Reamde, Neal Stephenson, William Morrow, 2011, 1042 pp
This may have been my favorite Stephenson novel yet though in truth, they have all been stellar. The trouble is, I am far behind in writing my reviews. I finished Reamde three weeks ago, gasping for breath at the same time as I wished it would keep going. What? Am I crazy? It was 1042 pages long. I read it in hardcover. I had a stiff neck. I'd been reading it for eight days. Here is my probably too short review for a book packed with so much. I write and post it here for you Stephenson fans out there.
The plot is convoluted and seems to contain millions. The whole time I marveled at the intricacy with which the author braided so many story lines and kept all those characters distinct and alive in my mind. Somehow he kept me trying to figure out how he would do that and how it would come together at the end. Believe me, he did and it did.
This is a thriller spanning both virtual and real worlds, informed by the war on terror, on-line gaming, hackers, social media and peopled by his usual vibrant characters. It took me back to the first decade of the 2000s and reminded me that life is forever fraught with awesome people; awesomely good and bad and unusual people. He also maintains a perfect balance of female to male characters.
The good news is that the one remaining Neal novel for me is his latest, Fall or, Dodge in Hell. It is a sequel to Reamde! See, I knew there had to be more. Can't wait.
Have you read Reamde? If yes, what did you think of it?
I also am in awe of authors who craft complex plots with lots of characters together.
ReplyDeleteI have not read Stephenson but I would like to.
I generally do not get a blog up until weeks after I finish a book.
I like Stephenson because he gives me much to think about while being so darn entertaining.
DeleteYes, I always need some time to think about a book before I write about it, but when I wait too long I feel I lose something as far as reviewing goes. I try to get something written down within a week but lately I have been feeling grumpy about writing and just want to read more books!
i'm still trying to get it together about reading Stephenson's first book... i haven't forgotten it, it's just that... i try to post each week, but sometimes it's a trial. it helps to be retired, but, increasingly, i'm finding i'm just as busy as when i was working...
DeleteYes, being retired is just a new set of having stuff to do. Don't stress. You will get to it.
DeleteI have never read Stephenson. Something else that I have to look forward to perhaps. Your reviews are always interesting and worthwhile, no matter how long it takes you to get to them!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Dorothy! Reading Stephenson is a time commitment, that's for sure. Then again, what else have we got to do right now besides tend our gardens?
DeleteThanks so much, I do want to read it!
ReplyDeleteOK!!
DeleteOver 2K pages in two consecutive reviews.... IMPRESSIVE! I'm presently running about 5 weeks late in my reviews. Despite posting two per week I consistently have 10 books in my review pile. I need to read much bigger books occasionally to catch up - not this one though, at least not yet.. I've only read 3 Stephenson books so far: Zodiac (many years ago), Snow Crash & The Diamond Age. I do have a few more of his in various piles though! I'll definitely get to them at some point. Thanks for the prompt [grin]
ReplyDeleteThe things the pandemic has driven me too! You have a good start on Stephenson and I don't doubt you will read more. The sheer length of his books can be daunting.
DeleteYou made me so curious about this book... But 1000+ pages, I don't know if I'm up to that right now ...
ReplyDeleteEsther, I understand. It is a page turner though.
DeleteThe early 2000's was a fun time for me a wee little one so knowing this book gave you that kind of feeling really has me checking it out twice! Also, I'm so behind on reviews that I gave up trying to write backlog reviews lol.
ReplyDeleteGlad I got you interested, Carrie. My solution to all the backlog reviews is for some books I just write little ones just for me, some I write "good" ones for the blog. But I still can't catch up!
DeleteI've never read a book over 1,000 pages ... and not too many over 500. How is your neck? I'll leave you to Neal. My mind would burst right now trying it. ha.
ReplyDeleteHa! I actually like long books I can really sink into. My neck is fine--I have an exercise for that!
DeleteAnother 1000+ pager? Don't mind if I do! I am intrigued every time you review one of his books. I only hold off because I am especially busy right now trying to get even remotely caught up on reviews, and I am reading so many books from my #BlackLivesMatter reading list right now. But the minute I get some breathing room, I am going to give one of his books a try. Which one should I start with?
ReplyDeleteCryptonomicon.
DeleteI did read it! My daughter's father-in-law handed it to me several years ago and I did plow through it. Some of it is so fascinating I can see it in my mind's eye as I write this (like in the mountains just over the border from Canada, if I remember right!) And I was also really confused at times with all the gaming stuff....all of that is so far out of world i just rolled with it and carried on.
ReplyDeleteBut I also wanted to add something re Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, but got an error message and it wouldn't take my comment; does it time out after awhile and not take any more comments on a particular blog?? (Blogging is also outside of my normal realm too!)
But I found a folded paper inside my copy of Black Lamb and Grey Falcon with the note:
KCRW SM College 89.9 4/9/99 1-2 PM Diana Rigg reading Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West. So I heard it in April and bought it in July. I recalled that we were out strolling on Colorado Bl in Pasadena after the stores were closed and saw the book in the window. I called next day and they put it on hold for me; hence the 7/11/99 date on the yellow sticky with my name. Thanks again for your inspiration!
So great to get your impression of Reamde! The gaming stuff, yes. I have never played any of those games though I have read books about them so by the time I read this one, I felt at least a little with it.
DeleteI am sorry Blogger was mean to you. It is a grouchy app that just sometimes does weird stuff. Also, is is me, or is the internet a bit grouchy these days too? Anyway, I am glad you added your further comment on Black Lamb and Grey Falcon here. You can try again after you read it, right?