I've always had a strong interest in both cryptography and history. This book was an amazing journey through three storylines (two WWII-era stories that end up converging together and a modern day story that also ends up tying into the other two). It was a little difficult at first to read because the book jumps between storylines, but I quickly got into the groove of it. Given the length of the book (which is fairly long), I used the breaks in storylines as natural stopping points when I needed to put down the book. While long, it is definitely an interesting tale woven through two time periods with some intriguing technical social commentary about privacy in the digital age. ( )

There are certain books that I reread every year and since 1999 this has been one of them. It’s a huge sprawling novel and to try to describe all of its plot lines would be an exercise in futility, but suffice it to say that in this multigenerational work are contemporary hackers, WWII code breakers, crusty treasure divers, psychotic marines and Japanese mine engineers. There’s plenty of math (which can be skipped if you desire), but the quality of writing, the richness of characters and the complexity of plot make this one of my all-time favorite reads. ( )

Initially slow and an accelerated ending, but spectacular effort. ( )

I have pretty mixed feelings about this book. It is quite an epic romp, covering WWII and modern day simultaneously. The book tries to accomplish a lot in its 1000+ pages, and I don't think it quite makes it to the masterpiece finish line, but the ride is tons of fun. Definitely recommended to anyone with an interest in computers or cryptology.

The biggest problem I had with the book was the lack of female characters or perspective...Cryptonomicon feels very much like a book written by a man, for men. The only, very few female characters are secretaries and/or sex objects, and are often described as being the polar opposite of the tech-savvy or battle-ready men. I don't think the overarching misogyny was really intentional, and I've heard that his other books contain some female main characters, but the constant feeling of "This book is full of computers and war! We are men! Only men do those things! Arr!" was pretty disappointing. ( )

A great book most of the way through as Stevenson does a masterful job of weaving together the storylines from WW2 and the present time. But toward the end, he just seems to give up; perhaps he just didn't have the skill to deliver the type of satisfying payoff this book deserves. And after reading over 1100 pages, the reader deserves a lot more. You just keep asking yourself, where is the sequel? And where was his editor, to send it back to him and say "Neal, you can do a hell of a lot better than this."? Lazy lazy lazy. ( )

Cryptonomicon has a multi-linear story line that works like a jigsaw puzzle. As you read the lives of grandfathers and grandsons inter-spliced, you gain a better understanding of the motivations of one through the actions of the other. Not to mention the vast conspiracy about currency in the digital world. ( )

Cryptonomicon probably wouldn't be your first pick for a beach novel either, but hey really, it's a huge book chock-full of gripping action, low-brow humor and wild adventure. What else do you need? Romance? Well...forget about it, then. Actually, the length (900+ pp.) was the deciding factor in my case, and so it was the first thing I packed before I left to Turkey this past summer.

My plane leaves at 6:30 a.m., which means I'll have to get up at five, which in turn really doesn't agree with my sleep pattern of getting up at elevenish. So after three invigorating hours of sleep that night I'm just flying through the book, giving it all my meager attention, chewing gum like crazy, not even glancing at the safety leaflet or the in-flight movie. Three main characters are introduced: Lawrence Waterhouse, socially inept, technologically adept; his grandson Randy Waterhouse, ditto; and self-describedly gung-ho marine Bobby Shaftoe. From the get-go this is clearly a book for real capital-M Men. After a plain breakfast I fall into a shallow, spasmodic sleep, jerking awake frequently to wipe drool off my chin. With all these distractions the four-hour flight just flies rightafkjflhjhafdhgd

In Turkey: an airport display reports an outside temperature well in excess of 40°C (104°F). Stepping into the sun my dark blue jeans promptly combust (why am I wearing jeans?), or at the very least feel like it, and we still have a two-and-a-half-hour bus ride to the hotel ahead of us. My cryophilic ass isn't cut out for this kind of climate. The view from the bus window isn't very exciting, mostly what to me seems like desert with the occasional cactus or palm tree thrown in for good measure. In the distance there are some pretty impressive mountains though, which the guide informs us are called the Taurus Mountains and which I immediately rename the Tauri. At least I'm making nice headway with the book. Lawrence Waterhouse discusses theories with some fictional and factual personages at Princeton in the end of the 1930s, joins the navy as a glockenspielist, and, via a scenic tour of Pearl Harbor, gets recruited to help the Allies to decipher Axis communications. At roughly the same time Bobby Shaftoe is in Manila clashing with the Nips but not without befriending one by the name of Goto Dengo. Sadly they get separated when the war begins, as do Bobby and his pregnant girlfriend Grace Altamira. The third thread happens in the 1990s, when Randy Waterhouse is in the process of establishing a telecom company in Manila with his friend Avi. To Avi, however, this is only the beginning.

