Book review (no spoilers)
Oct. 15th, 2011 11:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
riontelFinished latest Neal Stephenson's novel "Reamde". I love his previous books, they are among my favorites, especially Cryptonomicon, which was completely brilliant and I can't recommend it enough. So this thriller that he wrote was very disappointing. It started out great and then devolved into a mediocre shootout riddled with implausible coincidences, difficult to believe character interactions, motivations and reactions, and general shallowness. Out of major characters I cared for a story of exactly one and there wasn't nearly enough of him.
On top of the weakness of an overall plot, Stephenson made several errors in subjects I am passably competent in (internet networks and Russian), which made me question the accuracy of the bits in which I would have no first hand knowledge. Sloppy research? The book could also use a good editor and a round of proofreading.
The book is fast paced and does work well as a thriller, if you like that genre. It just doesn't work so well as Neal Stephenson's book.
On top of the weakness of an overall plot, Stephenson made several errors in subjects I am passably competent in (internet networks and Russian), which made me question the accuracy of the bits in which I would have no first hand knowledge. Sloppy research? The book could also use a good editor and a round of proofreading.
The book is fast paced and does work well as a thriller, if you like that genre. It just doesn't work so well as Neal Stephenson's book.
