Snow Crash

Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking action + erratic pacing = disappointment
Review: While reading Snow Crash, I wasn't sure whether I was reading a satirical view of the near-future, where mafia-run pizza franchises and New Hong Kong burbclaves take the place of government, or a serious cyber-historical thriller about an ancient Sumerian linguistic virus being used to conquer the planet. Stephenson's pacing swings wildly and disconcertingly, from breakneck speed during chase scenes, to inexplicable lulls while characters float in life rafts for days at a time, to painfully tedious passages (entire chapters) devoted to a computerized librarian's history lectures. None of the characters are well-realized, their relationships are arbitrary and trivial, and the technology varies from very-near-future (slow, unrealistic, unreliable, shared VR universes) to far-future (nuclear-powered cybernetic guard dogs that run at 700 kph). The first third of the book is exciting, fun, and gripping; the middle third is overwhelmingly dull and tedious; and the final third is confusing and rushed, with a sudden and unsatisfying conclusion. I would not recommend this book, particularly not to someone new to the cyberpunk genre, lest they get the wrong impression and shun talented authors like William Gibson.

Rating:
Summary: full-on cyberpunk satire
Review: Stephenson has a style all his own. It's a non-stop, lightspeed paced writing style that kept Snow Crash in my hands at all times. Though, he takes up to 1/3 of the book to establish his characters, it's a good ride all the way to the end. In a world dominated by privatized communities and corporation run pseudo-governments, you'll find that this book hits pretty close to home. Top that scathing satire with analogies on computers, the human thought process, computer viruses, the origins of human language, sumerian myth and the origins of religion and you have a very deep, sci-fi comedy on your hands. I recommend this to everyone!

Rating:
Summary: Post-modern Cyberpunk at its best!
Review: At first, Stephenson's informal style of writing and the use of present tense verbs confused me, but I quickly grew to love it. The names are great (Hiro Protagonist, Da5id, Y.T., Raven, Rife, &c) and the plot incredible. I wish I had a computer like Hiro's. Let's hope the Palace gets a lot more sophisticated so the Metaverse is a real thing.

Rating:
Summary: i am the nam-shub, the big me en shabub shiskabob
Review: thrashin', dude

Rating:
Summary: My current all-time absolute favorite book...!!!!
Review: This has GOT to be one of the best "almost the future but not quite" books ever written. The scary thing about Snow Crash is not how UNLIKE the present it is, but how similar it is in so many ways...Go read it!

Rating:
Summary: execllent!
Review: execllent

Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: This is one of the best books I have ever read. It was the first book of the cyber punk genre that I have ever read and I would like to say that I expect to read more if they are as good as this. I have been reading sci-fi for as long as I can remember reading, and the only book I can remember that was this good was Ender's Game, although they are in different catagories. Even the end is well done (not always other peoples opinion), because not all the questions were answered-- but the questions left unanwsered either do not have answers, or when you think of it are irrelevent. This is a must for anyone who likes to read any sort of sci-fi or fantasy.

Rating:
Summary: An incredible story
Review: I was unsure of what to make of this book. My English teacher suggested we take a look at it one day, and I bought it on a whim. It really was a very entertaining read. My favorite characters were YT and Uncle Enzo (shame they didn't get more scenes together), and Hiro wasn't bad either. The villains were incredible, and alot of the story ideas actually made me think (something not a lot of book today do.)

Rating:
Summary: It just wasn't exciting.
Review: After struggling over what to buy next, I reached for Snow Crash. Frankly, I thought the story was kind of boring. I loved the idea of relating ancient Sumerian myth to modern society but the story, that is built around it, is weak. There was no desciptive writing anywhere. I couldn't wait to finish so I could move on to another book. And the ending - its bad. The whole "raft" sequence was confusing and dull. However, with the wide range of reviews given, you'll just have to read it for yourself.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: The plot and the way Stephenson describes the characthers in their environment is so realistic it's absolutely mindboggling. Definately a treat for a sci-fi buff.