The hotel is really a larger complex of buildings of various sizes and distances from the main building, where the restaurants are. Pools and over-priced trinket shops are scattered about. I haven't been abroad in quite many years, and as a consequence have no idea how touristy this place is compared to others, but I assume it would rate pretty high. But when I get to the hotel room the air conditioning dispels all my petty complaints. Oh, AC, we're going to have breezy, oscillatory week together, aren't we?

Alas, it quickly becomes evident that there isn't much to do here at the hotel, because I don't swim (life-threatening experiences as a kid), for which reason my travelmates make cruel fun of me, and because the basketball court promised in the brochure apparently is no more. Time to hit the city!

In spite of the bus driver's flagrant disregard of safety regulations we somehow get there. And the moment my shaky foot touches terra firma, I am accosted by hucksters. The most common opening line slash greeting among them seems to be "Yes, please". It's also disturbing how many work out my nationality before I even open my mouth, though some incorrectly guess German or Russian. Anyway, I'm the kind of guy who would be perfectly happy buying everything I need, including groceries, online with minimal human interaction, so haggling soon becomes a drag. It feels rude walking past and only cursorily acknowledging these fine polyglot men but I don't feel like playing their game right now. I think I'll just pop into the corner store and buy a fixed priced bottle of good old aitch-two-oh.

Speaking of nationalities, the tourist contingent here in the city as well as back at the hotel looks to be mostly from Germany and Benelux. OK, I haven't met any Luxemburgers. The lingua franca is still mainly English, even though to my untrained ear the hotel staff sound more fluent and loquacious in German. This gets me thinking about how ESL (English as a second language) speakers are represented in movies and literature written and directed by native English speakers (or NAMBLA). In the case of Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon, which I'm reading here, under a parasol, almost every character, regardless of nationality, speaks perfect English. Actually, only this one German guy, Rudy, who studies at Princeton has an accent and struggles occasionally in the beginning. There was even a nice line—let's see here...quote Julieta speaks great English like all the other Finns unquote. That's very flattering, but it's just not true. And was no doubt even less true during WWII.

In most mainstream movies and TV shows we come across characters who either no habla Ingles or else speak basically faultless English with a cheesy accent and no contractions and are able to use complicated words with ease, but then have a total presque vu moment with some no-brainer like, "Unbeknownst to Cinderella, her evil stepmother had, as a matter of fact, poisoned the, how you say? Hmm? Ah, ze apple, yes?" To me it always sounds really caricatural and inauthentic. And no ESL speaker ever really refers to her- or himself in third person unless he or she is kind of a dick.

While we're on the subject, what's up with Sergeant Shaftoe calling the Nipponese Nips? Isn't that kinda derogatory? Or is it merely a convenient abbreviation? I think it was also mentioned in the book that jarheads are disinclined to waste precious syllables. And so the same went for Chink, as Bobby was in Shanghai at the time. After all, no one thinks Turk is offensive. Or Swede, Finn, Aussie, Brit, Pole, Dane, point made. These surplus syllables can then be used, as Shaftoe did, to write bad haiku:

Stray dog sniffs pant leg
Midday sun beats down, reading
Cryptonomicon

Oh, shade, I must leave you for the nonce as my stomach is starting to grumble. Being a cheap bastard, I repair back to the hotel to eat because it's free. Free as in paid-in-advance all-you-can-eat free. It's good stuff, much better than the junk I eat at home. Sustenance of the mind is equally important, so I seek shade by the swimming pool and continue reading. Goto Dengo, a civil engineer and a lieutenant, emerges as a semi-main character. Goto-san is charged with the assignment of burying Nazi gold in the Philippines, and, as he finds out, himself with it. It's really amazing and horrific how suicidally brainwashed the Imperial Nipponese Army was during WWII. I need to read more...if only someone would just turn down that awful Euro techno music. They keep blaring out maybe one CD's worth of songs on repeat every day from dawn to dusk and on random nights as well. It's hard not to feel like a curmudgeon sometimes.

