I’m a bit surprised not to have seen this on the Dope already, but I just found out that Neal Stephenson has a new novel out. Anathem seems like not that long ago…
Here’s a rather breathless review from Tor.com. Still it’s a promising start.
Any dopers read this yet? Personally, I’ll wait for the paperback. I’ve got a lot of books in my pile to get through at the moment. But I am looking forward to it.
I’m going to a signing Wed night. I bought the book when it came out and read it in one sitting.
Yeah, I was tired after 
I’m going to reread it , I think the last third lacked the punch of the first part. In the words of Avi from Cryptonomicon, it felt like punching out license plates where the interesting work was in the beginning. Crypto is still my fave, followed by the Cycle, then this.
Wow, you read a 1,000 page novel in one sitting? I thought I was a fairly quick reader but I doubt I’ve ever gone more than 3-400 pages in one go ever.
Interesting ranking, Mine would be Anathem, Cryptonomicon, the Baroque Cycle then Snowcrash of those I’ve read.
Hm. Of the Stephenson I’ve read, I’ve generally liked his books more and more the further they are from contemporary, but I’ll be putting this on my reading list for sure.
Since ranking seems to be a thing, and to illustrate my point, my ranking is: Anathem, The Diamond Age, Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon. Haven’t read the Cycle yet.
I loved Snow Crash, since it was my first intro to Stephenson. Since then, I read the Diamond Age when it came out (loved it), Cryptonomicon (less so), went three or four books into the Cycle and quit - just too heavy, loved Anathem and I have Reamde sitting on the shelf waiting to be read. It’s next after the current book I am reading.
When I read Stephenson, I always have the impression that his fantasy way outruns his writing skills. Great ideas, good plots, but the execution could be better.
I don’t know if it’s just that my mind meshes well with his, or what, but I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed everything of his that I’ve read.
I couldn’t get through Anathem. Maybe because I got hardcover instead of paperback. It’s still sitting on my shelf collecting dust.
It makes me sad that I pretty much stopped reading when Anathem came out, because I was daunted.
I’ve loved everything else of his and even read the Cycle twice!
Is there a typo in the title, and it’s really supposed to be called readme?
No, the real title is Reamde.
I just noticed it at a book store this past weekend. I have to admit the description on the dust jacket didn’t leap up and grab me right away.
I haven’t read a book by him yet that hasn’t sort of fizzled out at the end. I haven’t read Snow Crash or Zodiac, though.
I’m just over 400 pages in and liking it a lot. I think I’ll get through it a bit quicker than Anathem!
No, Chronos is correct, it’s a typo. 
As can be seen on the cover at Amazon:
You can tell because they mixed up the dark tone letters with the light tone letters.
I haven’t read or heard anything of it yet (I want to read it soon), so I don’t know the significance of the title, but, yeah, the title is amusing as the tones suggest in the cover.
I’ll try and stay away from spoilers until I’ve read it.
Not sure what you mean. The title in the Amazon link is “Reamde”, the shading suggests its a play on “Readme”, but the title on the cover and the name on the Copywrite page is “Reamde”.
I am about half way through it and enjoying it a lot.
I’ve always thought Stephenson was an unusually competent writer, technically, and that it’s his ideas that sometimes need a little more refining, not the other way around. This book, in particular, is one I think could be dismissed as genre fiction if it weren’t so solidly written; so far, at least, it’s the writing and characterization, not the ideas, that have really driven it.
ETA: I looked at the cover and saw “Readme”, my husband saw “Remade”.
I suspect it's also a play on "Reamed", given the complications that ensue.
Starts out kind of slow, but does pick up once the reamde-ing begins.
So far my major complaint is that the game, T-Rain is described in a terribly clinical if not cynical manner and it’s hard to believe that anyone would want to play it.
Also
So much trouble could have been avoided if Zula had simply called Uncle Richard and said “Hey, we’re in a world of hurt because of this virus, can you use your God character to help us drop off a 1000 GP without getting ganked by campers?”
Simplicio I’m just having fun, as was Chronos. I haven’t read the book and I don’t yet have a copy of it. All I have is the Amazon image of the cover, where, as you also note, it appears that some wordplay is involved. “Reamde” is a non-word in English so it invites interpretation. It could be viewed as “reemed”. It could be seen as “read me”. It could also be the name of a 1834 unrecorded sunken vessel off the coast of Sri Lanka, and I’m looking forward to fining out which.
I wasn’t just having fun; I was genuinely curious. This is the first I’ve heard of this book, and “readme” is a lot more plausible as a name for a book which relates to computers than “reamde”.
I’ve been on a bit of a Stephenson kick after learning about him here. I think Diamond Age is my least favorite, although I’ve liked all of his stuff fairly well so far. I more enjoy Cryptonomicon and the Baroque Cycle, his historical (science?) fiction seems to appeal to me more than his pure science fiction, although Snow Crash was pretty fun. I also enjoyed The Cobweb, which was a joint venture. FWIW, I’m currently reading The Confusion and just about finished with it.
From what I see of Reamde (which IS a play on Readme) it looks as if it might be most similar to The Cobweb, so I’ll probably like it.
I am curious to find out if there’s an intended reference to remainder, which would make the “readme” seem like a bit of a plea.
Love Neal Stephenson, am currently rereading Snow Crash, which I haven’t read since it was fresh. Will certainly pick up Reamde.
Just to give you a straight answer - “Reamde” is the title of the book, but it refers to a typo - an email that’s very important to the plot of the book was intended to be titled “Readme” but was accidentally called “Reamde”.