[hugh]

I really don't like Snow Crash much.

Firstly, it's dated quite badly, since it was written in the recent past about roughly-now. He gets the technology pretty much right, but the speculation about how that technology will change society pretty much all wrong.

Secondly, Mr Protagonist, as a protagonist, annoys me in that he seems more like the kind of character that a fourteen-year-old boy would think was awesome (greatest swordfighter in the world, for no good reason!) than somebody I want to read a book about.

Cryptonomicon, on the other hand, is a must-read. I don't really even like science fiction that much, but Cryptonomicon is a must-read.

[coffeeaddicted]

About that "greatest swordfighter in the world" part - there is a real good explanation for that one. He was the guy who wrote the software for the swordfighting simulation.

To my knowledge I might still be the best racer in the world in some racing game I wrote last year, so I can absolutely relate to that ;-)

[hugh]

As I recall, in the end he also turns out to be a great swordfighter in real life though.

Something about single-handedly assaulting an aircraft carrier using only his katana? That was pretty much where the book lost me.

[coffeeaddicted]

He also had the help of a railgun called Reason.

[sdp]

"They won't listen to us, but they'll listen to R.E.A.S.O.N.!"

[byrneseyeview]

I think it's great fun to read it now. Imagine thinking Meese would still be famous in 2008!

Part of the point of Hiro is that he's a loser and an asshole. There wouldn't be a plot if he started out as a good guy, because he wouldn't find himself mixed up in the mafia and cults the way he did.

[chuchurocka]

i've enjoyed pretty much everything that he has done, with the exception of the Baroque Cycle, Confusion, System of the World series ( great reads, just an awful lot to digest and keep straight).

Cryptonomicon is a geeks must read.