Author Archives: electricrocket

Book Log – REAMDE

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REAMDE by Neal Stephenson

I mentioned this before, but REAMDE is reminiscent of Stephenson’s Zodiac, which was the first of his novels I read.  I enjoyed Zodiac, but I didn’t go out of my way to find other Stephenson works at the time.  I judged it a good eco-thriller, which are not typically my fare.

REAMDE is a good thriller.  Stephenson writes extremely well, and has some good characters and, well, thrilling moments.  But it’s not what I love Stephenson for.

So, it’s a very good book, but it’s just an okay Stephenson book.

The action spans from the terrain of an online Worlds of Warcraft style game to China to the wilds of the Canadian/US border.  The storyline is at once outlandish and plausible, a testament to Stephenson’s adept plotting.

Hopefully he’s gotten this one out of his system, though, and we can get back to the really good stuff.

 

Book Log – Around the World in Eighty Days

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Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

I was casting about for something to read on Gutenberg.org, and realized I had never read this much-referenced book.

I’m a bit confused, because I seem to remember there being a hot air balloon involved in references I’ve seen, but there was no hot air balloon in the actual story.  I’m going to have to figure that out.

But the story itself is fun, albeit short.  It’s a pretty good read.

 

Book Log – The Confusion (re-read)

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The Confusion: Book 2 of the Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson

This is a re-read.

I have to say, the second time through was even better.  I think it owes to the fact that I could read it in longer bursts over a relatively short amount of time.

On to System of the World,  and then Stephenson”s new book should be out, which will have nothing to do with these, but it still seems a good way to bide my time while waiting.