Snow Crash

Neal Stephenson

This book is for the science fiction computer user/reader who also enjoys the twists of language. (No, we're not geeks!!! or nerds...) The story centers around two entwined themes. The first is similar to a 3-D or virtual reality cross between a chat room and the Internet, called the Metaverse. The other is how our brains process language. Snow Crash is a virus that can affect computer hacker's brains.

Even the hero or protagonist's name is a language game - Hiro Protagonist. He is a cross breed hacker who has no special culture in this near future world. There are no more large governed areas like cities or states, but little city-states that are run by private groups. They are specialized into types. People who don't belong to one of the city-states instead live in storage bins or other areas that can be found. The Mafia runs one of them, and also delivers the best pizza around.

I found this book slow at first despite the immediate action. It took me a while to pull together Stephenson's vision of this world. But once he started pulling tidbits together and throwing in the studies of human languages, I was hooked. I found his Babel theories fascinating even if I couldn't agree with them. This book is well thought out and well written. It is one I do not hesitate to recommend.

Notice: Strong sexual content

Neuromancer by William Gibson
Anathem by Neal Stephenson
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson