Rating: 
Summary: Neal Stephenson v. Victor Hugo
Review: Stephenson decided, in this book, to tell a sprawling story of revolution, reminding me somewhat of "A Tale of Two Cities," (and I'm sure there will be plenty of comparisons in literature classes around the globe) but to a greater extent to Victor Hugo's mamothian "Les Misérables." Like Hugo, he brings us in to the story by telling of a character's life, one who will have great impact into the action of the story despite being dead for the majority of it, both to introduce the character of the land and era and to set a tone (in Hugo's book, the darkness of the guillotine, while Stephenson emphasizes the dehumanization due to cybernetics and nanotech). In both, character is paramount, bringing the stunning changes of a world in chaos and evil into a human scale. The problem with Stephenson's work is the reverse of Hugo's: not enough scale. He tells of fantastic violence and action in a way that anyone who enjoyed "Snow Crash" will appreciate (just read the first chapter, of that book to get a sense of its intensity and humor) but also of sex and death and the changing of mythos as life becomes more disconnected from our agrarian forefathers.In summation, this is good cyberpunk, but as literature, both incomplete and at times rushed. However, the fact that Stephenson challenged himself this way and that his imagination is successful enough to pull most of it off, even at its most ridiculous (although perhaps never as ridiculous as Snow Crash's central thesis and denouement), is a testament to his continuing growth. As Stephenson continues to mature with even more dense tomes, we will see his depth grow. This book promises more from an author with great ideas and a enough literary sense to tell a story properly. To sum up: this is killer sci-fi.
Rating:
Summary: Particularly interesting SF, with some flaws
Review: I'm not a Sci-Fi fan but, after reading Drexler's fascinating Engines of Creation: the coming era of nanotechnology, I was curious to see what future Stephenson had imagined with this revolutionary technology. The author envisions an impressive number of interesting applications, some fairly predictable (e.g. matter compilers fed by water and air purifying stations, "smart" multimedia paper), some a lot less so (e.g. skull guns, lighter-than-air shields, nanotech-enhanced actors). But it becomes clearer and clearer that what the author is most interested in is computer science in general, and artificial intelligence in particular. Given the fact that Stephenson has also written In the beginning... was the command line, this shouldn't be such a surprise, and, far from being regrettable, it is in fact what gives the book its true dimension. As the subtitle (A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer) suggests, this book is about a very special kind of book, for the Primer is so "intelligent" that it can adapt its fully interactive on-going didactic narrative to the needs and wishes of its owner, gradually developing his or her own ability to adapt and solve problems to the maximum. I found this to be a brilliant theme, because it depicts future technology as a means of improving the minds of people, eventually allowing them to reach their greatest potential. Stephenson appears a little narrow-minded, however, when it turns out that the Primer's tutorial only culminates with lessons on computer science and nanotechology. Although this is instrumental in bringing about the novel's partial dénouement (enough is left open-ended for a possible sequel), I would have liked to see the Primer's narrative branching out into more diversified subjects (possible examples: explaining why we breathe, or why there are seasons). Nevertheless, the author's imagination can be quite astonishing when applied to his favorite themes, and I would argue that the bizarre society of the Drummers - which first seems incongruous and irrelevant, but gradually comes to the foreground as the plot unfolds - is Stephenson's most impressive invention/extrapolation in The Diamond Age. Just to give you some idea of what the Drummers are about without giving it all away, this secluded society uses nanotechnology to turn its members into ever-satisfied physical components of a huge computing network. You'll have to read the book in order to decide for yourself whether this is a desirable form of existence... I said in the "title" of my review that the novel has flaws, and it does, as a number of things struck me as odd and unsuccessful in the book. Fortunately, these weak points remain minor, and The Diamond Age is still a great read for anyone interested in its themes.
Rating:
Summary: Another fun book from a great SF author
Review: Like his other major works "Snow Crash" and "Cryptonomicon", Diamond's "Diamond Age" is purely entertaining trip into a near future, with an eclectic mix of hopelessly optimistic technology and visionary social transformations. In a time when one's group identity transcends national borders, and nanowars are routinely fought between various factions, a high-tech nanodevice falls unexpectedly into the hands of a poor young girl, Nell. The lost device, an interactive story book designed to teach children to think independantly in a time and place where such ideas were not encouraged, sets off a whirlwind of adventure for Nell and all those involved with the book. Like all of Stephenson's novels, this one is a page-turner from the first page to last. It also has his characteristic abrupt and ambiguous ending, leaving you feeling that there should be one more chapter left that ties everything up in a neat little ribbon. While not particularly deep, this book is broad, fun, and fast. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: One of the great writers of our time
Review: Stephenson delivers a real masterpiece here. Hard SF fans will love the technological details and throwaways, and the meticulous care devoted to the accuracy of the nanotechnological future. Lovers of good books will love the great dialogue, the thoughtful plot, the characterizations, and the vividness with which they are all realized. It's hard to go wrong with anything written by Stephenson. This book also rewards multiple readings. I loved the book the first time around, but didn't much care for the last couple of pages; they seemed like a letdown to me. However, I "got it" the second time I read the book. Buy it, read it, repeat. You will be glad you did.
