The second novel from the “hottest science fiction writer in America” and New York Times–bestselling author of Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon (Details). Meet Sangamon Taylor, a New Age Sam Spade who sports a wet suit instead of a trench coat and prefers Jolt from the can to Scotch on the rocks. He knows about chemical sludge the way he knows about evil—all too intimately. And the toxic trail he … evil—all too intimately. And the toxic trail he follows leads to some high and foul places. Before long Taylor’s house is bombed, his every move followed, he’s adopted by reservation Indians, moves onto the FBI’s most wanted list, makes up with his girlfriend, and plays a starring role in the near-assassination of a presidential candidate. Closing the case with the aid of his burnout roommate, his tofu-eating comrades, three major networks, and a range of unconventional weaponry, Sangamon Taylor pulls off the most startling caper in Boston Harbor since the Tea Party.
“[Stephenson] captures the nuance and the rhythm of the new world so perfectly that one almost thinks that it is already here.” —The Washington Post
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I own the paperback, or did before I started globetrotting, and now I have no idea where it is. It’s a hilarious, irreverent ecothriller/pseudo sci-fi set in Boston in the near future. The protagonist is a vulgar ecoterrorist trying to save the world in between bouts of huffing nitrous. What’s not to like?
Not his best, but awfully good! He is one of the most talented people writing today. Buy this book!
I’ve always liked Zodiac the best of Stephenson’s works and hope he’ll someday return to the character of Sangamon Taylor. The characters in this book are intriguing and the story is thought provoking. The author does a good job of creating a gradual rise in tension that keeps you hooked and wanting to find out what happens next. Highly …
I’ve never read a Neal Stephenson book I didn’t like.
I got this because I had read Cryptonomicon and Snow Crash and loved them both, even though they were very different. I didn’t realize that this is a very old early work of his and it isn’t quite as good. His writing has definitely improved since then.
It’s not BAD, though. Just not as good as I expected.
The book is set in (I’m guessing) …
A little dated. Still a fast well written novel; not as good as Snowcrash, Diamond age, or Reamde. Those were excellent books!
This is a can’t put down kind of a book. It was originally published under Stephenson’s nom de plume, Stephen Bury, and is a great read. It doesn’t have the complexity of what he wrote under his given name, but what does?
He writes well. I enjoyed the book. He goes deeply into environmentalism so if that does not interest you, skip it.