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It's been a few years since I read it, so I could be wrong.
Neal Stephenson
#61
stone monkey 
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Posted 21 August 2009 - 10:18 PM
It's been a few years since I read it, so I could be wrong.
If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do. If some one maintains that two and two are five, or that Iceland is on the equator, you feel pity rather than anger, unless you know so little of arithmetic or geography that his opinion shakes your own contrary conviction. … So whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants. Bertrand Russell
#62
Yellow
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Posted 12 March 2010 - 09:03 PM
Quote
... and I now have Anathem waiting for me on my bookshelf
Necro! I sought out this thread as I've just finished reading Anathem... and I knew that it had been in my to-read pile for a while, but I didn't realise it had been a year. Damn, that's shameful. But it was so big, and I was so lazy.
I enjoyed the thing, and I'm impressed with Stephenson's mind, but the ending was a bit of an anticlimax. The love interest aspect felt like it was literally transplanted in after his agent had read the first draft.
But still a good read, and I'm glad that there are writers out there who are interesting enough to put mathematical proofs in their books
Don't fuck with the Culture.
#63
Grief
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Posted 14 March 2010 - 06:18 PM
Is it necessary(from a plot spoiler POV) to read Crypto before the Baroque cycle? If not, why is it better to read Crypto first?
Just cause i've got the Baroque cycle sitting in my to read pile, but not Crypto.
Just cause i've got the Baroque cycle sitting in my to read pile, but not Crypto.
Cougar said:
Grief, FFS will you do something with your sig, it's bloody awful
worry said:
Grief is right (until we abolish capitalism).
#65
Raymond Luxury Yacht
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Posted 14 March 2010 - 09:22 PM
Yeah, Crypto was first. Honestly, it's better than the Cycle, which is also good though.
Error: Signature not valid
#66
stone monkey
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Posted 14 March 2010 - 09:29 PM
I suspect that if you read The Baroque Cycle first you'll end up knowing too much when you go into Cryptonomicon; and will then have certain expectations of story directions for it that it doesn't take. Which may make it a disappointing read in that respect. It doesn't matter all that much though, as the majority of what you'll get out of the Cycle in regards to Cryptonomicon are incidental connections in the background that don't have a vast amount of bearing on what's actually taking place.
If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do. If some one maintains that two and two are five, or that Iceland is on the equator, you feel pity rather than anger, unless you know so little of arithmetic or geography that his opinion shakes your own contrary conviction. … So whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants. Bertrand Russell
