New Stephenson

[bryant]

As per this news. The novel is titled Anathem, and the blurb follows:

Since childhood, Raz has lived behind the walls of a 3,400-year-old monastery, a sanctuary for scientists, philosophers, and mathematicians — sealed off from the illiterate, irrational, unpredictable “saecular” world that is plagued by recurring cycles of booms and busts, world wars and climate change. Until the day that a higher power, driven by fear, decides that only these cloistered scholars have the abilities to avert an impending catastrophe. And, one by one, Raz and his cohorts are summoned forth without warning into the Unknown.

Originally published at Imaginary Vestibule.

Comments

[shiffer.livejournal.com]

It's been a while since a new Stephenson came out. I want to be optimistic, but I just don't know. While I liked the Baroque cycle, I prefer his earlier novels (Diamond Age, Snow Crash, etc). This seems to only be continuing the trend started in Cryptonomicon and continued in the Baroque books.

Of course, I'm not kidding myself. The probability of me not reading this book when it comes out in paperback are zero.

[rob-donoghue.livejournal.com]

One one hand this sounds like any 5 capaign pitches we kicked around in college.

On the other hand, that makes it _more_ awesome.

[dcltdw]

I gave up on Cryptonomicon. I liked his early stuff.

Mostly, I'm hoping he can find an editor with an excellent array of red pens, who will sit on him and say No No No and No until it gets better.

[liralen.livejournal.com]

I keep wanting him to be able to END A BOOK PROPERLY... I love the setup and the middles and then he just DROPS ME, and then I promptly drop kick the book and this sounds SOOOOOoo down my alley, but I keep drop kicking his books...