Cryptonomicon
by Neal Stephenson
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Book Reviews of Cryptonomicon
Book Review: Yes! This one made top-5 on my all-time list!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is simply amazing. Don't let its size prevent you from reading it. Stephenson is a very talented writer and I'm surely going to read other books he's written.Now let me try to explain Cryptonomicon for someone who doesn't know a lot about the book.
First: the book is divided in two stories, told togheter through the book, although they are separated by fifty years. One passes in the present time, more or less (1998), and its main characters are a bunch of people involved in a project to create a data heaven (something like the Cayman islands, but related to information and means to provide a steady flux of that information) in a tiny sulatanate near the Philipines. The main characters in this part of the story are Randy Waterhouse and Amy Shaftoe, people in charge of implementing that data heaven. The other is set during the second world War, when Lawrence Waterhouse is the brilliant mathematician in charge of decrypting the Axis war codes, and Bobby Shaftoe is the semi-crazy all-terrain soldier in charge of an Army detachment sent on contraditory errands whose intent is not letting the germans and japanese discover that their codes have already been broken. It seems complicated and it is, but Stephenson's style of narrative adjusts well to the dificulties of telling such a strange story. The last names of the characters are, not casually, identical in both parts of the story.
Second: there is another division in the plot. This one is not time-related. Suddenly, in the present-time storyline as much as in the World War storyline, there begins a race to discover the lost gold the japanese and the germans were hidding somewhere along the Pacific Rim, involving characters of both timelines! And that's where I was impressed with Stephenson. He was able to write the same plot within two totally different eras. And all this is written in a very intelligent way; Stephenson lays clues of one time story into the other one! Amazing.
The characters are really well developed. Stephenson writes not only about what was supposesd to be in the book, but also of ancient computer systems, greek mythology, theology, and many other stuff, that, instead of transforming Cryptonomicon in a boring book, makes it really one of the best I've read in my life. But the eventual reader will have to take his time with this one. This isn't intended to be a fast read. This is intended to be a fantastic read, so go slow and always, and, in the end, you'll be rewarded.
Grade 9.7/10
Book Review: Prerequisites: Love of computers, sci-fi, and military history...and patience
Summary: 3 Stars
"Cryptonomicon" is, to say the least, extensive. It's detailed, extremely detailed. It's a dream-book for those who love sci-fi, computer science, and military history (SFCS&MH).
I'm an avid reader, a former computer programmer in the Army, and a computer science graduate, and even I had a hard time really loving the book. At 900+ pages, it sometimes felt like 9,000+, with Stephenson's need to prove to you that he is so intelligent, and has done so much research on every single possible detail. From crypto to digging tunnels to playing cards to scuba diving to WWII history to Captain Crunch to Van Eck freaking to Asian culture, he leaves nearly no stone unturned. It's the book's strength and weakness at the same time. It's as if Stephenson cares less about story, plot, and character development than he does the minute details and the witty dialogue (which is not necessarily a bad thing).
Upon completion of the book I thought, "Did I really get everything that Stephenson intended?" Immediately afterward I thought, "Well, there is no way in h*** I'm going through that arduous, long, and sometimes boring book again to find the parts I might have missed."
While "Cryptonomicon" had digressions upon digressions, it was nonetheless interesting. At times, I simply couldn't put the book down.
I laughed several times while reading the book, and couldn't help but to admire the quirkiness of some of the book's situations. If Jerry Sienfeld was into SFCS&MH, I imagine the book would have several similar situations. Several times while reading, I smirked, thinking that such a digression or plot-line connection was absurd, quirky, and at the same time absolutely brilliant. At times it's like hearing an incredibly witty joke for the first time; you simply can't believe how funny it is, and you respect the fact that it's an odd type of humor shared between you and the joke-teller.
The book is informative, fun, and enlightening, but it's not one that I would recommend to anyone who wasn't already a lover of SFCS&MH. Missing any one of the three attributes could cause a reader to hate this book and put it down before the midpoint.
In the end, it needed some serious editing prior to publishing, and a better ending wouldn't have hurt. But I still enjoyed it quite a bit.
Book Review: Codebreaking, Computers, and Combat
Summary: 4 Stars
Reviewing an epic novel like "Cryptonomicon" is not easy. The sheer depth of Neal Stephenson's 1,100-page story about World War II codebreakers and modern-day technology entrepreneurs is bound to make any quick summary or analysis seem inadequate. That said, I will mention a few positives and negatives that struck me about this book.POSITIVES: The story itself is remarkably clever and well thought out. Mr. Stephenson obviously did a tremendous amount of research on the World War II era and the art of cryptography, both past and present. Anyone with an interest in these subjects will not be disappointed. It is also obvious that Stephenson spent a considerable amount of time in the Philippines, where the bulk of the story unfolds. Actually, "Cryptonomicon" is several stories that run parallel to one another throughout the book and then gradually converge near the end. Stephenson makes it obvious from the beginning that these seemingly disparate plot lines are somehow related, but the relationship does not become clear for quite some time. Watching them intersect is very satisfying.
