[gibspaulding]

I've really enjoyed several of Stephenson's books, but 'Diamond Age' was one I couldn't get into. I need to give it another shot.

On the subject of Sci-Fi, there's also a vacuum airship featured in one of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan novels - 'Tarzan at the Earth's Core'. It is of course much less scientific than Stephenson's version though.

[rtkwe]

He really likes to drop readers in with minimal explanation into a world, he's gotten much better at it over time but Diamond Age is both one of his earlier works and one of his most esoteric worlds with the odd neo-Victorians etc.