Rating: 
Summary: Virtual Reality
Review: This book was definitely for the science fiction lover. It takes place in the future where everything is computerized. The main character, Hiro Protagonist, is a hacker, a pizza deliverer, and swordsman. He creates an alterntive world called the Metaverse. Anyone can go to the Metaverse through any computer. A "drug" is being distributed through Metaverse called snow crash. this drug crashes your computer and your brain. Hiro joins up with a couple of his friends and trys to stop the spread of this "virus". This book wasn't really my style, because I really don't like science fiction. But, it did keep me interested. I expected more action and explanation in the ending. Overall, I thought it was a decent book and I would recommend it to anyone, science fiction lover or not.
Rating: 
Summary: Snow Crash
Review: In the pages of Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson offers his readers action packed adventures in a futuristic society that holds pizza, bimbo boxes (mini-vans), and virtual living in the Metaverse as top priorities. Hiro Protagonist and his teenage Kourier partner, Y.T., join the ever-powerful Mafia in attempting to save the world from a devastating virus that destroys the hard drive of computers as well as humans. Once this virus strikes, the victims are left to function with nothing more than snowy transmissions with no possibility of recovery. Although images like teenagers riding bionic skateboards attaching themselves to the back of unsuspecting motorists have been seen before, Stephenson takes his description of this society to a higher level. When describing something as simple as Y.T.'s plank (skateboard), he provides micro detail all the way down to its "RadiKS Mark II Smartwheels with sonar, laser rangefinding, and millimeter-wave radar to identify mufflers and other debris before you even get honed about them." Stephenson successfully uses satire throughout the novel to make implications about the poor values of our society. The use of satire is obvious in his continued return to the issue of the obliviousness of Y.T's mom. She doesn't have a clue about her daughter's Mafia connected, professional Kourier livelihood filled with drug dealers, murders, and cults. Stephenson stresses the over-dedication of Y.T.'s mom to her profession rather than to her child. The final pages of the story provide an effective summary of the neglect present in one-parent homes, portrayed in numerous portions of the book. The most intriguing aspect of the story comes when Stephenson connects drugs, viruses, and religion to be one in the same. Hiro says to Juanita, "This Snow Crash thing-is it a virus, a drug, or a religion? Juanita shrugs. "What's the difference?" Using such seemingly opposing topics throughout the plot makes it nothing less than captivating. Stephenson did a remarkable job depicting a futuristic world filled with dehumanized individuals. Any society that would sooner "goggle in" to a virtual world than interact with other human beings has lost touch with natural tendencies. This attitude is further exemplified by his direct correlation between the hard drive of a computer and the human brain. If nothing sets mankind apart from these machines, then what qualities do we, as humans, have to offer society? Aside from occasional deviations in sequential order and a lack of clarity at the conclusion of the novel, Stephenson supplies his readers with plenty of sex, technology, drugs, and religion that no American could ever resist. What better way to describe the future of our society than to build on topics that have already been shaping our society over past centuries?
Rating:
Summary: wonderful and thrilling
Review: "Snow Crash" by Neal Stepheson, was very well written and thought out book. I love how he took the world and place it into the future, but a lot of the time you think it is happening in the present time. The book was very easy to follow and he's always keeping you on your toes at all times with alot of suspension. Extremely action packed and thrilling. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Predictable but somewhat entertaining
Review: This book was unique in its story line and method of joiningbiblical philosophy and near future technology. Unfortunately, itseems to be written for a 13 year old audience. The plot was always predictable. But, it was entertaining in the same way a comic book is pure fantasy. Overall, a good book to read if you find one laying around and have some time on their hands. END
Rating: 
Summary: Liked the book a lot
Review: This book was a really enjoyable. It is kind of slow in the beginning but after the first few chapters I really began to get into it. It takes a little bit to understand all of the technical terna and slang but once you get the hang of it it really is fun to read. It is a whole word created within that book with just enough truth to make it seem possible, and that is part of the appeal. I recommend this book if you like to read science fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Sleep....no no, not reading Snow Crash!
Review: As I was thumbing through the books to read for my senior colloquium class, I almost fell asleep just reading the short two or three sentence descriptions about the books. Internet and society, a very interesting topic, if you're in a group and discussing amongst each other, though by yourself, it is a real sleeper. When I came across the book Snow Crash, by Neil Stephenson, I thought I would give it a whirl. It is a science fiction book, so it would have to be more interesting and entertaining than reading about Dell Computers marketing strategy. I start out reading the book and I see the main character, Hiro Protagonist, delivering pizzas. My first impression was, what the hell does this have to do with computers. I thought that I had definitely made a mistake choosing the longer book because it sounded interesting. As I read a few more pages Stephenson adds a little more to the book. For example: skateboard couriers who harpoon cars, mafias who intern own the rivaling pizza joints, and a virtual world known as the metaverse. This metaverse was quite intriguing in that you could walk, talk, and act like you would in the normal world. Though, it is paralleled to computers now days. Each person plugs into a port and uses an avatar, their virtual self, to communicate. Depending on your computer and your ability, you can have a real elaborate avatar or a simple avatar, denoting your poor skills and computer. A skilled swordsman Hiro is, in both the metaverse and the real world, we learn that he is also a freelance "hacker." A new virus has stepped on the seen in the metaverse, the only problem is that it also is a drug in the real world and effects people in the real world. It is a race against time for Hiro and his friends to find the distributor and end this virus known as snow crash. To complicate things worse, Stephenson gives the distributor of snow crash, whose name is Raven, a nuclear warhead that will detonate if he is killed. As I read the story, Stephenson really made a good parallel to the way we actually use the Internet. Many people in Stephensons' book plugged into the metaverse for hours on end becoming dehumanized just as people in our world get on the Internet and chat lines and become dehumanized. Stephenson does a good job in telling a real story of our world and it's Internet addiction through a very stimulating science fiction story.
Rating:
Summary: Great beginning, good middle, weak ending
Review: Stephenson has an interesting vision of the future - one in which nations have been replaced by corporate-nation-states. His depiction of the United States (Fedland) is hilarious. His use of Sumerian mythology and the idea of a metavirus is intriguing. However, much like Diamond Age, the book lacks an ending. The world is saved in about 30 pages. It's unsatisfying. Still, the beginning of the book is excellent and the middle is quite good. Stephenson is a witty satirist and he develops compelling visions of the future. Recommended, with the reservations about the ending.
Rating:
Summary: Renaissance Book
Review: I thought Diamond Age was good...predicting a future shocking but believable. Snow Crash is much better though. The characters are odd...but that's what people are like really. More importantly, there is a mixture of software and art in this book. Even the clinching plot twist involves using the liberal arts side of your brain. It's engrossing and well worth the read in my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: haven't had time to read it yet actually
Review: but it looks pretty darn good
Rating:
Summary: One in a million
Review: I always thought that there could not be an author how could peak me wierd intrest, but Neal did it. This book is awsome. I loved the stroy line and the underlined message in the book. I could not put it down for three days! No book ever had that effect on me.
|