Rating:
Summary: A Neglected Cyberpunk Literary Classic
Review: Neal Stephenson's "Diamond Age" is an extremely well written look at a nanotechnological future. I'm not sure whether it is set in the same future as "Snow Crash", as one previous reviewer suggested, but his writing is as good, if not better, here. Unlike his earlier "Snow Crash", Stephenson writes more introspectively, creating a future that is a high tech reincarnation of the Victorian Age. Indeed, Stephenson's vivid prose is almost Dickensian in its depiction of a high tech society that is noteworthy for its extreme poverty as well as its exuberant riches. He creates a world dominated by corporate "pyles", little fiefdoms entrenched in nanotechnology, in which an impoverished young girl accidentally stumbles upon a nanotech artifact meant for the daughter of a corporate "prince". This splendid novel deserves to be recognized as one of the finest literary works written by a cyberpunk novelist. It is also among the most original works of fiction published in the 1990's that I've read.
Rating:
Summary: The Diamond Age
Review: In the novel, "the Diamond Age," Neal Stephenson sets his story in the same futuristic, compartmented society as in "Snow Crash." However, "Diamond Age" takes place several years later when nanotechnology is the power that defines the world. The central storyline revolves around Nell, an abused little girl who comes into the possession of a Primer. The Primer is an interactive book, created to bond with the first little girl it encounters, and to educate that girl into adulthood. As you read the story, you learn about all of the diverse characters who have had contact with the Primer or who want the technology behind it - from Nell and her brother, to the inventor Hackworth and his daughter, to the Chinese government. I loved reading about the education of Nell through the Primer. The mirror of Nell's real experiences with Princess Nell in the Primer was excellent! Stephenson also did a great job including the martial arts and Asian culture into his story, as he did in "Snow Crash." However, I felt that the parts of the novel that didn't directly involve Nell were not as well connected or as engaging as Nell's interactions were. Also, the end of the book was weak and forgettable. Overall, I wasn't as willing or able to suspend by disbelief as I was with "Snow Crash." My recommendation is to read the book once because Nell's education is so excellent, but don't expect too much from the rest of the story.
Rating:
Summary: Intelligent Sci-fi
Review: This is exactly the kind of book that all sci-fi books should be like. It's got everything you could ask for - stunningly envisaged futuristic technology (far beyond the usual Star Trek or Blade Runner cliches), a huge cast of well-developed characters which lend the book a strong human element, beautiful imagery with a distinctly dark streak, a labyrinthine plot and, above all, lavish doses of originality. This book is a classic of the genre, well up to the level of "Dune" in my opinion.This is one of the very few books I've read which I can recommend to anyone without any qualms. An unfortunately neglected classic.
Rating: 
Summary: Just Can't Stand It
Review: I don't know why, but I can't bear to read this book. The plot seems like it has potential, but it's bogged down by Stephenson's massive descriptions. I'm not completely prejudiced -- I generally love Stephenson's books, and Snow Crash is on my top five. This book pales in comparison to most serious sci-fi... but I could be wrong. I'll try reading it again in a few months.
Rating:
Summary: Could have been better
Review: Stephenson crams lots of neat tidbits of ideas in this hi-tech fantasy but fails to explore most of them and the book bogs down in a slow-to-develop and not very interesting plot. Occasional flashes of brilliance kept me turning the page hoping this book would take off but it kept getting slower and slower and I was glad when I reached the last page that I didn't have to read it anymore.
Rating:
Summary: SF with a toe in Respectability's door
Review: This book is NOT another "Snow Crash", so if that's what you're looking for, you didn't come to the right place. Although "The Diamond Age" contains elements of the same type of flashy, cooler-than-thou techno-glitz that made the other book so much fun to read (as long as you DIDN'T take it seriously), this Neil Stephenson masterpiece demands respectibility. It demands that the reader think. More than a book about technology, it is a book about culture, and the effect of bringing ancient culture into the future. It is about information and learning and a push into tomorrow's tomorrow. It examines how we will cope with technology when it is so advanced, we only know it is there when it tells us so. In typical Stephenson fashion, the plot is engaging and vital, with exuberant creativity and a scope as large as all imagination. A book with powerful characters, sharp imagery, beautiful prose, and unparalleled vision, "The Diamond Age" is not just an SF novel; it is a Novel--in the truest and most enjoyable sense of the word. CAUTION: thinking required
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