Cryptonomicon

Red Alert · 08-21-2007, 11:13 PM

Well that's the title of a book I recently bought from Sony Connect. I read the description and it sounded interesting. I should have read the full description! I'm reading at medium resolution and have just finished page 1271 and I still have 2389 pages to go!

This guy Neal Stephenson is long winded

I don't think, if I had known it was so long that I'd have bought it. Now I intend to finish it as a personal milestone. It will be the longest book I've ever read.
Makes Tom Clancy novels positively short by comparison.

Red

RWood · 08-21-2007, 11:36 PM

In the download section we have War and Peace which is 3,894 pages at medium size vs 3,660 pages for your current book. It is also one of the greatest books ever written.

You now have a new milestone to shoot for.

europas_ice · 08-21-2007, 11:48 PM

I love cryptonomicon! It is a fatty though. I guess on paper it's obvious how big a book is. I really enjoy long books. That's one reason I like the ebook so much.

jmorton · 08-22-2007, 01:13 AM

Actually, it was Cryptonomicon that convinced me to get my Sony Reader. I was carrying that huge book around and my back was killing me. I thought about how much easier it would be to read it without the weight. Be thankful you are reading it in ebook form.

_Sin · 08-22-2007, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Alert

Well that's the title of a book I recently bought from Sony Connect. I read the description and it sounded interesting. I should have read the full description! I'm reading at medium resolution and have just finished page 1271 and I still have 2389 pages to go!

This guy Neal Stephenson is long winded

I don't think, if I had known it was so long that I'd have bought it. Now I intend to finish it as a personal milestone. It will be the longest book I've ever read.
Makes Tom Clancy novels positively short by comparison.

Red

Wait until you see the sequel (confusingly set further back in history). It's a 3 volume epic, which were 1000 pages each in paperback form...

The sequel was the reason I got a reader - my girlfriend can't read the print on the paperback, and the hardback is too big to really carry around and read comfortably for her.

Zoomed in, the reader version is just under 5000 pages per volume.

Well worth the time investment though!

Hiro11 · 08-22-2007, 10:10 AM

Cryptonomicon is Stephenson's best book and an amazing read. You're going to love it.

Side note: my user name comes from "Snow Crash"...

csantill · 08-22-2007, 10:35 AM

Cryptonomicon is one of my favorite books. I was never able to read The Baroque Cycle series. I did try a couple of times but just lost interest. Maybe it is time I try again. (I think connect had them as a bundle)

Red Alert · 08-22-2007, 05:17 PM

I have found it an interesting read so far. He is definitely of the school that doesn't use just one word when two or a dozen says the same thing

At the rate I'm reading it, I have another week to go.

Red

coredog64 · 09-04-2007, 01:20 AM

Some of his earlier work (The Big U, Zodiac) is a little less verbose.

What's interesting is to read The Big U in close proximity to Cryptonomicon.

/flame on
What else would you expect from an author that uses emacs?

Colt · 09-04-2007, 01:56 AM

Cryptonomicon is a real piece of art. Most authors simply can't keep a thread of story running that long... But he keeps several going. I borrowed it from a friend to read, he hadn't read it yet, and I finished it and all I could say was "Read it." ... and he did. I'll always remember that as the book I read first and he listened to my recommendation about, especially since he's passed away. Good book. - Colt

Azayzel · 09-04-2007, 10:55 AM

I found that when I read it I had to skip sections when it was absolutely drolling along, I don't think I missed anything since I can speed read pretty well. While some people enjoy long-winded/highly descriptive prose, I prefer authors use what it takes to get the point across without going overboard. If it's any consolation, the book picks up quite a bit in the latter half (or maybe I just finally fell into the groove), so bear with it.

I also agree with Stephenson being a pretty cool author, though my all-time favorite read of his was Snow Crash, but that's one of my favorite genres. I have several more of his works, though none seemed to be as much fun as that one. I had thought Quicksilver was the follow-up to Crypto, but apparently it's the way early prequel was one of Bobby Shaftoe's ancestors. Maybe I'll pick it up at some point, but it's received a pretty solid neutral vote through Amazon; i.e., even spread across the rating system.