Taking a chilly shower I am hit with an excellent idea: I'll do a pictorial review of Cryptonomicon for LibraryThing! But every picture I take with my camera phone turns out like crap. I burrow under the itchy skimpy hotel blanket and go through a time warp. It's the final night. I've read about 650 pages in seven days now. The AC automagically switches itself off after two hours and has to be turned on again, so it gets unbearably hot during the night when everyone's asleep. And yet I've managed to acquire a sore throat in this hyperventilated room. I'm as pale as always. I went to the beach only twice. It's been a fun week. Cryptonomicon is a great novel and it woke up in me a desire to read some more WWII history, especially about Nippon. My plane leaves tomorrow morning at half past eight but I'll still have to get up at five to catch the bus. ( )

Cryptonomicon tells a story of espionage and cryptanalysis during World War II. At the same time this story unfolds, we also follow the children and grandchildren of the cryptographers as they work in computer security, treasure hunting, and business. This generation uncovers hints that may lead to buried Nazi treasure. This book will appeal to those who enjoy war, espionage, computer stories and thrillers. However, only those who are willing to learn a lot about cryptanalysis and computer safety should consider this book. It's not a fast read. CKL

Sometimes funny, sometimes pedantic and definitely not profound, this novel is a clever alternate history thriller. ( )

It took me six attempts to finish this novel. Never before have I read a book that contained both so much that I absolutely loved, AND so much to which I was so profoundly indifferent.

If you are a technically-minded nerd at all, there are elements that will make you giddy with excitement. The opening chapter, which describes evolution as a process that inevitably produces "badasses". The detailed description of Van Eck phreaking, and explanation of how video buffers in computers work. One character's system of equations (graphs included) to describe the relationship between his productivity and the recency of his getting laid. And an actual PERL script for a novel encryption algorithm. Combine that with the appearance of (fictionalized) historical figures like Alan Turing, and you basically have a geek's dream novel.

Except... it feels like Stephenson wanted to get as many "k00l" ideas as possible together in one place, and then put them in a blender. I am no stranger to non-linear prose, and usually enjoy it; but in this case there was so much jumping around that it was distracting. I found myself caring less about the characters, because the moment I got interested I would be shunted sideways into a different storyline. And in the end, I would find myself skimming the text, waiting for the next "cool thing" that the author decided to drop into the prose.

In short: this novel will only appeal to a narrow audience. If you are the kind of person who finds "geek humor" funny, then you will enjoy PARTS of this novel... as long as you can get through it. ( )

Only reason this loses a star is because of it's entangledness. (Not a word? I don't care.) But man, it's fun. And funny. ( )

I really tried to read this book. I admit it was good, but it wasn't captivating. As I read, I kept feeling like I was obliged to read -- kind of like reading a school assignment. So, I've set this book aside for now. I moved this from the "currently-reading" bookshelf to the "to-be-read" shelf, and created a new bookshelf called "abandoned" for this and any other books I might decide not to finish for now.

This book is category defying. Stephenson is sold in the Sci-fi section of bookshops, but the book is more technically-literate historic fiction. This is a thriller saga set across the period from the start of WW2 to the current period loosely linking different generations of families involved in codes and code-breaking. Good story, incredibly diverse facts and informative, but occasionally self indulgent. Why aren't there more books like this? Read June 2009. ( )

Neal Stephenson likes to throw weird shit together and see if it sticks. The more recent his book, the more likely it is to resemble a schizophrenic's curio cabinet. Your average Phillip Pullman will add a little wacky trepanning to his fantasy trilogy for that refined edge of esoteria.

Meanwhile, Stephenson will have an exiled member of Italian royalty who works in 'demolition real estate' and knows Escrima thanks to an intense trepanning session with Horace Walpole, Duke Orford. Wh...more Neal Stephenson likes to throw weird shit together and see if it sticks. The more recent his book, the more likely it is to resemble a schizophrenic's curio cabinet. Your average Phillip Pullman will add a little wacky trepanning to his fantasy trilogy for that refined edge of esoteria.

