I would also unequivocally recommend kraken i think of china mieville as the british neal stephenson. And now the news 2008 by neal stephenson out of a writers imagination came an interactive world 2011 by john schwartz feature interview. Top 10 books by neal stephenson best book recommendations. Neal stephenson is the bestselling author of the novels reamde, anathem, the. Seveneves is a hard science fiction novel by neal stephenson published in 2015. Author neal stephensons complete list of books and series in order, with the. Here are the neal stephenson books in order for his series. Neal town stephenson born october 31, 1959 is an american writer, known for his speculative fiction works, which have been variously categorized science fiction, historical fiction, maximalism, cyberpunk, and postcyberpunk. Whats unexpected is the gulf between stephenson s passion. Seveneves by neal stephenson standalone postapocalyptic science fiction novel, 2015. Neal town stephenson born october 31, 1959 is an american writer known for his works of speculative fiction. Without those 300 pages, though, it wouldnt be neal stephenson.
I sometimes wish stephenson wouldnt chase down every last snowflake. The titles and exact breakdown vary in different markets. Its one of stephenson s most reputable books, a sign of his ability to adapt to a rapidly changing historical. Cryptonomicom was my first ever neal stephenson book, and while some readers find his writing style a bit heavy, i quite enjoyed the technothriller with a historical theme quite a lot.
Embassytown and the city and the city are both excellent, excellent books. Is it necessary to read any of neal stephensons books first. Neal stephenson is the bestselling author of the novels reamde, anathem, the system of the world, the confusion, quicksilver, cryptonomicon, the diamond age, snow crash, and zodiac, and the groundbreaking nonfiction work in the beginning. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Neal stephenson combines the earthly and the ideal to create a nerdish. I have been using a treadmill desk for a few years, but in midjanuary of 2014 i began keeping. Neal stephenson responds with wit and humor slashdot. The characters are tangible, the science grand, the plot well developed but held sufficiently close to enjoy its emergence. Reamde is a technothriller novel by neal stephenson, published in 2011. Scifi novelist neal stephenson begins his new novel. Neal stephenson is the author of the threevolume historical epic the baroque cycle quicksilver, the confusion, and the system of the world and the novels cryptonomicon, the diamond age, snow crash, and zodiac.
A very worthy addition to the catalogue of stephenson s remarkable writing. Only once in a great while does a writer come along who defies comparisona writer so original, he redefines the way we look at the world. Authorsbooks similar to neal stephenson cryptonomicon. Thats the explosive beginning to a new novel called seveneves, just out from scifi writer neal stephenson. Quicksilver is the story of daniel waterhouse, fearless thinker and conflicted puritan, pursuing knowledge in the company of the greatest minds of baroqueera europe, in a chaotic world where reason wars with the bloody ambitions of the mighty, and where catastrophe, natural or otherwise, can alter the political landscape overnight. I was delighted to learn that he had pulled together a collection of previous published essays and other nonfiction pieces in some remarks. Neal stephenson novel snow crash is being made into a tv series may 16, 2020 by michael kozlowski 2 comments neal stephensons 1992 seminal novel snow crash helped usher in the cyberpunk movement. More recently, the cyberpunk visionary has turned his sights away from the future of technology, and toward the question of how and why it arose the way it did. Below is a list of neal stephenson s books in order of when they were originally released. Stephenson made his literary debut in 1984 with the novel the big u. Neal stephenson is such a writer and snow crash is such a novel, weaving virtual reality, sumerian myth, and just about everything in between with a cool, hip cybersensibility to bring us the gigathriller of the information age. Stephenson s work explores subjects such as mathematics, cryptography, linguistics, philosophy, currency, and the history. It weaves virtual reality, sumerian myth, and just about everything in between with a cool, hip cybersensibility in short, it is the gigathriller of the information age.
The productivity equation is a nonlinear one, in other words. Neal stephenson books, ebooks, audiobooks, biography barnes. Neal stephenson books in order for his series and bestselling novels like. If you enjoyed the baroque cycle, anathem, seveneves, et. With the groundbreaking cyberpunk novel snow crash, he has vaulted onto the literary stage. Neal stephenson is a knowledgeable, idiosyncratic writer with an interest in not only current and future technology which is standardissue for other writers of science fiction. Is it necessary to read any of neal stephensons books. Neal stephensons writing advice for students and everyone else by laura mcclure on june 4, 2015 in teded lessons neal stephenson s bestselling novels about science and technology have provoked readers for a generation. Maybe because they both have conspicuous authorial portraits on their books and theyre both shaven headed, but also because of similarities between the two in tone and style. If i organize my life in such a way that i get lots of long, consecutive, uninterrupted timechunks, i can write novels. Hes taken sf to places its never been snow crash, anathem. Neal stephensons bestselling sciencefiction novels snow crash, anathem, the baroque cycle books, and more are steeped in deep thinking about science, technology, philosophy, history, and culture.