08-21-2007, 11:13 PM	#1
Red Alert Zealot Posts: 114 Karma: 1020754 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Silverdale, Washington Device: NookColor & Nook Tablet. Sony PRS-505 loaned to brother.	Cryptonomicon Well that's the title of a book I recently bought from Sony Connect. I read the description and it sounded interesting. I should have read the full description! I'm reading at medium resolution and have just finished page 1271 and I still have 2389 pages to go! This guy Neal Stephenson is long winded I don't think, if I had known it was so long that I'd have bought it. Now I intend to finish it as a personal milestone. It will be the longest book I've ever read. Makes Tom Clancy novels positively short by comparison. Red

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08-21-2007, 11:36 PM	#2
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	In the download section we have War and Peace which is 3,894 pages at medium size vs 3,660 pages for your current book. It is also one of the greatest books ever written. You now have a new milestone to shoot for.

08-21-2007, 11:48 PM	#3
europas_ice Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 220 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Moscow, ID Device: iPhone 11 (Kindle app & iBooks)	I love cryptonomicon! It is a fatty though. I guess on paper it's obvious how big a book is. I really enjoy long books. That's one reason I like the ebook so much.

08-22-2007, 01:13 AM	#4
jmorton Connoisseur Posts: 50 Karma: 374 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: San Francisco Device: Sony Reader PRS-500	Actually, it was Cryptonomicon that convinced me to get my Sony Reader. I was carrying that huge book around and my back was killing me. I thought about how much easier it would be to read it without the weight. Be thankful you are reading it in ebook form.

08-22-2007, 10:10 AM	#6
Hiro11 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Sony PRS-500	Cryptonomicon is Stephenson's best book and an amazing read. You're going to love it. Side note: my user name comes from "Snow Crash"...

08-22-2007, 10:35 AM	#7
csantill Member Posts: 10 Karma: 25 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Sony Reader	Cryptonomicon is one of my favorite books. I was never able to read The Baroque Cycle series. I did try a couple of times but just lost interest. Maybe it is time I try again. (I think connect had them as a bundle)

08-22-2007, 05:17 PM	#8
Red Alert Zealot Posts: 114 Karma: 1020754 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Silverdale, Washington Device: NookColor & Nook Tablet. Sony PRS-505 loaned to brother.	I have found it an interesting read so far. He is definitely of the school that doesn't use just one word when two or a dozen says the same thing At the rate I'm reading it, I have another week to go. Red

09-04-2007, 01:20 AM	#9
coredog64 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 40 Join Date: Sep 2007 Device: PRS500	Some of his earlier work (The Big U, Zodiac) is a little less verbose. What's interesting is to read The Big U in close proximity to Cryptonomicon. /flame on What else would you expect from an author that uses emacs?

09-04-2007, 01:56 AM	#10
Colt Comrade Rising Posts: 28 Karma: 30 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Empire of Alaska, Occupied Florida, Territory Command Device: Currently Pulp	Cryptonomicon is a real piece of art. Most authors simply can't keep a thread of story running that long... But he keeps several going. I borrowed it from a friend to read, he hadn't read it yet, and I finished it and all I could say was "Read it." ... and he did. I'll always remember that as the book I read first and he listened to my recommendation about, especially since he's passed away. Good book. - Colt

09-04-2007, 10:55 AM	#11
Azayzel Cache Ninja! Posts: 643 Karma: 1002300 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tokyo, Japan Device: PRS-500, HTC Shift, iPod Touch, iPaq 4150, TC1100, Panasonic WordsGear	I found that when I read it I had to skip sections when it was absolutely drolling along, I don't think I missed anything since I can speed read pretty well. While some people enjoy long-winded/highly descriptive prose, I prefer authors use what it takes to get the point across without going overboard. If it's any consolation, the book picks up quite a bit in the latter half (or maybe I just finally fell into the groove), so bear with it. I also agree with Stephenson being a pretty cool author, though my all-time favorite read of his was Snow Crash, but that's one of my favorite genres. I have several more of his works, though none seemed to be as much fun as that one. I had thought Quicksilver was the follow-up to Crypto, but apparently it's the way early prequel was one of Bobby Shaftoe's ancestors. Maybe I'll pick it up at some point, but it's received a pretty solid neutral vote through Amazon; i.e., even spread across the rating system.

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