Rating: 
Summary: Rabble-rousing, highly-entertaining "eco-thriller"
Review: Oh, what's not to love about Neal Stephenson? This man is one of the most brilliant science fiction writers of our time, and he's done himself proud once more with _Zodiac_. Anyone who enjoys cutting wit and is passionate about protecting the environment will greatly enjoy this novel, which portrays the exploits of one Sangamon Taylor and his friends.Taylor must face angry Satanists, the Mafia, the FBI, and various enraged corporate assassins and beaurocrats as he attempts to foil the plot of a mad-scientist genetic engineer, and try to find the sources of PCB contamination in Boston Harbor. But wait, there's more! Not only is this a brilliantly-written novel, but it's also a quick primer on ecological issues as well, explaining in basic terms why certain contaminants are so deadly and evil, and how they affect living organisms. I immensely enjoyed this book on a variety of levels, little tree-hugger and humor-addict that I am.
Rating: 
Summary: Much better than Stephenson's later work
Review: Zodiac is a fun book that takes a boring subject like ecology and makes it 'cool' (for lack of a better word). Instead of hand-wringing eco-hippies shoving data down people's throats till they puke, S.T., the main character, is a wise-acre, quick thinking, media-manipulating environmentalist who gets things done--and makes some major enemies along the way. Consistently, Stephenson's best books take place in 'the real world;' frankly, I found Snow Crash amusing but slow, and Diamond Age was a bear to get through. In both cases, the techno ideas were great but pages of explainations bogged down the stories. Here, the science is slipped in comfortably, much in the same way it was for "Interface," which he co-wrote under the name Stephen Bury. I have to say, I hope Stephenson starts writing books about here and now again instead of wasting his talents on futurist sci-fi.
Rating:
Summary: techno-gumshoe
Review: This is actually my favorite Stephenson book. As a writer, his curse is usually that he lets the plot go spiraling wildly out of control. Stephenson's books usually don't so much end as grind to a halt. Zodiac is a pleasant exception. Its taut plotting and brevity is clearly modeled on the great detective novels of Dashiell Hammet et al, and doesn't stray into self-importance, and it still has all the wit that makes his books so much fun. Great reading!
Rating:
Summary: Splash
Review: Ok, so I just finished plowing through the grand adventures of ST and what can I say: wow! comes to mind. I introduced myself to Stephenson's world with The Diamond Age followed closely by Snow Crash, and yes, finally read Zodiac, finishing it about 10 minutes ago. While I wouldn't put it up to par with the calibre of some of his later works, Stephenson definitely has a gripping story here. My only problems had to do with some of the characters. While ST was described in near infinite detail, I am afraid that even nearing the end the book, the baddies were so numerous I had trouble keeping them straight. As well, SC and DA were both complicated books, with twisting and intermeshed plots.. this one had one, linear and clear story.. admittedly a tiny disappointment.... Still worth a read, especially if you're a fan!
Rating: 
Summary: A good starter book for Stephenson fans
Review: Although not as intellectually stimulating as either Snowcrash or the Diamond Age, Zodiac is still a good read. It required no past knowledge of computer systems, jargon, or even genre-slang. This is just a story, an easy read, an enjoyable tale of a toxic-spillage avenger doing his job in present day Boston. The most interesting thing about this book is the overwhelming feeling that our main character, Sagamon, is maybe from a completely different life-perspective from the people he encounters during the tale. His interactions with metal heads, business men, and slack jawed local jokels are brilliantly entertaining. If you're looking for something a little more academic and dense, go for The Diamond Age, if you're fascinated by technology and the future of the computer world, read Snowcrash.