Neal stephenson is known for writing big books about big ideas. In 1942, lawrence pritchard waterhouse mathematical genius and young captain in the u. Order your copy of this new york times bestselling novel today. Now he treats his legion of fans to some remarks, an. He was first published in 1984, but it was not until the publication of his third book snow crash that he became widely known. His numerous standalone novels can be read in any order you choose. This is the order of neal stephenson books in both chronological order and. I have been using a treadmill desk for a few years, but in midjanuary of 2014 i. The first part consists of the mindbending ideas that come from the strange imagination of stephenson himself, enabling him to write meticulously. Neal stephensons new novel part tech, part fantasy. Stephenson, who is a quinquagenarian, was born on october 1959 and his place of birth is fort meade upon maryland, in the us.
The title, zodiac, refers to a type of motorized raft the characters used. Neal stephenson primary author only author division. Published in 2004, the novel received the locus award in 2005. Its a great straightup thriller and i enjoyed it quite a bit, but if you read that first he might seem like just another author albeit a good one. The story, set in the present day, centers on the plight of a hostage and the ensuing efforts of family and new acquaintances, many of them associated with a fictional mmorpg, to rescue her as her various captors drag her about the globe. Seveneves by neal stephenson, 2015 books reading order. Neal stephenson, the beloved and bestselling author of modern speculative fiction classics including reamde, anathem, and snow crash, will discuss and sign his brandnew collection of essays, some remarks. The tale grew in the telling, as the saying goes, and it ended up being a trilogy. In an unpublished, informally circulated manuscript, and in his 2004 book the road to reality isbn 0099440687, penrose promulgated a novel diagrammatic notational system for writing out mathematical expressions that involve tensors mathematical entities heavily used by theorists in general relativity and other modern physics. Jun 04, 2015 neal stephensons writing advice for students and everyone else by laura mcclure on june 4, 2015 in teded lessons neal stephensons bestselling novels about science and technology have provoked readers for a generation. That event, the breakup of the moon into seven big pieces, kicks off 800 pages of love.
Beyond his series work, like the baroque cycle, hes got plenty of standalone nove. This accounts for why i am a bad correspondent and why i very rarely accept speaking engagements. Youll be sorely disappointed at the waste of money, and, more importantly, time. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read seveneves. More recently, the cyberpunk visionary has turned his sights away from the future of technology, and toward the question of how and why it. As for neal stephenson, snow crash and diamond age are stand alone you can read them in any order, ive not read the cryptonomicon but im lead to believe that a lot of the concepts in it lead into the baroque cycle books so you would probably want to read it before them. Buy a cheap copy of seveneves book by neal stephenson. Neal stephenson 1959 is an american author, futurist and game designer most well known for his works of speculative fiction. Neal stephenson 2012 by the geeks guide to the galaxy. And so, the unthinkable has occurred, at least for me i will never again pre order a neal stephenson book.
Quicksilver, the confusion, and the system of the world, bound and sold separately. Science fiction writer neal stephenson reading guide including the key books you must read, other recommended reading and an author. It is a good example of a cyberpunk novel which deals with a nearfuture us where. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. It works well in parts, and falls a bit flat in parts. Is it necessary to read any of neal stephensons books first in order. Neal stephenson is currently considered a single author. Neal stephenson is the author of reamde, anathem, and the threevolume historical epic the baroque cycle quicksilver, the confusion, and the system of the world, as well as cryptonomicon, the diamond age, snow crash, and zodiac.
Stephenson organized the structure of quicksilver such that. It has innumerable characters, enough plot to fill several books, and a theme that is presented in such exhaustive detail at some points that the reader has to lie down for awhile to absorb it all. Hes reinvented the historical novel the baroque cycle, the international thriller reamde, and both at the same time cryptonomicon. But neal stephenson also has his other styles of writing because he can also cater to those who are looking for a nonfiction books that they can read. Cryptonomicon, written by neal stephenson, is a big book.
With this extraordinary first volume in what promises to be an epochmaking masterpiece, neal stephenson hacks into the secret histories of nations and the private obsessions of men, decrypting with dazzling virtuosity the forces that shaped this century. In cryptonomicon, he tackled code breaking and data privacy. Stephenson definitely becomes more refined and polished in terms of his writing style, in terms of what i have read edit. Order of neal stephenson books neal stephenson is an american author primarily of speculative fiction, but also of other subgenres of science fiction, historical fiction, cyberpunk and several other genres. Aug 07, 2012 i first became a fan of neal stephenson s writing when i discovered his brilliant fiction. Anathem 2008 and other, read online free in epub,txt at.
