# Finally finished "Cryptonomicon" and liked it. Did you hate it?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-finished-cryptonomicon-and-liked-it-did-you-hate-it/367088>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 2, 2006, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-finished-cryptonomicon-and-liked-it-did-you-hate-it/367088 "2006-08-02T22:38:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-finished-cryptonomicon-and-liked-it-did-you-hate-it/367088/21 "2006-08-03T20:37:33Z")

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[QUOTE=lee]  
The _The Cryptonomicon_ should be read before and after _The Baroque Cycle_. Some of the apparently throwaway lines in it are hilarious on the re-read.  
[/QUOTE]

I did that too. I had forgotten all about Enoch Root being in _Crypto_ when I read _The Baroque Cycle_ and was pleasantly surprised when I re-read _Crypto_.

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**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-finished-cryptonomicon-and-liked-it-did-you-hate-it/367088/22 "2006-08-03T21:00:32Z")

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[QUOTE=BrainGlutton]  
If you want a really fast-paced, action-packed Stephenson novel, try [Snow Crash.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_crash)  
[/QUOTE]

But cut out the second act entirely if you want it to actually be fast-paced.

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**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-finished-cryptonomicon-and-liked-it-did-you-hate-it/367088/23 "2006-08-03T21:01:33Z")

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Hit post too soon. I loved Cryptonomicon. I think I’ll go dig it up and start rereading it right now.

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**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-finished-cryptonomicon-and-liked-it-did-you-hate-it/367088/24 "2006-08-03T21:05:16Z")

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I thought it was one-third a good histoficion novel about the development of cryptography and digital computing, one-third a good absurdist WWII spy/commando novel in the Alistair MacLean vein, and one-third tiresome modern day geek love story with flat characterization, pedantic libertarian lecturing, and obvious plotting. With a good editor who is willing to trim back his sometimes recrementitious prose and overdeveloped but incomplete plotting, Stephenson could be an excellent author. As it is, I’m more prone to using _Cryptonomicon_ as a door stop rather than as Sunday afternoon reading.

Stranger

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