Another very enjoyable Stephenson, if perhaps not his very best. It struck me as somewhat similar to SevenEves [spoilers for that book to follow] in the very distinct 2 part structure taking part in very different worlds. In both cases the earlier, more near-future speculative section was more engrossing, though while I still loved the later full-on heavy scifi second act of 7eves, the equivalent in Fall, for all intents & purposes straight fantasy, never quite gripped as strongly. Also, while 7eves transitioned cleanly between the the two worlds, Fall had a somewhat muddled centre section, before finally finding its feet again in the tale of Prim & the Quest.
None of which to say it wasn't still thoroughly entertaining and thought provoking... difficult to rate though. A true rating might be 5 for the first third, 3 for the middle third and 4* for the final third.
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Hulo... I'm Baz
I tend to bounce around between high-concept scifi / space opera type stuff and 'easy reading' thrillers of the Jack Reacher type. I've also got back into comics recently after 3 decades away. I'm always happy to hop into non-fiction or alternative genres though - it's usually just case of struggling to get them to the top of the queue. I read almost exclusively on a Kindle Oasis - after many years clearing houses I have no desire to accumulate dead-tree books!
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bazpoint rated Cibola Burn: 5 stars
Cibola Burn by James S.A. Corey (The Expanse 4)
The gates have opened the way to thousands of habitable planets, and the land rush has begun. Settlers stream out …
The Expanse Boxed Set: Leviathan Wakes, Caliban's War and Abaddon's Gate by James S.A. Corey
A must read for people who like science fiction and space. It takes place in our solar system about 300 …
bazpoint rated Caliban's War: 5 stars
Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey (The Expanse, #2)
We are not alone. On Ganymede, breadbasket of the outer planets, a Martian marine watches as her platoon is slaughtered …
bazpoint rated Leviathan Wakes: 5 stars
Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey (The Expanse, #1)
Humanity has colonized the solar system—Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond—but the stars are still out of our …
bazpoint rated The Midnight Line: 4 stars
bazpoint reviewed Fall, Or Dodge in Hell by Neal Stephenson
Review of 'Fall, Or Dodge in Hell' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
bazpoint rated Cryptonomicon: 5 stars
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
E-book extras: "Stephensonia/Cryptonomica": ONE: "Cryptonomicon Cypher-FAQ" (Neal addresses "Frequently Anticipated Questions" and other fascinating facts); TWO: "Mother Earth Motherboard" (Neal's …
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
When a catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb, it triggers a feverish race against the inevitable. An …
Anathem by Neal Stephenson
Anathem, the latest invention by the New York Times bestselling author of Cryptonomicon and The Baroque Cycle, is a magnificent …
Reamde by Neal Stephenson
Reamde is a technothriller novel by Neal Stephenson, published in 2011. The story, set in the present day, centers on …
bazpoint rated The Confusion (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 2): 5 stars
The Confusion (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 2) by Neal Stephenson (Baroque Cycle (2))
Continuing the epic adventure begun in the bestselling QUICKSILVER!In the year 1689, a cabal of Barbary galley slaves -- including …
bazpoint rated Quicksilver: 5 stars
Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson (The Baroque cycle -- v. 1)
Quicksilver is the story of Daniel Waterhouse, fearless thinker and conflicted Puritan, pursuing knowledge in the company of the greatest …
bazpoint rated Snow Crash: 5 stars
bazpoint rated The System of the World (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 3): 5 stars
The System of the World (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 3) by Neal Stephenson (Baroque Cycle (3))
'Tis done.The world is a most confused and unsteady place -- especially London, center of finance, innovation, and conspiracy -- …