# Reamde: A New Neal Stephenson Novel **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 26, 2011, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712 "2011-09-26T22:26:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/1 "2011-09-26T22:26:40Z")
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](http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/09/pure-action-packed-techno-thriller-entertainment-reamde-by-neal-stephenson#more). 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. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/2 "2011-09-26T22:46:10Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/3 "2011-09-26T23:02:20Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/4 "2011-09-26T23:07:29Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/5 "2011-09-26T23:12:43Z")
> [@Silophant](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/6 "2011-09-27T01:09:11Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/7 "2011-09-27T02:12:50Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/8 "2011-09-27T02:17:16Z")
Is there a typo in the title, and it’s really supposed to be called readme? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/9 "2011-09-27T02:36:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is there a typo in the title, and it’s really supposed to be called readme? No, the real title is Reamde. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/10 "2011-09-27T02:40:18Z")
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. > [@MikeG](#): > > I think the last third lacked the punch of the first part. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/11 "2011-09-27T14:07:05Z")
I’m just over 400 pages in and liking it a lot. I think I’ll get through it a bit quicker than Anathem! ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/12 "2011-09-27T16:11:56Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is there a typo in the title, and it’s really supposed to be called readme? > [@Simplicio](#): > > No, the real title is Reamde. No, **Chronos** is correct, it’s a typo. 😛 As can be seen on the cover at Amazon: > **[Reamde: A Novel: Stephenson, Neal: 9780061977961: Amazon.com: Books](https://www.amazon.com/Reamde-Novel-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0061977969)** > > Reamde: A Novel \[Stephenson, Neal\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Reamde: A Novel 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. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/13 "2011-09-27T16:17:47Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > No, **Chronos** is correct, it’s a typo. 😛 As can be seen on the cover at Amazon: > > [Amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com/Reamde-Novel-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0061977969) 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”. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/14 "2011-09-27T16:21:48Z")
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”. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/15 "2011-09-27T16:30:24Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > 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 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?” ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/16 "2011-09-27T16:39:31Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > 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”. **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. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/17 "2011-09-27T17:21:18Z")
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”. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/18 "2011-09-27T17:45:46Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/19 "2011-09-27T18:21:02Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Reamde" is a non-word in English so it invites interpretation. It could be viewed as “reemed”. It could be seen as “read me”. I am curious to find out if there’s an intended reference to [remainder](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remaindered_book), 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. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712/20 "2011-09-27T18:24:08Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > 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”. 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”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reamde-a-new-neal-stephenson-novel/597712.md?page=2)