One of the best fantasy novels I've ever read. The pacing is wonderful, with the story moving through several distinct, yet well-connected arcs, each One of the best fantasy novels I've ever read. The pacing is wonderful, with the story moving through several distinct, yet well-connected arcs, each of which are unique. I sped through this book's ~665 pages faster than any other book I've read in a long while....more
I actually enjoyed this more than Snow Crash. The world-building here is fantastic - Stephenson's world where nanotech emerged without strong AI is a I actually enjoyed this more than Snow Crash. The world-building here is fantastic - Stephenson's world where nanotech emerged without strong AI is a joy to immerse yourself in.
However, the Primer is the star of the show here. As an education blogger, I spent the whole time wishing that it was a real thing. The iPad is getting us there......more
This is THE book that every single parent needs to read well before they ship their kid off to college. If you're a prospective student (or current stThis is THE book that every single parent needs to read well before they ship their kid off to college. If you're a prospective student (or current student), and you don't want to depend on your parents to make all your financial decisions, then you need to read this as well.
I was on a plane to Austin when I read most of this. The moment I stepped off, I called my brother and begged him not to take the $50k loan for audio engineering school he was going after.
I had previously known it was probably a bad idea, and had tried to convince him to seek other avenues for his goals, but had failed. After sharing some of this book with him, however, I succeeded. He's now working with an established recording studio for free. Oh, and he's not being crushed by a mountain of debt.
If you are a geek, you will most likely enjoy this book far more than the actual Harry Potter series. This is especially true if you're a fan of smartIf you are a geek, you will most likely enjoy this book far more than the actual Harry Potter series. This is especially true if you're a fan of smart characters who don't make stupid decisions that leave you screaming at the author (I always get this unbelieving look in my eyes when, in the first movie, Harry keeps leaving his invisibility cloak on the ground in random places.)
Also, this is the book that sparked my interest in science and rationality. So there's that, too.
I've always considered The Hitchhiker's Guide to be my favorite fictional book, but this gives it a pretty good run for its money....more
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