Among the list of books my friend recommended was Anathem by Neal Stephenson. When I finally got around to it, it took me a few days to process it lol. I've been considering going back to it, but I really don't want to start revisiting books yet.
So after that, I tried Remade because I naively thought that the book would have more to do with the virus and virtual world. It was pretty good but not really the kind of thing I was looking for.
So next I tried Seveneves. I noticed people were split on this book but gave it a try anyway and I loved it… Sure, it's kind of two books in a trench coat, but I didn't mind. I also got Fall, or Dodge in Hell at the same time. I finished that right after Seveneves. Fall was everything I had hoped and more when I started Reamde.
So now I'm wondering what next. I know he has a lot of popular books, but I also noticed that he seems to appeal to very different audiences. I've seen some reviews go as far as saying that if they would have started with Anathem or Seveneves, they would've never read Cryptonomicon… Which makes me wonder, is it going to be my style of book? I really don't want to get spoiled, but is it going to be more like Anathem, Fall, or Seveneves or more like Reamde? Or maybe another one of his books would be better?
I'm also open to other suggestions from other authors. In the past year or so, I've finished the Mistborne trilogy (really good but not really wanting to continue the series right now), Abhorsen trilogy (also enjoyable but not my favorite), the Dark Elf/Drizzt trilogy (enjoyed it for its educational purposes as a DnD player), the Finder's Stone trilogy (loved this way more than Drizzt), and the Hyperion Cantos (really loved this too).
If you've come this far, I'd appreciate any suggestions you have.
by ajr30
3 Comments
Cryptonomicon is my favorite book of all time and I’ll be the first to admit that there are parts that haven’t aged particularly well. But I still think it’s worth reading that and his other rapt books, since you’re mostly caught up on the back half of his catalog.
Really the one book of his you must read is Snow Crash, it’s a classic for a reason
Anathem is the best, hands down. I also disliked Reamde, I was lukewarm on Seveneves. Cryptonomicon is a blast, I also enjoyed the Baroque Cycle books which are sort of a prequel trilogy to Cryptonomicon. Have you read Snow Crash? If not, definitely do, though I’d say it comes third after Anathem and Cryptonomicon in my books. Check out, also:
William Gibson – Sprawl Trilogy, Blue Ant Trilogy, the Difference Engine
Octavia Butler – Xenogenesis Trilogy, Parable of the Sower, Parable of the Talents
Ursula K LeGuin – The Dispossessed, The Lathe of God, The Left Hand of Darkness
Alistair Reynolds – Revelation Space series
Iain M Banks – Culture novels
Hope you like em as much as I did!
Snow Crash is his best. Crytonomicon a close second. I didn’t really like Anathem but those two are much better in my opinion. If you like Mistborn/Hyperion I’d recommend The Kingkiller Chronicles or Dune. Malazan Book of The Fallen if you want something really dense.