I was a huge fan before these came out. Bought a hardcover copy of the first book as soon as it was available. It was tedious. Every page smelled of self-indulgence.
Lesson learned: Always wait for the reviews. It stays in a prominent position on my bookshelf to remind me of that.
I remember seeing a picture of him, I think it was attached to an interview or maybe on a later books dust jacket, not long after. He was wearing a red velvet smoking jacket surrounded by ornate walnut furniture.
That picture stuck with me. It seemed so pompous and pretentious, exactly the vibe I got from that book. If any of his new books give me the same vibe, I simply don't bother.
I didn't particularly enjoy the Baroque Cycle the first time I read it, but increasingly enjoy it the more often I read it!
I think a lot of it was adjusting headspace from "Stephenson == Sci Fi". It is a fantastically detailed read that touches on a lot of fascinating historical stuff.
Lesson learned: Always wait for the reviews. It stays in a prominent position on my bookshelf to remind me of that.
I remember seeing a picture of him, I think it was attached to an interview or maybe on a later books dust jacket, not long after. He was wearing a red velvet smoking jacket surrounded by ornate walnut furniture.
That picture stuck with me. It seemed so pompous and pretentious, exactly the vibe I got from that book. If any of his new books give me the same vibe, I simply don't bother.