Snow crash by neal stephenson takes place in a notsodistant future, but the technology is much more advanced than modern technology. Stephenson turns out to be an engaging guide to an onrushing tomorrow. A hes also a brilliant hacker and swordwielding genius, but his playspoorlywithothers personality means he. He introduces us to a world where a computer virus is altering peoples minds, and where they have no control over themselves. Religion is a virus, both drugs and computer viruses can affect your brain and dna, and holy crap were all screwed when these tools get into the wrong hands. Snow crash has one of the most effective opening hooks in science fiction, a loving description of a hightech armored driver and car. Newly available on the street the metaverses main drag is snow crash, a cyberdrug. The book also reveals that hiro was born when his father was in the late middle age of his life between 55 and 59 years old. Snow crash established stephenson as a major science fiction writer of the 1990s. Hiro protagonist, freelance hacker and the greatest sword fighter in the metaverse, teams up with y. In twentyfirstcentury america, a teenaged computer hacker finds himself fighting a computer virus that battles virtual reality technology and a deadly drug that turns humans into zombies. Snow crash is neal stephensons third novel, published in 1992. Snow crash pdf summary by neal stephenson that provokes the human mindset to adjust its priorities and change its perspectives. Its fine to not enjoy reading a book, but maybe you need a little perspective here.
Crash summary books colorado department of transportation. While i read a good portion of snow crash in bed before going to sleep at night, it is definitely not your typical nightly reading. Stephenson titled this book snow crash because the earliest apple macs had software that would occasionally fail. Snow crash continues to remain entertaining, with the stories and characters that are part tongueincheek and part all too real, and themes that are never out of style swords carsbikesteen rebellion badasseryadventurechases gangs. Snow crash by neal stephenson, first edition abebooks. A hes also a brilliant hacker and swordwielding genius, but his playspoorlywithothers personality means he needs a day job. Snow crash is a mindaltering romp through a future america so bizarre, so outrageousyoull recognize it immediately.
When i read snow crash, i was amazed that the book was written in the early 90s. This is probably a reflection of their moral ambiguity, and possibly as a commentary on. Snow crash is a science fiction novel by american writer neal stephenson, published in 1992. The flashy, snappy delivery fails to compensate for the uninhabited blandness of the.
Jan 17, 2017 snow crash is not the kind of book written for people looking for a quick escape into an alternate world. Snow crash by neal stephenson in epub, fb2, txt download ebook. At least not if youre me and prefer to read lighter books that may or may not influence part of your. Neal stephenson is such a writer and snow crash is such a novel, weaving virtual reality. Virtual reality has taken the world by storm in whats called the metaverse, a place where computer users, which is only about 10% of the world at this point, can be anything they want. The multiple meanings of the phrase, and their interconnections, are, like, the entire point of the book. The ideas in that book, and in most good science fiction, are what set it apart.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read snow crash. Snow crash is a fairly impressive display of the possibilities of science fiction as fiction. Snow crash is an acclaimed speculative fiction novel by the award winning author neal stephenson. If you like linguistics, history, religion, swords, and cyberpunk anything youve probably already read this book. Neal stephensons snow crash in snow crash, a novel by neal stephenson, stephenson examines how expanding technology affects a society. Jun 02, 2011 snow crash is a smart, cool, funny, witty, and actionpacked adventure featuring a pair of unlikely heroes who must save the world from infocalypse. Also, just to note, stephenson is an immensely entertaining author, prone to polysyllabic fits of metaphorical fancy that make his prose as amusing as watching a drunk penguin try to tapdance. Snow crash is a 1992 science fiction novel by neal stephenson. When we first meet hiro protagonist, he delivers pizzas for the mob in l. The theme for march was cyberpunk and we all chose snow crash to read and.
Topics about this book topics that mention this book. Right now, he is preparing to carry out his third mission of the. The deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. The book appeared on time magazines list of 100 alltime best englishlanguage novels written since 1923. Neal stephenson goodreads author topics about this book topics that mention this book. Enter the metaverse cyberspace home to avatars and software daemons, where anything and just about everything goes. Like many of stephensons other novels it covers history, linguistics, anthropology, archaeology, religion, computer science, politics, cryptography, memetics and philosophy. A man with wonderful hightech toys and samurai swords, who works for the mafia doing one of the few things that the united states still does better than any other country in the world. Snow crash was written in the years 1988 through 1991 as the author listened to a great deal of loud, relentless, depressing music. Snow crash project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Never getting into the cyberpunk thing and hating the muchhyped use of the word cyber, ive stayed away from everything that fell within the cyberpunk category, with william gibson as the centre of my selfinflicted ignorance. Snow crash study guide contains a biography of neal stephenson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Snow crash is so 90scool that i could almost hear garbage playing in the background as i read it. I know snow crash was an influential book and the librarian was a memorable character. Stephenson now resides in a comfortable home in the western hemisphere and spends all of his time trying to retrofit an office into its generally dark, unlevel, and asbestosladen basement so that he can. You will never again look at toilet paper quite the same way afterwards.
