I don't think so
I luuurved Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon and so was stoked when he released Anathem recently. Before I laid down the semolians (as there are so few to spread around anymore), I thought I'd get it through the library and see if it was worth it.
Hell, I couldn't get past the first page of the story. I made it through the intro, which informs you that a great deal of the words in the book are going to be made up. Even worse, they're going to be very close to words you kinda know, but the meaning will be different enough that you have to know it.
Just try reading the front flap.
So I looked at the last page to see how long it was and decided that a book of over eight hundred of pages of made up words was not for me.
From what I've read of the Amazon.com reviews, that's a very common sentiment from those who have tried.
And I think this is a function of age. Were I younger, I'd give it a go. But at this age, I just don't have enough time or ambition for this kind of silliness.
2 comments:
I saw the book at Costco, beckoning to me with the usual come-hither Costco discount. Although I am a soft touch for this sort of thing, this time I had no trouble resisting temptation -- partially for the reasons you mention, but mostly because Stephenson taught me a very difficult lesson with the last three books. Namely, "If yer gonna read my stuff, you'd better wait for the tiny paperbacks, 'cos 700 pages of high-grade paper is gonna leave a bruise if you drop off to sleep while reading in bed."
I heard that.
I think I still have an "Infinite Jest" scar.
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