reamde

Yeah, you read that right. Neal Stephenson's new book is called Reamde, altho to be fair the title is written thus on both the hardcover (book jacket) and the softcover versions:

REAMDE

I guess it makes it a little easier to read, and gives a clue as to the subject matter. Not surprisingly, Stephenson is again writing about computer/internet use, as he has a number of times in the past. This one is more Crytonomicon, and less Snow Crash. Reamde is not my favorite Stephenson book, but it did move right along and the characters were interesting to follow, even if I did have a pretty good idea how it was all going to end after a few hundred pages.

What Stephenson does so well is explain virtual world events and online activities so well that even though its not my thing, I was able to follow what he was describing and didn't feel bogged down by the technology. I'm sure that must be difficult and its one of the reasons I like his writing. All of the research and the back story is there. Its clear he's done the work, but it stays in the background (for the most part) and doesn't take over the story.

If you're a Neal Stephenson fan, I think you'll enjoy this one, if you're new to Stephenson, this isn't where I'd start, you're better off with Snow Crash, Diamond Age, or Seveneves.


[Note: I've been reading while on vacation, so I have some books, and my thoughts on them, stacked up. There are a few more to come when I get to them]