Fall, Neal Stephenson (4.0)
Always a creative author, once again Mr. Stephenson has
come up with a profound look at life just steps ahead of today’s social and
philosophical issues. Unfortunately he also tends to do it with so many words
that one can get bogged down in the details. The tempo can change from a fast
paced plot to a detailed slog. I don’t want to give away any of the plot, but
the issues he addresses range from wealth disparity to how advancing technology
will affect our lives and after lives. He battles two strong viewpoints in a
very unique way. I applaud his creativity, and this one is worth getting
through the slow parts, though I wish someone would serve as a strict editor of
his books.
The first 2/3 of this book were one of the best I have ever read. It was full of very thought-provoking ideas. But the last 1/3 of the book kind of left me disappointed in that it did not resolve them to my satisfaction. This was kind of the way I felt about Anathem as well. I guess Neal sets the bar so high at the beginning of his books that even he can't deliver the finish at that same level. None-the-less this should be considered a very positive review.
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