Bruce sterling answers your questions neal stephenson on fiction, games, and saving the world neal stephenson reinventing computer swordfighting, via kickstarter neal. Stephenson studied at boston university, first specializing in physics, then switching to geography after he found that it would allow him to spend more time on the university. Neal stephenson says social media is close to a doomsday machine slashdot s 20th anniversary. Anathem, the latest invention by the new york times bestselling author of cryptonomicon and the baroque cycle, is a magnificent creation. It was published in three volumes containing eight books in 2003 and 2004. Neal stephenson s bestselling sciencefiction novels snow crash, anathem, the baroque cycle books, and more are steeped in deep thinking about science, technology, philosophy, history, and culture. His novels have been categorized as science fiction, historical fiction, cyberpunk, postcyberpunk, and baroque. Some good examples are snow crash, which was one of his earliest works. Stephenson s technique of interplaying dialogue, narrative and scientific backgrounding works well. Clarke award and was nominated for the locus award in 2004. Publication order of baroque cycle books publication order of foreworld books publication order of standalone novels. It tells the story of the planet arbre through the eyes of erasmus as he and his planet face a time of uncertainty and decisions. It is the first volume of the baroque cycle, his late baroque historical fiction series, succeeded by the confusion and the system of the world both published in 2004.
May 16, 2020 neal stephenson novel snow crash is being made into a tv series may 16, 2020 by michael kozlowski 2 comments neal stephensons 1992 seminal novel snow crash helped usher in the cyberpunk movement. Sometimes you want a night of tequila shots snow crash, sometimes a quiet evening with a fine bourbon anathem, or maybe something in between all the others, each great in their own respects. Neal stephenson novel snow crash is being made into a tv series. Stephenson studied at boston university, first specializing in physics, then switching to geography after he found that it would allow him to spend more time on the university mainframe. Neal stephenson has made a name for himself as a writer whose imagination knows no limits. Neal stephenson novel snow crash is being made into a tv. Neal stephenson is a blazing new force on the scifi scene. Neal stephenson, quicksilver not done, with big quicksilver, just finished internal book 1. My own reaction to this particular book is a little mixed. Quicksilver, king of the vagabonds, odalisque, bonanza, juncto, solomons gold, currency, and system of the world. I made a spurofthemoment decision that i would write a prequel set around the time of the birth of the royal society. The personal website of author neal stephenson, unless its been hacked.
Stephenson explores areas such as mathematics, cryptography, philosophy, currency, and the history of science. A decade after novelist william gibson coined the term virtual reality, neal stephenson burst onto the science fiction scene with snow crash, his own manic take on the interface between man and machine. I agree with the other answers regarding both defaulting to the order books were written in, when in doubt, and that both snow crash and diamond age are. The story tells of the desperate efforts to preserve homo sapiens in the wake of apocalyptic events on earth following the unexplained disintegration of the moon, and the remaking of human society as a spacebased civilization after a severe genetic bottleneck. The birth name of the man of letters is neal town stephenson. The community erasmus belongs to values ideas especially philosophical and metaphysical ideas. Neal stephenson books in order for his series and bestselling novels like cryptonomicon, snow crash, interface, reamde. Essays and other writing, his first collection of nonfiction, would inhabit the same depths. It was originally published in three volumes of two or three books each quicksilver 2003, the confusion, 2004 and the system of the world 2004 but was subsequently republished as eight separate books. Cryptonomicon, reamde and his baroque cycle novels. The story follows the adventures of a sizable cast of characters living amidst some of the central events of the late 17th and early 18th centuries in europe, africa, asia, and central america.
As the author has written numerous standalone novels, reading the neal stephenson books in order is not a prerequisite at all. Reamde is the most accessible book hes done, imo, but its also one of the less neal stephenson y books hes written. The bestselling author, who has made a career out of writing epic science fiction novels about topics as diverse as nanotechnology, virtual reality. The baroque cycle is a series of novels by american writer neal stephenson. Since ive advocated for the use of treadmill desks in some remarks and evangelized it to people i know, i thought it behooved me to publish some data and some reflections on it, born of experience. The confusion is the second in neal stephenson s baroque cycle series. Neal stephenson discusses and signs his book some remarks. Neal stephensons writing advice for students and everyone. Neal stephenson biography list of works, study guides. Neal stephenson books list of books by author neal stephenson. Neal stephenson is best known for his writing style which covers a fictional universe that ordinary people finds really odd. Topics covered range from online activities including gold farming and social. History of slashdot william gibson announces new scifi comic book interview. Author neal stephenson bio and signed books vj books.
Quicksilver is a historical novel by neal stephenson, published in 2003. Neal stephenson books list of books by author neal. American writer neal stephenson was born october 31, 1959 in maryland. I can only assume you are looking to read neal stephenson and are worried about jumping into his work somewhere in the middle. Neal stephenson is an american penman who doubles up as a game designer.