NEGATIVES: The book is far longer than necessary. Those who read Stephenson's fast-paced "Snow Crash" will be surprised by the tempo of "Cryptonomicon," which is much slower and more deliberate. Stephenson often gets sidetracked, using many pages to establish what ultimately turns out to be a minor element in the story line. The book probably would be much stronger without 300 or 400 pages of unnecessary material. Also, there are a few too many coincidences, which hurt the story's plausibility. Some of the coincidences are appropriate and necessary to the plot line, but others were thrown in for no apparent reason. For example, a primary character just happens to stumble upon the Hindenburg Disaster while riding his bike one evening, yet this episode has no bearing on the story (unless there is some hidden meaning beyond my grasp).
Overall, "Cryptonomicon" will not disappoint those who invest their time and money in it. Neal Stephenson is a stylish author with a vivid imagination and a sharp sense of humor. His passion for technology, mathematics, and history practically leap off the page. In "Cryptonomicon," he has combined these elements into an intriguing and unique tale.
Book Review: A magnificent book with irritating flaws
Summary: 4 Stars
I really wanted to give this book a 5-star rating. I enjoyed most of it more than most books I've read, and the enjoyment it provides is quite unlike any other book I have ever read. But I found a few glaring flaws (not those most are bothered by, it seems) that made it impossible to give it such a rating. Having said that, DO read this book. I don't care whether you know anything about modular arithmetic or computer science; everything is explained lucidly enough that you don't need to have any background. I have to admit that I probably enjoyed the math-heavy sections of the book (mostly those centering around Lawrence Pritchard Waterhouse) more than most would , but that's okay, because those aren't even the best parts of the book. The complete realization of characters like Bobby Shaftoe are what make this book seem so vivid.
Having said that, his characterization can also be his weakest point; more specifically, his characterization of women. I am not the type of nitpicky PC-obsessed reader who normally lodges complaints like this, but there is not a single believable or fully realized female character in this book. Some seem to have been thrown in as an afterthought (such as Beryl), and play such a minimal role that they easily could have been left out. Others are crucial to the plotline, and could have been very interesting characters. America/Amy in particular disappointed me; it didn't seem like Stephenson had a firm grasp on her character, and as a result I found her later actions in the novel hard to swallow after her initial set-up.
In direct relation to the female problem this book has is its romance problem. Stephenson's descriptions both of sexual attraction and sex itself struck me as stiff and awkward. I found myself wanting to skip ahead through these parts, rather than savoring them as the culmination of tension established between characters.
I would be remiss to dedicate this review to criticism, though; its 910 pages flew by for me, and now that I'm finished with it I'm headed straight out the door to purchase another of Mr. Stephenson's books. It delighted the Alan Turing fan and discrete math nerd in me, and awakened an interest in history that I didn't think I possessed. It made me chuckle and chortle and long for Captain Crunch. It's a heck of a book.
Book Review: If you are going to read this book, you'll need to ask yourself a question.
Summary: 5 Stars
Do you I have a short attention span? If your answer is yes, may not be able to get the most from this book. Furthermore, if you have no interest in cryptography, World War Two, internet culture or high finance- this will bore you to tears. I actually read the book "Crypto" by Levy to prepare for this book and was happy I did.
The plot is a mix between three main characters. Two are Bobby Shaftoe, corporal in the army, and Daniel Waterhouse, a cryptanalysis specialist. Their paths crisscross during WWII as they fight to mislead and out fox their Nazi counterparts. The third main character is Randall Waterhouse, the grandson of Daniel and one of the founding members of an internet bank. This bank may revolutionize the world of finance. You may be asking how these two story lines are related. Well, to start a bank you need hard currency and it just so happens that Shaftoe and D. Waterhouse uncover a plot to hide billions in Japanese and Nazi gold at the end of WWII.
The story jumps back and forth as Daniel, Jack and Randall all trace a path to the hidden gold. Many other historical figures appear as characters, one of the most interesting is Alan Turing, the man credited with the invention of the modern computer. Another is the wonderful portrait of "the General", MacArthur and his interactions with Bobby Shaftoe on the island of Manila. Stephenson really knows how to bring the man to life! Various other historical figures, small and large, pop in from time to time. Any WWII or history buff will gain much enjoyment just by the noticing of passing historical references and people; this is one of the books biggest selling points.
The Cryptonomicon's time line is non-linear, with each successive chapter taking place at a different location and following a different character. Therefore, if you are going to read this, know that there are many names, places and dates crucial to you getting the most out of this book.
With that said, I can honestly say that, apart from about 20 pages of mathematics that I could not fully understand, this was one of the most idea filled and interesting books I've laid my hands on in some time. Stephenson may be a genius of Da'Vinci proportion, if not that, then at least a teacher of Feynman's caliber.