Snow Crash (SFBC 50th Anniversary Collection)

Reviews

Matt reviewed Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Review of 'Snow Crash' on 'Storygraph'

2 stars

Wrote a whole long review about why I didn't like it, but got bored of my own opinion.

In short:

While clever, the linguistic virus, Sumerian, and religion lessons were long and dull
Characters unbelievable, and didn't really invest in them.
Sex with a minor scene - didn't want that

Did like:
the world
the technology
the prologue bit about pizza delivery. Loved that world building, really great opening! Then the main story wrecked it (for me).

dozens reviewed Snow Crash (SFBC 50th Anniversary Collection) by Neal Stephenson

Review of 'Snow Crash (SFBC 50th Anniversary Collection)' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Chapters 1 -4: "This book is about delivering pizza."

* "Hiro and the Librarian" scenes were super data-dump-a-roo. Walls of exposition and explanation really broke the rhythm and pacing of the story.

* I just played a couple games of Shadowrun, the TTRPG, and Snow Crash is shadowrun AF. Minus any magic or fantasy aspects. But literal deckers and riggers running around wreaking havoc.. This was--to borrow a term from the wine nerds--"varietally correct" cyberpunk.

* The ending: dog ex machina. I kind of liked it though. I thought that Fido was introduced as a silly aside and that he wouldn't show up again later. I was kind of pleased that he did.

* A little disappointed in Hiro overall. He did a little hacking and a little swordplay, but for the most part his greatest skill was research and detective work.

* Super disappointed in Juanita. For …

Chapters 1 -4: "This book is about delivering pizza."

* "Hiro and the Librarian" scenes were super data-dump-a-roo. Walls of exposition and explanation really broke the rhythm and pacing of the story.

* I just played a couple games of Shadowrun, the TTRPG, and Snow Crash is shadowrun AF. Minus any magic or fantasy aspects. But literal deckers and riggers running around wreaking havoc.. This was--to borrow a term from the wine nerds--"varietally correct" cyberpunk.

* The ending: dog ex machina. I kind of liked it though. I thought that Fido was introduced as a silly aside and that he wouldn't show up again later. I was kind of pleased that he did.

* A little disappointed in Hiro overall. He did a little hacking and a little swordplay, but for the most part his greatest skill was research and detective work.

* Super disappointed in Juanita. For being the one who learned to "hack the brainstem", and the one true "Neo" in this book, she was a flat, throw-away character.

* Y.T. was probably the most interesting character in the book. There's probably a lot to unpack regarding her being one of the toughest characters in the book but then ultimately resorting/succumbing to her weaponized sexuality in order to drive the plot forward.

natalinajune

rated it

Sept. 28, 2012

Michael D. Ivey

rated it

March 18, 2012

Tude

rated it

May 5, 2016

vilmibm

rated it

March 21, 2017

signalnine

rated it

April 26, 2007