Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant Ideas, Oh-So-Clever Prose, But When
Review: will he end a book well? Despite immensely enjoying this book, I waited to recommend it to friends until I finished it. After his last two, I knew to be careful. Well, I definitely will recommend it, but the ending is a B-/C+ ending on an A+/A book. This is better than Diamond Age, which had a D-/F ending. That time, he threw his characters away like used kleenex. Much better this time, but still weak. What's the deal? If this guy could finish a book with a bang, he would already have at least two bona fide, "capital C" Classics under his belt. Still, 95% of a classic is well worth reading. In terms of ideas, he's probably the smartest, most interesting, and original writer under the age of 50. In terms of prose, he's amazing. So much fun that I and most readers (see most of the reviews) can't help but enjoy even his most indulgent moments. He knows and we know that he's just showing off (Cap'n Crunch indeed!), but we love him anyway. Definitely worth all 900+ pages. But please, please, give us a great ending next time.
Rating: 
Summary: I hated to see it end
Review: This is the first book in along time that I hated to see end. I've always enjoyed reading about the hacker side of WWII and this book filled the bill with its fictional weaving in of real-life characters. It also helps me appreciate some of those theoretical CS and math classes a little more.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful read!
Review: This book was devoured both by me (57 years old mother) and my computer savvy and crypto-knowledgeable son (19 years old) with equal fervor and delight.Though lengthy, I have no complaints with that as it is chock-full of fascinating information and extremely well-written.
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Summary: an intellection joy-ride of technology and soul
Review: Cryptonomicon - one of the best perspectives of what is goin on in the world and how one traverses through it. I haven't read a book this illustrative since the Cuckoo's Egg. Though a work of fiction, Stephenson takes you through history and technology like no other and brings it home with a story of a start-up that rivals Grove of Intel. A must read for technophiles and geeks alike, believe me, I'm one.
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Summary: What an absolute delight.
Review: I hate to write "reviews" because it implies that I'm in qualified to judge the text in some way. I have no business criticizing anyone's literary work, but I can't resist sharing how much I enjoyed this book. Every now and then I stumble onto a book that's so fresh and so much fun that it's a genuine treat. That's what this one was for me. After reading the 900+ pages, I asked myself what really happened in the book. Well, everything and nothing happened. How a book so economical on plot can be so exorbitant on compelling storytelling is a mystery to me. Boggles my mind. I can't recall another book that taught me just as much as it made me laugh. I'm really struggling to avoid the "journey is it's own reward" cliché, but I can't do it. It's the truth. I was sad when the journey ended.
Rating: 
Summary: Sloppy and Disappointing (but still a Stephenson fan)
Review: I like everything Stephenson has written -- until now. This book needed the hand of a strong editor. The story was conceptually engaging, but I was disappointed by the cluttered writing, distracting tangents, and (in too many cases) absurd and stilted dialog. Even more distracting, however, was the sheer volume of typographic errors. The book was clearly spell-checked by a computer, but... if eye had two reed won moor page wit miss spelled oar wrong lee used words, I thought I was going to scream! I'm a bit of a perfectionist, but this was truly ridiculous!Either someone is getting too big for his britches and refused the help of an editor or someone else was clearly in too much of a hurry to get this book onto the market. Save your money and wait for the paperback -- maybe Avon Books will have hired a good old-fashioned proof reader by then (if not an honest editor).
Rating:
Summary: good read but snow crash and diamond age are better.......
Review: this book monopilized my free time for about 2 wks. Tough book to pigeonhole, not sci fi and not cyperpunk (clancyesqe???). Now that you've read this treat yourself to his previous 2 books Snow crash and the Diamond Age, which are shorter somewhat less demanding and definitely sci fi. Cryptonomicon is to flawed to be considered a classic and defies description, just read it you'll like it.
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Summary: I stopped reading it with about 50 pages left....
Review: Have you ever kept reading a book just because you had already invested so much time into it you feel like you have to? This book starts out just good enough to hook you into a long slow trip to nowhere. He should have cut out the sub-plot of Bobby Shaftoe and sold it as a separate book...it would have actually been good.
Rating:
Summary: I loved this book.
Review: Cryptonomicon is a wonderful book, with both a great story and compelling use of words. Stephenson's use of simile is right up there with Raymond Chandler. Ignore the criticism of the ending. Just buy the book and enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: Asparagus
Review: Hey, the Cap'n Crunch digression was my favorite part. It reminded me of Proust on asparagus. I also felt that some of the nerdly feelings of the Waterhouses (who kinda merged a bit for me) were beautifully (and originally) expressed. I would quote them, but I failed to dogear and couldn't find them on flipping back through. I enjoyed the long long read and did not skim (I would have edited out the silly Qwghlm stuff though), but I sure do NOT want a sequel. I want something new (again!) and more wiry, dense and crazy, as Snow Crash was.
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