Rating:
Summary: Eaten by the Bugs
Review: Zodiac is described on the cover blurb as an 'eco-thriller', and for a change the blurb is close to being accurate. The book's main character is an ecological-crime detective, busily hunting down evidence of corporations illegally dumping hazardous waste and using publicity stunts and clogging up discharge pipes with cement as his main weapons against these companies. The book takes on a decided thriller aspect with the introduction of gene-tailored bacteria, designed to 'eat' contaminates, but there is a variety that generates them instead. How these bacteria are tracked down and controlled provides the main thrust for this book. The plot is the main driver here, characterization outside of the protagonist is definitely skimpy, and in places the ecological warnings (though presented with apparent good scientific backing) become a little too strident, in places reminding me of Philip Wylie's The End of the Dream. Unlike some of his later books, his message is delivered almost directly, with little in the way of satire, irony, or his by-now patented brand of humor. The plot moves rapidly and logically, with enough potential hazard in the situation to easily quality as a 'thriller'. This makes for a quick read, but without his special zing that would make this book stand out. Definitely an early effort, not in the class of his Snow Crash or The Diamond Age, still quite readable, but probably a must only for Stephenson hard-core fans. --- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
Rating:
Summary: Adventures of a granola James Bond
Review: ZODIAC chronicles the adventures of the ecological crusader Sangamon Taylor as he uses his chemical knowledge to topple the seemingly invincible corporations that pollute our environment. Nonviolently but effectively embarrassing these companies into submission, he's naturally made some enemies in high places. S.T.'s latest intended conquest, in an effort to cover up some egregious mistakes, has released something dangerous and untested into Boston's waters. They know S.T. is close to uncovering their secret, and they don't intend to get caught out. I liked the main character, who was highly motivated in his work but not sentimental about it. He's not a bleeding heart, but someone who is concerned about the big picture. There is no preaching here, only science. While there is a lot of technical information, the conversational, humorous tone keeps it from turning into dull lectures. S.T. would have made a good teacher. Assuming the science is sound, I actually learned a lot in my reading. The book is fascinating and funny mystery up until the last third or so, when it jumps the contaminated shark, so to speak. A close ally becomes a betrayer without explanation (and later returns as a friend, no questions asked.) A man who has shown no previous signs of erratic behavior goes mad, not without reason, but it seems too sudden. I thought I had somehow missed a large section while reading. The story never quite recovers from this radical shift. Still, it is a very enjoyable and educational book for the most part, and one which should appeal to technothriller fans as well as science fiction readers.
Rating:
Summary: excellent thriller
Review: In some ways, this book is wholly unlike the rest of Stephenson's work. It is not a cyberpunk novel, unlike the seminal "Snow Crash" and "The Diamond Age". But, in may respects, it is exactly like the rest of his work: well-written and superbly detailed. "Zodiac" is an eco-thriller set in Boston. Through the eyes of ST, an environmentalist who is more than a little bit of a jerk, a mystery unravels as ST tracks down who is responsible for a particular pollution of Boston Harbor. I have to admit that I was a bit concerned about reading an eco-thriller, since some in the genre are quite heavy-handed with their pro-environmental message. I shouldn't have been worried: Stephenson is a deft writer, and the novel never feels overbearing or preachy. If you have already read some of Stephenson's other work, you need to be aware that this is not a cyberpunk novel. It is good in its own right, but there isn't a hacker to be found. Hackers may appreciate ST's anti-establishment attitudes, though.
Rating:
Summary: Bostonians will get a kick out of this
Review: This book was utterly captivating. In addition to excellent character and plot development, Stephenson does an amazing job relating to people who have lived in Boston and capturing the Boston spirit.
Rating:
Summary: Hard-boiled environmental thriller
Review: Set in Boston this thriller centres on the exploits of the oddly monikered Sangamon Taylor aka The Toxic Spiderman. He is a chemist working for a group of environmentalists called GEE, and is trying to prevent pollution of the waterways by chemical companies. As a professional pain in the ass he publicly humiliates and embarrasses the major chemical corporations that are polluting the environment. Sangamon Taylor is a chemist for the Northwestern chapter of GEE International (Group of Environmental Extremists). He is blond shaggy haired and wears tennis shoes and multiple t-shirts. A graduate of Boston University he is looked down upon by those from MIT. He sees himself as the archnemesis of the chemical company Basco the number two polluter in the table of polluters of Boston Harbour. The Boston population as a whole and the sewage they produce hold the number one spot. Zodiac is the only hardboiled ecological thriller I know of and it features what has become the trademark Stephenson wit. The book features assassination attempts, genetically engineered bacteria and a cast of characters that ranges from Native Americans to the Executives of chemical companies and their heavy metal loving teenage sons. A mystery not of the whodunit variety, but more of the what the heck happened and why did it happen. The book also acts as an introduction to environmental issues and the science of pollution. Even though it doesn't feature any hackers the hacker ethos is present in the book in the form of Sangamon Taylor a cool anti-establishment chemistry nerd. The return of the psycho nerd Dolmacher in Zodiac has similarities to that of Andrew Loeb in Cryptonomicon. Both of them have survivalist skills and seem to flit between being sane and a bit creepy to being completely psychologically deranged. The book lacks in characterisation of everyone outside of the central character of S.T., but as the book is told in the first person from his perspective this reflects how he views the world and the people around him.
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