This book is set in a future world different to, but not indistinguishable from, our own. Huge swathes of society have become commercialised as for-profit organisations, many owned by openly criminal gangs, with the government acting more as an (ineffective) cross between an evil corporation and a secret society. Identitarianism has move on apace resulting in almost everyone living in some community enclave focused on their ethnicity, class status or other aspect of who they are. The internet has become a giant virtual reality representation of the world with many people living their lives online.

Into this world comes a computer virus, Snow Crash, that not only destroys the computer host it arrives at, but enslaves the user creating a sort-of zombie army.

The story revolves around plucky heroes initially trying to grab some personal advantage from the virus’ impact, but later working to defeat the masterminds trying to enslave the planet.

This is a book chock full of ideas and predictions that takes a hard look at impacts and consequences, good and bad. Stephenson has a knack for seeing beyond what a technology can do into what it means when that technology has become a ubiquitous part of everyday life. Even though it is 30 years old, this book has a lot to say and show us about how the technologies we rely on today are affecting how society works and where that could lead.

The book does not have the sophistication of Stephenson’s later work and relies too much on crash-bang action, but is nevertheless an important work in the science fiction field, and a good read as well. ( )

Absolutely bonzo extrapolation of a privatized future and science fiction application of computer viruses to the human condition. When the protagonists are samurai pizza delivery men, renegade computer hackers, underage skateboard messengers, Mafia dons, and Asian businessmen, you know things are messed up. But it all seems perfectly plausible here. ( )

This was such a fun and interesting book. Very fast moving and full of a billion little details that just tweaked my brain in all kinds of directions. Really, a very cool book.

The ending might be a little too pat, but that's okay, I kind of like them that way.
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More like 3.5, starts out incredibly strong, presents intriguing ideas and the setting is groundbreaking (for its time). Unfortunately, it gets bogged down about 2/3 of the way through and never recovers. Also, for a 550 page book, the actual climax is just the last 10 pages and there is no denouement. It's almost like his friends were going out for drinks and Stephenson said "give me 5 minutes guys" and finished the book. ( )

I was asked to read this book, reluctantly started it, dragged through it (only because I was constantly told how awesome it was by someone who barely reads) and found myself struggling to care. I confused about what the whole point of it was (if there was one). I could see it as a film or a graphic novel. Definitely one of the books I chose to not finish. ( )