Meanwhile, Stephenson will have an exiled member of Italian royalty who works in 'demolition real estate' and knows Escrima thanks to an intense trepanning session with Horace Walpole, Duke Orford. Which I believe is an accurate summary of the next William Gibson book.

One man's premise is another man's plot.

I liked it better when Stephenson used the bizarre as a spice to flavor a driven, exciting story. Though spices may make a dish delectable, they aren't palatable on their own; you need some meat. I guess what I'm saying is: who the fuck wrote Snowcrash and when will he write something else? ( )

I kept passing by this title at the bookstore and I finally gave in and picked it up. At first I was tearing through the book, unable to put it down. The story was great and Stephenson's language and descriptions were unique and often humorous. Then around the 700 page mark, the language which was earlier so refreshing started to grate. This coupled with the present time line story arc feeling less flushed out, and more of an outline or the bare skeleton of the story led me to wrestle with deciding to continue on or drop the book for something else.

I kept with it, and I'm glad I did because the storyline did manage to pick up again (mostly through the past time line story arc), and the crypto system was truly interesting. That being said, the language continued to grate and detract from instead of enhancing the story. That, coupled with the book taking on a "small world" experience where everyone's grandchildren ended up doing the same as their grandparents and reuniting to finish what was started, and the abrupt ending made the book seem hastily put together at the end (for a 1000+ page book that's saying something) and somewhat contrived. ( )

Absolutely wonderful book. It might be a little long for some readers. ( )

http://pixxiefishbooks.blogspot.com/2...

Well, the third time's a charm. I first started to try to read this a number of years ago, while still a grad student, and quickly put it aside. Too big, too much. Then I tried again this past Christmas, while on vacation in Bali, but having just finished Simon Winchester's lengthy, though fascinating, book on the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, it was again quickly put aside, again, too big, too much.

But as my time in Japan was winding down, I tried once more. And this time, I couldn't stop reading. In the classic 'just one more chapter' routine, I stayed up quite late, night after night, reading on and on, wanting to know and see and hear and experience more and more.

In a nutshell, it's a fascinating (but GIANT) novel, covering over 50 years in cryptography (code-breaking, essentially), from WWII to modern-day. There are three major story lines, but once I got used to who was who (which took a few chapters), I never got lost again. It's an excellent, compelling, fascinating read, and I highly recommend it. ( )

Awesome math-friendly book with multiple storylines. Contains an explanation of basic cryptography in addition to the war story.

Stephenson is like a real geeky tom clancy ( )

I have to say I was little disappointed in this book. I enjoyed it, but I expected to love it. This one, I felt, needed some editing.

The plot structure jumps between two distinct stories, one set in the World War II, one in the immediate future. The "past" stories deal with breaking Nazi codes and the efforts to disguise the success of this effort from them. They read a bit like a thriller...a thriller with a lot of techno-speak in it...and I enjoyed them, though I wouldn't have minded an editor cutting down the page count in the beginning parts.

The "future" stories, though occasionally leavened with a bit of humor, were less interesting to me. There just wasn't enough meat in the story and the characters were two-dimensional. The ending of the book is abrupt and disappointingly trite and here the wished-for editor would have asked Stephenson to flesh it out a bit more.

This is not a cyberpunk novel like Snow Crash (or even a borderline cyberpunk novel like The Diamond Age), nor is it a novel that rests its weight on plot and characterization. This is a novel where the main elements are the ideas and response of cultures to those ideas. It's arguably not even a science fiction story, though the focus on ideas and culture shock is a theme of cyberpunk and its derivatives.

Over the years, I've heard this book described as the perfect book for the 15-year-old, nerdy male who is going to find the technology cool, Randy Waterhouse's obsession with sex titillating, and the hacking exciting. Now that I've read it, I think that statement is pretty accurate.

My recommendation for this book really depends on what type of reader you are.

If the technology of encryption and computer security isn't terribly interesting to you, or if intricate plots or deep characters are critical for you, you might want to pass this by—there might not be enough other stuff there to warrant the 1100+ page effort.

