[swells34]

Those three and REAMDE (which I'm currently rereading) are just fantastic. Snow Crash was very stylized; too much for some tastes, not enough for others.

[netule]

I loved REAMDE until a little more than halfway through, when it became a DNF for me.

[sangnoir]

IMO, Stephenson's books are too long for the stories they tell, especially the final 25-33% - those can be a real slog. I gave up on Seveneves at about 90% or the book, reading it was no longer fun. I read a handful of his prior work to completion when I was a book completionist, so I can't tell of it says anything about the nature of the novels, or my own perseverance.

[aetherson]

I think that's a failure mode his worse books fall into, but I've found his better books enjoyable all the way through.

[ljlolel]

I’d say the first half set up is the always the slog with his books and the best part payoff is the end.

[actionfromafar]

Seveneves are very much two books. I liked the first one best.

[jorvi]

Doesn't that make them quite mediocre books when viewed holistically?

Imagine if movies were like that: a huge slog for 1h15, and then a twist at 1h50 at which point it actually gets interesting/entertaining.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good slow burn read/watch, but "slog" is not that.

[ljlolel]

Anathem payoff is worth it