Rating: 
Summary: Read it twice to get the full effect.
Review: This book is one of the best I've ever read, full of good plots, high tech imagery, and a grand finale that needs to be read twice to fully understand. Some of the characters say some profound things, and you can't help but come away from this book thinking of the new ideas Neal's come up with. You won't be disappointed reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing journey
Review: Diamond Age is one of my favorite books. Give it 50 pages and you will understand it's heart. I enjoyed it even more than Snow Crash, which was also amazing. It paints a picture of the future that is all too real, then focuses in on Nell, a little girl, and her path through adulthood using A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer.This is a beautiful book, and I am better for having read it.
Rating:
Summary: A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer
Review: Obviously The Diamond Age is one of those idiot titles forced on Stevenson by the publisher. "You will never sell a book called A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer. So think of something else quick" . The Diamond thing was a very minor concept and certainly not title fodder. But whatever. A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer is a WONDERFUL book perhaps not as good as Snow Crash or Cryptonomicon but still great. If I hadn't read NS at all I would advise Snowcrash first then EVERYTHING else he has ever written. But DO read it ALL. He is good.
Rating:
Summary: A scifi Master in the Making
Review: Diamond Age qualifies as one of the best new sci-fi books I have read in the past ten years. In many ways, though the style is quite different, it reminds me of Hyperion. The reason is that both books go back to the basics of what makes great sci-fi. Both explore the impact of singular inovations on society. In the case of Diamond Age, it is nanotech. Stephenson asks a profound question. How would society structure itself if it eliminated want? What if there was no more shortage and social structure needed a basis other than division of scarce resources? Stephenson answers this question brilliantly, all the while rapping it in an engrossing story with interesting characters. The book never gets lost in its technology, but instead is firmly rooted in a gripping story that pulls the reader in. In short, this is a wonderful book that I could not put down and is a must for serious sci fi fans. I am certain you will enjoy it immensely.
Rating:
Summary: What is cyberpunk?
Review: Many people who are avid science fiction and fantasy fans are still quite unsure with what cyber punk is. Reading a diamond age, was my first experience with this sub-genre and it definitely took my breath away. Stephenson, draws the reader into his universe slowly and dazzles us with what the future can be. He does not do this in a way that seems gaudy or show-off like, but mesmerizingly with small glints of the possibilities of technology. In addition to this, he also crafts a lovely plot that is both redolent of past fairy tales but also with a hard edge that we can only associate with a future that we hope will not arise. The work is of a satisfying length that takes the reader through a hauntingly beautiful world. Plan some free time ahead, for I guarantee you will not want to put this work down. My only obejection is that the ending was somewhat abrupt, I felt Stephenson could have taken a little more time and fisnish it off with more detail and explanation. But this ending does not take away from the exquisiteness of this gem, so ENJOY!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Great Story, but like Stephenson books, the ending slips
Review: I have never before read such a fascinating story centered around nanotechnology. The characters, setting, and the political games made the story a very enjoyable sci-fi novel. If not for the ending, I would give the book an unequivocal five stars. This is the third Stephenson novel I have purchased. I first read Cryptonomicon, then Snow Crash, and now The Diamond Age, and in all three books the main plots and the settings made for very engaging stories. However, in all three novels, I felt like the story stumbled at the end. In this novel, either the book is left setup for a sequel or too much is left open. In either case, I was left scratching my head at the rush to bring the story to a close. Stephenson obviously worked very hard to write this story. The level of detail is nearly ideal, and I found the revival of Confucianism and Victorian social norms a perfect reaction to the political chaos of the day. A great read for any science fiction fan.
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Summary: A CAPTIVATING SCI FI JOURNEY
Review: Jennifer Wiltsie gives indelible voice to this bizarre yet totally believable tale by ace science fiction writer Neal Stephenson. A versatile actress, her credits include the HBO favorite "The Sopranos," and the movies Wirey Spindell and Windigo. Considered by many to be the hottest scifi writer in our country today Neal Stpehenson grabbed attention and accolades with his debut sf epic Snow Crash (1992). Readers who were held sway by his rich imagination and innovation will find much to praise about The Diamond Age. John Hackworth is a genius, a nanotechnologist who designs and executes the Primer, a computer book capable of totally educating its reader. Wanting a copy for his one daughter, Hackworth steals one. But, leave it to this challenging author, the copy is lost and winds up with Nell, not a girl of privilege for whom the Primer was originally intended. The tale picks up steam as Nell begins her unique education and readers are taken on a captivating technological journey that only Stephenson's vision could have conceived.
Rating:
Summary: 21st Century Dickenscyclonic Writing
Review: Just as he was with his work, "Snow Crash", Neal Stephenson once again has taken a technology that was recently hailed as the, "next big thing", on a major financial magazine cover, and created one world-changing scenario this technology could have. His scenario was written in the years prior to appearing as a book in February of 1995. He may not be the only Author to have pondered what Nanotechnology could mean, but he certainly did take the concept and use it as the basis for altering life on this planet. As with, "Snow Crash", a reader could comment on dozens of topics the Author made part of his story. I think most would agree the center of attention for changing society's future, is Nell's book, just as movable type in Guttenberg's 15th century printing press changed the world of its time. The book in question this time is an interactive piece of technology that has nearly unimaginable amounts of stored information, the ability to adapt, and to virtually adopt its owner. Its construction was done an atom at a time, no simple construction for this work. The person for whom the book was written versus the person, who actually gained possession, causes the old debate of nature versus nurture in a person's development. This is merely one facet of what this book explores. Language, religion, cultural differences, right to life issues, child abuse, and dozens of other topics make appearances of varying length. This Author does not simply take technology and spin a science fictional tale. He uses it as a core around which he wraps an entire world in remarkable detail. If I had to choose between, "Diamond Age", and "Snow Crash", I would probably pick the later if only because it was a smoother story. "Diamond Age", is no less complex, however it runs parallel tales that are not of equal interest, the story is harder to grasp when it comes to the main theme, and the ending is a bit abrupt. I still give the book five stars for I would have given its predecessor more than five. If this book were read once again I am sure even more detail would become apparent, making the story clearer. I still feel Neal Stephenson is working in a genre and at a level that he inhabits, if not alone, then with very few others. His mind and his ability to put his thoughts onto paper is nothing short of amazing.
Rating: 
Summary: Hits its stride early, then fades, never recovers
Review: An endearing idea, really, but I found this book's execution gnawing. This is a future in which quite a lot of information that we consider common sense has gone missing. Especially so for women, and in any case it reminds me of a Bradbury story which articulated much of this theme in an embarrassingly small amount of space compared to the first third of this book. Unfortunately, this is also the best third of the book, and Stephenson's punchy humorous bits can't rescue the book later on where it needed editing. The parallel story lines approach that he used to much effect in Cryptonomicon doesn't work as well here. Tip: if you write a book with parallel story lines, make sure they are fairly equally interesting or else people will start only caring about one of those lines and then, well, you're crippling yourself. cf- The Grapes of Wrath for a "how to do it right" tutorial.
Rating:
Summary: Very fun read. Smart, too.
Review: Really interesting and fun read. Lots of stuff about Turing Machines and basic computer science. Stephenson tends towards some obscure vocabulary...I took to writing down all the words I didn't know on the back flap and looking them up later. When I'd read the same passage later (with the definition), it would always impress me that he found such a precise word. (Here's my list: velleity, zoroastrian, dromediaries, mephitic, concintious, diaphonous) Not as good as Cryptonomicon but that's a tough book to top.
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