I reread Cryptonomicon (the last Stephenson book to really draw me in enough to make me read it, although he frontloads a lot of the complexity, so maybe if I push through the opening to Anathem just one more time...)
For those of you who read RP1 already, I would reccomend You, by Austin Grossman, which takes the concept of a treasure hunt through computing and gaming history in a radically different direction, one that is more realistic (although it still takes some bizare leaps of logic and outright wrong turns), as you follow a new developer at a games company that his friends started many years ago, desparately trying to track down an ancient, game-breaking bug, before the company closes its doors for good.
It's flawed, but has a stronger character focus than RP1, and I think I liked it better, on the whole.
I have a first printing hardcover Cryptonomicon sitting in front of me, that I haven't cracked opened yet. Bought it prior to reading Snowcrash, which I thought was the most overrated drivel that I've ever come across. Awesome beginning, that turned into ancient religious programming nonsense. I'm afraid to even begin that monster, if the writing is anything like that.
Stephenson REALLY likes showing his work. He also likes to use myth as metaphor. So Cryptonomicon is full of Crypto, WWII and modern, philosophy, math, and computing, and involves a startup, treasure hunts, at least one conspiracy, a metaphor involving greek mythology, reflections on long-term relationships, sorta-kinda mocking liberal arts academia, and a full on erotic novella about furniture and stocking fetishes, which sets up a major plotpoint (yes, really).
If these things don't sound appeling to you, steer clear. You may just not like Stephenson. But if you're intrigued by some of the things I mentioned, give it a go.
> I have a first printing hardcover Cryptonomicon sitting in front of me, that I haven't cracked opened yet.
Cryptonomicon is very easy to start, you meet Alan Turing right in the first pages, and things progress nicely. The book is long, and jumps randomly between several different storylines, so finishing it is another matter. But it is easy to start.
And because it is essentially just a collection of stories, finishing it is not even really important. Just keep on reading as long as you enjoy.
For those of you who read RP1 already, I would reccomend You, by Austin Grossman, which takes the concept of a treasure hunt through computing and gaming history in a radically different direction, one that is more realistic (although it still takes some bizare leaps of logic and outright wrong turns), as you follow a new developer at a games company that his friends started many years ago, desparately trying to track down an ancient, game-breaking bug, before the company closes its doors for good.
It's flawed, but has a stronger character focus than RP1, and I think I liked it better, on the whole.