HN Explorer

17 comments

[ 1.9 ms ] story [ 39.7 ms ] thread
wycx
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptonomicon

...and the entertaining tangent story involving Van Eck Phreaking and vintage furniture.

ablation
"Entertaining" isn't a word I'd use to describe that overlong digression in an otherwise entertaining novel. I love Stephenson, but he sure could use a stern editor at times.
wycx
Hopefully not to stern to leave out Capt'n Crunch and frozen milk.
irremediable
How much of this just comes down to taste? I enjoyed that whole book, including the digression.
pavel_lishin
I enjoyed it at the time, but whenever I re-read it, I typically skip over that section.

For what it's worth, there's a huge audience for Stephenson's work, so I'm perfectly fine with him digressing in his books - I always enjoy it on a first read-through, and most of them are enjoyable during a re-read, too. No need to try to take those away to satisfy a slightly larger audience.

irremediable
Fair point. I didn't consider re-reads. Although, as you say, it's easy for the bored re-reader to just skip it.
Panoramix
I certainly would. Some of my favorite passages ever, fascinating stuff.
ablation
You found page after page of awkwardly written furniture fetish fascinating? Whatever blows your hair back, I guess.
[dead] pokpokpok
I'm weighing in that the book was obsoletely obese and masturbatory. I really enjoyed the depiction of Turing though
craigjb
It certainly wasn't the only digression either. I think you sign up for this when you pick up a Stephenson book. It's part of his intellectual style.
MrMember
The Diamond Age is like 75% digression.