, but some of his novels are so based in the present world, technology, situation, that he doesn't completely fit into the genre. His other books have been described as post-cyberpunk, and have heavy leanings towards nanotech and cyberspace. A few works: Snowcrash, Diamond Age, Cryptonomicon. Stephenson has a hand on the pulse of geekdom, and has graced the cover of Wired.

As is typical of all other Neal Stephenson books that I've digested, Cryptomicon takes place and is viewed through the eyes of multiple characters simultaneously. By this I mean that each chapter or subchapter represents a part of the story as viewed from the eyes of one of the protagonists.

Story 2: Like all protagonists, he is exceptional in some way- in this case, he is a mathematical genius... a bit lacking in the social side of life, but not an idiot-savant. You see the world through his eyes for the first few chapters or so, until you've met Alan Turing and his bud Rudy, and discovered that they are gay. This doesn't really bother you, but you're not interested. By this point in time, the Japonese (the Nipponese) are about to destroy Pearl, and you're in the Navy. Since your answer to how long it would take a ship to move up a river involved proving a theory on laminer flow, the military, in its glorius intelligence, decide you were too dumb to do anything other than play in the band. You ARE in Pearl when its bombed. After the fireworks, you are somehow manoevered into a "class" on crypto. The teach writes up a code on the board, which you happily decode before anybody else gets a chance to get their bearings. Whoosh, you're now a cryptoanalyist.

Story 1: Bobby Shaftoe, the China Marine. Bobby Shaftoe is your exceptional Marine Raider. His most definitive quality is that he is a steel-belted cast-iron adaptable marine. We meet Bobby on a truck, rampaging along a small road in the Orient, hastily transporting some sort of radio equipment, and related items to your ship. War is coming. Shaftoe thinks back to brawls that the Marines have had with the Nips (as he calls them), and remarks that 1) he doesn't know about the food and 2) He gets his butt whipped in the fight. He decides to learn the Nips way of fighting, and a bit of their culture. He remarks (along the way) that it seems that all that is required for something to be Nip poetry is a precise counting of syllables. Having been beaten by a guy named Goto Dengo (another important character), he decided to learn from him. He teaches Goto how to throw baseball, and Shaftow learns how to fight Nip-style.

Story 3: Randy Waterhouse, grandson of Lawrence Randy is your typical UNIX guru- an intellgent socialy inept underachiever. After getting his bachelors, he begins school at a university until they discover that he knows Unix. Years later, he comes out of the college with an even greater knowledge of Unix, and a girlfriend named Charlene. Charlene is the type of woman who appears to hate conflict, and always believes the Ph.D. over anybody actualy IN the field. Randy is burned by a near-bussiness opportunity when Avi (important char, non-protagonist) offers to buy an RPG that he has put together with some info with an acquantaince named Andrew. Andrew is a real arse, and decides to sue Randy for this and that, and Randy comes of out it bankrupt, and with a nice letter from Avi. Years later, Randy and Avi (and others) have founded a corporation named Ephiphyte.

Story 4: Goto Dengo. Goto laughs as the American planes commence their diving-runs. He knows that the American-swine are poorly trained, and that their bombs will never hit the Emperor's fine ships! Nonetheless, he stands on the deck and watches as the american plane drops its bombs into the water. Ha! but... wait... out of the corner of his eye he sees something skipping over the water towards his ship. He observes it, and begins to have serious doubts. He must no longer be a true warrior because he doubts. He tells the men below to get their lifevests on but they ignore him. Seconds later, he sees a few ships get hit by the American's skipping bombs, and is amazed that the Americans swallow their pride and... ADAPT! No proud warrior could ever do such a thing! Soon, his ship is sunk, and he like a few others are swimming in the water. Goto and a few (2) others make it to shore in New Guinea. Unfortuntely, one comrad is killed by a snake, and the other by cannibals. What luck! Goto manages to survive until a squad comes by. Gripped by malaria and bad health, Goto has been surviving up to this time by eating grubs and panning for gold... He has not been eaten by the cannibals because he earns his keep... The squad leader decides to execute him for surrendering to the enemy, but his juniors persuade to keep him until they reach the camp. Goto is now a pack-animal. Until, that is the the leader is killed by a forest-creature, and Goto assumes command. Eventually, Goto makes it over the mountains and into the "main" base... alone. Goto is put onto a sub, and evacuated.

That is all that I care to explain because I don't want to give the story away!

The book rates 4 3/4 stars. Its great, but I'm not sure that it will age like my 5 star books. Women who read the book will gain interesting "insights" into the mind of the Male. Admittedly, its a bit thick in spots, but if women truely want to understand men, they won't flinch from truth.

Only two industries refer to their customers as "users". Stephenson threatens to create a third (the publishing industry) with Snow Crash, in which computers and drugs collide with skateboard punks, Japanese katana fights, Sumerian mythology, and a VR internet to create an urban legend of astounding proportions. Fast-paced, violent, full of esoteric tangents on religion, viruses, history, and just about anything else that might pique your interest, this is the perfect novel for anyone who wants to know everything, whether it's true or not.

The first main viewpoint is that of Hiro (pronounced "hero") Protagonist, Japanese swordsman, hacker, and pizza deliverator extraordinaire (almost). He lives in the clash of insanities known as L.A., in a near future where everyone is a franchise, including the Federal Government. Hiro would like to make enough money to pay for his computer habit. He would also like to get his old girlfriend back, but he's pretty sure she thinks he's an ***hole, so he doesn't hold out much hope. His only realistic goal at this point is not to be killed by Raven, the baddest dude in all the world.

Everything always works out for skateboard-punk-turned-Kourier Y.T. (Yours Truly). On her state-of-the-art plank, she skips around in traffic, 'pooning unsuspecting cars and riding them to her destination. The mafia owes her a favor, and she intends to cash in on it. But should she kiss and tell on the Mafia to her new partner Hiro? Or should it go the other way around? And what is up with those Feds her mom works for? Way not cool.

Uncle Enzo runs a tight ship at Nova Sicilia, aka the Mob. Every pizza must be delivered within half an hour of the order, or he will personally apologize. He is always on the lookout for someone with spunk and a smart head on their shoulders, someone like Y.T. Too bad he needs a few dangerous things done that only a 15-year-old kid on a skateboard could pull off.

Raven doesn't think too much about the future. He always has a job, always a delivery or another bloodbath to pull off, and then he relaxes with his totally rad motorcycle until the next time. Nobody messes with Raven. They've all heard the stories. Maybe they even know why he hates so much. Hiro might know, but Raven doesn't care. There's always someone else to kill....

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Last Updated: October 7, 1999

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