Tracy D. (tracyisreading) reviewed on 12/5/2012

Neal Stephenson's "Cryptonomicon" is a phenomenon not to be missed. His brilliance and extensive research shine as in few other books. If you're looking for the kitschy sci-fi of his former work, you won't find it here. This is a serious work of intelligent entertainment which made me laugh out loud -- okay, I SNORTED! -- and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. This is a book to be savored and re-read multiple times for the sheer joy of immersing yourself in the work of a master wordsmith, as well as discovering subtleties you might have missed first time round because you were turning the pages so quickly. He handles the different time-frames of the two stories so deftly, you immediately understand their interconnectedness. He also raises an urgent and salient question about our global economy in light of current technology.
This book also introduces you to families revisited in his subsequent trilogy "The Baroque Cycle", which includes "Quicksilver", "The Confusion", and "The System of The World." Stephenson fleshes out realistic characters committing acts of super-reality, yet with flaws we all see in the mirror each day. I cannot recommend this book, or this author, highly enough.

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