REAMDE (Neil Stephenson's new novel)

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Did anyone else read this? After so many months of reading it on airplanes I finally finished it.

It first alludes to Defcon ("a hacker conference in Las Vegas") then namedrops Defcon in a number of places. One of the characters is a former Defcon speaker.

[Nikita]

Re: REAMDE (Neil Stephenson's new novel)

It first alludes to Defcon ("a hacker conference in Las Vegas") then namedrops Defcon in a number of places. One of the characters is a former Defcon speaker.

I've invited him to speak at DEF CON, but no response as of yet, I hope he responds in time. Also, it's Neal, not Neil. :-)

[AlxRogan]

Re: REAMDE (Neil Stephenson's new novel)

Did anyone else read this? After so many months of reading it on airplanes I finally finished it.

It first alludes to Defcon ("a hacker conference in Las Vegas") then namedrops Defcon in a number of places. One of the characters is a former Defcon speaker.

I enjoyed it. As with most of his books the wildly divergent subplots came together in a way I didn't expect. He has always struck me as someone that did a LOT of research before trying to write about a topic.

[Thorn]

Re: REAMDE (Neil Stephenson's new novel)

Did anyone else read this? After so many months of reading it on airplanes I finally finished it.

It first alludes to Defcon ("a hacker conference in Las Vegas") then namedrops Defcon in a number of places. One of the characters is a former Defcon speaker.

I did, back when it first came out in September. Like a lot of Stephenson's novels, it was rather verbose, but a good read.

Last week, I read Corey Doctorow's "For The Win", and last summer I read Charles Stross' "Halting State". Oddly enough, all three use MMORPG economies as central plot themes, but do it in wildly different ways. Of the three, "Halting State" is the best, followed by "REAMDE", and then "For The Win."

"Rule 34", the sequel to "Halting State", is just as good as the original, although it deals with fabbers, spammers, and AI, and nary a word is said about MMORPGs. Stross may replace Stephenson as my favorite author if he keeps writing this well.

[bascule]

Re: REAMDE (Neil Stephenson's new novel)

Also, it's Neal, not Neil. :-)

I knew that, I swear