An excruciatingly tough read not because it isn't a good book but because the plot doesn't actually carry the reader forward. Every chapter is brilliant as of itself and thanks to the author for making this funny enough (or else I wouldn't have been able to complete it). But they don't actually gel well enough. And it didn't help that the author maintained three plot threads and plot doesn't get revealed until after middle of the book. Yet, I may have to suggest this to my friends coz the sheer fun of reading Neal Stephenson trumps all the gaping holes present in the narration.