On the other hand, if you're the type of person who enjoys technically-oriented stories, or are interested in cryptography or modern computer security, are not dismayed by a lot of technical content, generally like all genres of science fiction, this is probably worth the read.
I have to say I was little disappointed in this book. I enjoyed it, but I expected to love it. This one, I felt, needed some editing.

The plot structure jumps between two distinct stories, one set in the World War II, one in the immediate future. The "past" stories deal with breaking Nazi codes and the efforts to disguise the success of this effort from them. They read a bit like a thriller...a thriller with a lot of techno-speak in it...and I enjoyed them, though I wouldn't have minded an editor cutting down the page count in the beginning parts.

The "future" stories, though occasionally leavened with a bit of humor, were less interesting to me. There just wasn't enough meat in the story and the characters were two-dimensional. The ending of the book is abrupt and disappointingly trite and here the wished-for editor would have asked Stephenson to flesh it out a bit more.

This is not a cyberpunk novel like Snow Crash (or even a borderline cyberpunk novel like The Diamond Age), nor is it a novel that rests its weight on plot and characterization. This is a novel where the main elements are the ideas and response of cultures to those ideas. It's arguably not even a science fiction story, though the focus on ideas and culture shock is a theme of cyberpunk and its derivatives.

Over the years, I've heard this book described as the perfect book for the 15-year-old, nerdy male who is going to find the technology cool, Randy Waterhouse's obsession with sex titillating, and the hacking exciting. Now that I've read it, I think that statement is pretty accurate.

My recommendation for this book really depends on what type of reader you are.

If the technology of encryption and computer security isn't terribly interesting to you, or if intricate plots or deep characters are critical for you, you might want to pass this by—there might not be enough other stuff there to warrant the 1100+ page effort.

On the other hand, if you're the type of person who enjoys technically-oriented stories, or are interested in cryptography or modern computer security, are not dismayed by a lot of technical content, generally like all genres of science fiction, this is probably worth the read.

Since I am interested in cryptography, mildly conversant with computer security, enjoy science fiction, and was once a 15-year-old male, my reaction is a mild recommendation. ( )

Set in a only slightly alternative (but even more paranoid and corrupt) version of reality, a story set mostly in WW2 Pacific rim and more or less present day. Mainly about codes, making breaking and using but also a war story. Includes some real people as minor characters and a few family generational chains. I got a bit confused in the beginning with the Waterhouses and Shaftoes but soon got the hang of it. Occasional blasts of cryptography that can be easily skipped. I am not usually good at long books but it managed to keep my interest through most of its nine hundred pages.
A cut above the average. ( )

This is a wonderful, long book that rarely drags. It's a combination of historical fiction and modern thriller. The narrator, Randy Waterhouse, is the grandson of Lawrence Waterhouse, a fictional mathematical genius who gets partnered with Alan Turing the founder of artificial intelligence, etc, at the Institute of Advanced Studies at Princeton. In parallel, the book covers, without being plodding, a long course of history of the story of behind-the-scenes WWII code-breaking and models of the very first computers. Meanwhile, in the modern day, Randy and a cadre of eccentric computer/IT/software buddies are starting a business and somehow latch on to a truly amazing breakthrough in Southeast Asia. Everything from WWII warfare hand-to-hand and aviation vs. the Japanese to a humorous view of pre-revenue seed stage startups and the between-the-lines satire of their business plans are included in this Pynchonesque novel. While the ending is a bit trite and probably made for a Hollywood movie, the book overall is truly unique and is much better written than earlier Stephenson novels. ( )

http://geekylibrarian.wordpress.com/2... ( )

One of my all time favorite books. Just finished my second read-through: it spans multiple storylines during WW2 and the late 90s, mixing in every conceivable nerd meme. Extremely enjoyable. ( )

Over 900 pages and two weeks of solid reading later, I think this book is well worth the investment for anyone interested in math, World War II, cryptography, or science fiction in general. The book follows several characters from the early 40's involved in the use of cryptography (and hiding gold) during the war and then a business dependent on cryptography much closer to current day. I love Stephenson's ability to write from the point of view of multiple characters and to integrate each of their connected stories into a coherent story that covers 50 years. He also sneaks in some math and other interesting pieces from science. Overall, while I didn't realize the investment required to get through this book when I requested it from the library, I certainly enjoyed it. ( )