Snow crash npr coverage of snow crash by neal stephenson. Virtual reality has taken the world by storm in whats called the metaverse, a place where computer users, which is only. Trouble is snow crash is also a computer virus and something more. Like many of stephensons other novels it covers history, linguistics, anthropology, archaeology, religion, computer science, politics, cryptography, memetics and philosophy stephenson explained the title of the novel in his 1999 essay in the beginning. Snow crasharchive 1 jump to navigation jump to search. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of snow crash by neal stephenson. Not just due to the writing style and the content of the book, but this book takes the cyberpunk to a whole new height. Fifteen years since its initial release, snow crash remains one of the most popular and important novels in recent memory. Fwiw, i have snow crash in audiobook format, and the name is pronounced david. The result is a book that is actually fairly readable. Snow crash by neal stephenson overdrive rakuten overdrive.
One of times 100 best englishlanguage novels a mindaltering romp through a future america so bizarre, so outrageous, youll recognize it immediately 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. Download snow crash ebook in epub, mobi and pdf format. Praise for snow crash snow crash is a cross between neuromancer and thomas pynchons vineland. Snow crash is a mindaltering romp through a future america so bizarre, so outrageous. A book that has sumeria, the uss enterprise, and the metaverse what more could you ask for. Brilliantly realizedstephenson turns out to be an engaging guide to an onrushing tomorrow.
If i were forced to make a decision as to which book is better ready player one or snow crash, i would pick snow crash with little to no hesitation. Grabs you quickly, thrusts you head long into world thats so preposterous that he cant possibly. Funny then to later discover that the novel was written after a comic book attempt at the same story fell apart. Science fiction, cyberpunk, dystopian my book club has started a new initiative to read a book each month from a different subgenre of science fiction or fantasy. This study guide consists of approximately 81 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of snow crash. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Stephenson predicted a lot of what we now take for granted in. Neal stephensons snow crash essay example 1575 words. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading snow crash. Snow crash free pdf, epub, fb2, txt free download ebook.
Snow crash questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on snow crash. In snow crash, hiros father was said to have joined the army in 1944 at the age of sixteen. The san francisco bay guardian fastforward freestyle mall mythology for the twentyfirst century. Published in 1992, snow crash was written by neal stephenson and is a science fiction novel that involves a lot of history, archaeology, religion, and cryptography. Some critics have considered it a parody of cyberpunk and mentioned its satiric or absurdist humor. 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. It accurately describes many of the technologies we now not only have, but have access to every day. Dec 12, 2015 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. I have snow crash in audiobook format, and the name is pronounced david. If you enjoy rollercoaster rides, snow crash is definitely for you. The snow crash community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Like many of stephensons other novels, it covers history, linguistics, anthropology, archaeology, religion, computer science, politics, cryptography, memetics and philosophy stephenson explained the title of the novel in his 1999 essay in the beginning.
After the internet, what came nextenter metaverse cyberspace at home for avatars and software demons, where everything and pretty much everythingnewly available on the street metaverse main slide east snow crash, a cyberdrugthe difficulty is snow crash is also a computer virus and something morebecause once taken, it infects the person behind the avatar. Before the chapter actually starts, we get dictionarystyle definitions of the words snow, crash, and virus. If those things sound cool to you and you havent read this book, go ahead and give it. 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. Snow crash is a smart, cool, funny, witty, and actionpacked adventure featuring a pair of unlikely heroes who must save the world from infocalypse. Published in 1992, snow crash is considered a seminal book when it comes to modern internet culture.
552 285 1473 141 702 1458 834 1616 795 429 84 170 1653 562 888 1476 200 359 1301 379 1476 551 631 1149 1250 1381 99 410 1298 577 1083 104 498 177 321 386 999 773 1182 1062 186 1074 271 743 597 689