Neal Stephenson

Anyone else read Neal Stephenson? I've read Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon, and I just finished Diamond Age. I have mixed feelings about him as an author, though. Like, it seems like he has no idea how to finish a book, he just kind of stops writing them. And his technical explanations, though entertaining at times, are often very complicated and I have to read them two or three times. And I'm not 100% on the whole idea of hacking someone's brain with language. I'm in love with his visions of the future, however, and the characters he makes are great. I dunno, anyone else have thoughts on him?

Hiro Protagonist

>>1
Yeah, good. You may need to get smarter if the technical bits are a problem, though.

He is a very good author and his endings are improving a little.  As for the hacking brains thing, you do realize that it's sci-fi right?

Anathem was really good.  I wasn't amazed by it when I finished it, but weeks later I'd find myself just thinking of things from it.  It's stuck with me hard, and he's got some really good ideas in there.

>>5
weeks later I'd find myself just thinking of things from it
Yeah, I keep doing that too. It will be interesting to see the impact Anathem has on nerdly thinking in the future. I hope it's at least as big as “grok”.

Anyon els red Nel Stephensn? I'v red Snw Crsh, Cryptonomicn, nd I jst finishd Diamnd Ag. I hav mixd feelngs abot hm s n authr, thogh. Lik, t sems lik h hs n ide hw t finsh a bok, h jst knd f stps writng thm. Nd hs technicl explanatins, thogh entertainng t tims, ar oftn ver complicatd nd I hav t red thm tw r thre tims. Nd I'm nt 100% n th whol ide f hackng someon's bran wth languag. I'm n lov wth hs visins f th futur, howevr, nd th charactrs h maks ar gret. I dunn, anyon els hav thoghts n hm?

My favorite Stephenson book is probably Zodiac, which is the least sci-fi, most low-tech of his novels.

>>8
More low-tech than the Baroque Cycle? Surely you jest.