From the Bookshelf of Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy…

Anathem

Neal Stephenson

Start date: April 21, 2014

Finish date: May 20, 2014

Discussion: Book Discussions

Discussion leader: Jenny

Why we're reading this: Group Classic Novel Discussion for May
#85 on NPR's Top 100 SF/F novels of all time (2011 poll) http://www …more
[close] Group Classic Novel Discussion for May
#85 on NPR's Top 100 SF/F novels of all time (2011 poll) http://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/1390858...
#2 on Locus Magazines Best Fantasy novels of the 21th century http://www.locusmag.com/2012/AllCentu...

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What Members Thought

Jul 24, 2023 Nadia rated it liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I enjoyed reading this book, and I likely will reread it years from now, but there are some problems with it.

The worldbuilding is fun, and probably my favorite part of the book. A world where there are science monks cloistered away, wielding tech and histories the rest of the world forgot is an interesting premise.

The fact that this book examines the impact of alien contact through the lense of a scholar instead of the military or some everyman stand in is a refreshing perspective. And personal ...more

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Jan 25, 2017 Ash marked it as dnf

Shelves: science-fiction, naah, mathematics, hard-sf, 0-locus

I couldn’t get past the first 5-10 pages of this book. I tried multiple times and every time I was turned off with all the made up jargon. Maybe some time in future I will have the time and patience for this book but not at present.

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