Stephenson's books are funny. They're totally gripping while I'm reading them, but afterwards I'm never sure if I liked them or not.
I plowed through Quicksilver when it came out and loved it. Some time later I picked up The Confusion and was very excited to get on with the story, until I read the first couple of pages and realized I'd forgotten most of the plot and relationships and would have to reread the first...and the thought of that filled me with dread. I put the whole thing aside and have never regretted it.
I tried to read Quicksilver but couldn't really get into it. However, I then tried the Audible audiobooks and became completely hooked by the whole saga to the point where I think Jack Shaftoe is probably my favourite fictional character.
Edit: On the other hand I've read Anathem so many times that my hardback copy fell apart!
Oh, yeah.
As amazing as the Baroque Cycle Movie or series could be, or Cryptonomicon, or Diamond Age, etc... I'd vote for Seveneves over everything else.
To be honest, I found it long and depressing. It must be something about this theme of the demise of society and space exploration that gets me. Same with Baxter's NASA trilogy. His early novels, like Snowcrash and Diamond age, are amazing, but Seveneves is really quite a different kind of a story.
Can't wait for the whole episode dedicated to Lawrence's musings on the importance of reliable access to prostitutes for cracking ciphers and the international female conspiracy to control ejaculation and thus the mood of the world.
I plowed through Quicksilver when it came out and loved it. Some time later I picked up The Confusion and was very excited to get on with the story, until I read the first couple of pages and realized I'd forgotten most of the plot and relationships and would have to reread the first...and the thought of that filled me with dread. I put the whole thing aside and have never regretted it.