Anathem, the latest invention by the New York Times bestselling author of Cryptonomicon and The Baroque Cycle, is a magnificent creation: a work of great scope, intelligence, and imagination that ushers readers into a recognizable--yet strangely inverted--world.
Fraa Erasmas is a young avout living in the Concent of Saunt Edhar, a sanctuary for mathematicians, scientists, and philosophers, protected from the corrupting influences of the outside "saecular" world by ancient stone, honored traditions, and complex rituals. Over the centuries, cities and governments have risen and fallen beyond the concent's walls. Three times during history's darkest epochs violence born of superstition and ignorance has invaded and devastated the cloistered mathic community. Yet the avout have always managed to adapt in the wake of catastrophe, becoming out of necessity even more austere and less dependent on technology and material things. And Erasmas has no fear of the outside--the Extramuros--for the last of the terrible times was long, long ago.
Now, in celebration of the week-long, once-in-a-decade rite of Apert, the fraas and suurs prepare to venture beyond the concent's gates--at the same time opening them wide to welcome the curious "extras" in. During his first Apert as a fraa, Erasmas eagerly anticipates reconnecting with the landmarks and family he hasn't seen since he was "collected." But before the week is out, both the existence he abandoned and the one he embraced will stand poised on the brink of cataclysmic change.
Powerful unforeseen forces jeopardize the peaceful stability of mathic life and the established ennui of the Extramuros--a threat that only an unsteady alliance of saecular and avout can oppose--as, one by one, Erasmas and his colleagues, teachers, and friends are summoned forth from the safety of the concent in hopes of warding off global disaster. Suddenly burdened with a staggering responsibility, Erasmas finds himself a major player in a drama that will determine the future of his world--as he sets out on an extraordinary odyssey that will carry him to the most dangerous, inhospitable corners of the planet . . . and beyond.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Ponderous.:
Huge chunks of boredom, punctuated by moments of interest. Stephenson has unfortunately gone the way of Stephen King, and gotten sufficiently popular to think he doesn't need a good editor anymore. If he had someone competent enough to stand up to him, this book would probably just be a pamphlet.
excellent but what's missing:
Great book so far, but my copy from Amazon has the pages from 751 to 783 missing, so I am desparate to find out what is on those pages. Since it is such a long book I suggest you check your copy before Amazon's ridiculously short returns time runs out. They should still replace it but you will get caught up on their circular, 'no contact with the customer' system.
A Great Author's Attempt at Mediocrity:
Having read each and every one of Neal Stephenson's books, I pre-ordered this one the moment it became available. I've been an avid fan of this genre for over 40 years and look forward to each new work from the handful of authors that can actually write superlative prose with an engaging plot. Mr. Stephenson was certainly one of those. Until now. Anathem was disappointing in it's meandering philosophy, poorly developed plot and slightly more than cardboard-thin characters. I was reminded of a somewhat... more info
Another Great Ride from Neal Stephenson:
I figured out why I don't like the endings of Stephenson's novels. Like Tolkien, the main work here isn't the story, but the Universe. I have to say that this universe is certainly as compelling as Middle Earth, if not more. If he wanted, there are certainly a few more novels that could be written around the Mathic World. This book was slow to get rolling, but once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. If you're about to embark on this behemoth (890 pages), don't forget about the glossary in... more info
