Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

[Crusader]

It's a fictional location comprising a couple of islands close to Great Britain.

[Lauren]

Oh ok! Thanks. I thought it was the code word for an actual place.

[Barbara]

I finished the book yesterday!

@Claudia & Crusader: (view spoiler)[ Thank God! I thought I was the only one thinking that Andrew Loeb appearing at the end was a bit strange. But then I was a bit dazzled anyway, because all of a sudden it felt as if we were racing through the events whereas all the time we had taken a leisurely stroll.

I still have no clue what the book is about. Well that might be exagerating a bit, but if someone askes me what the book is about and tell it in 5 sentences or less I couldn't. The only intelligent thing I could say it is about 3 things: War, Gold and Code. And maybe that is it. I don't know.

I did like the book and thought it very interesting but on the other hand when Booby Shaftoe did it left me unmoved even though he was my favorite character.

Strange book this.

I liked the part about the furniture. I liked the way the family is slightly disfunctional and uses the family trait of math to solve the inheritance issue. (hide spoiler)]

I will read Quicksilver and the others. I can't wait!

Come on girls (Lauren S and Varla Fiona) you can do it!

Which one is chapter 25?

Don't worry about where Qwghlm is, as long as you can use it in the A-Z Location challenge!

[Crusader]

Yes, it's a pretty weird book. You end up liking it, but you have no idea WHY you like it!

[Barbara]

EXACTLY!!!!!

Somehow it drew me in and I can't figure out why. I don't like books about war or corporate intrigue. It is the one genre I try to avoid and now I liked it.
That is why I can't wait for the other books just to see if they have the same effect.

[Barbara]

Anyone still reading this or have you girls given up?
I was just wondering, because I really want to read the other books. But no rush. Take your time as long as I know you're still reading it. :)

[Lauren]

I'm still reading. I just got through a few chapters today and now I'm at about 41%.

I'm getting frustrated with Randy's story, because there are only a few rare moments when I actually know what the hell they're talking about. What is the deal with RISTs?

I still like Lawrence and Bobby though.

[Varla Fiona]

I'm still reading as well...

[Lauren]

I'm trying to make more time to read this. Sorry for holding you back Barbara! I'm hoping the other 3 books won't be so technical so I'll be able to read faster.

The story's picking up a bit for me now though, even Randy's part. I've finished chapter 49.

I loved the chapter about the crazy German U-boat captain!Also Goto's rather horrific story about his time in New Guinea or wherever. Hopefully I can get in a few more chapters today. The other book I'm reading (Inkarna, the BoM) is a much quicker easier read, so I've got a good balance.

[Varla Fiona]

If you want to carry on without me, go ahead. I'm very slow with this one...

[Barbara]

I am probably being blonde but what is a RIST?

Oh don't worry. You told me before we started it would probably take you the whole year so that is 3 months a book and that means we're still on schedule.
And I am sure the other books aren't as technical because they are set in the past. Not the WWII past but further back so how technical can it get?

Which one is chapter 49? My chapters aren't numbered.

I loved Goto's story too.

[Lauren]

"RIST stands for Relatively Independent Sub-Totality. It can be used to refer to any entity that, from one point of view, seems to possess a clear boundary separating it from the world (as do cells in a body) but that, in a deeper sense, is inextricably linked with a larger totality (as are cells in a body). For example, the biological entities traditionally known as "human beings" are nothing more than Relatively Independent Sub-Totalities of the social organism in which they are embedded."

This all has something to do with Andrew Loeb (Randy's first business partner, who tried to sue him), who no longer refers to himself by that name but is now RIST 9E03. But I think any animal can be a RIST too, and there is some debate as to whether the Earth shoould be RIST 0001 or RIST 0000, or if the latter designation should be for the whole universe.

It's all a lot of WTF? to me.

Chapter 49 is entitled "Wreck". Randy, Amy, and Doug Shaftoe are on a boat trying to check out the wreck of a Japanese submarine, hoping to find treasure. They send a camera down and find that a hatch of the submarine is open, implying that someone escaped when it sank.

I assume we have yet to find out who escaped? Because I can't think of anyone who did, but in a book this long that I've been reading for almost two months, I wouldn't be surprised if I'd forgotten major details already.

[Barbara]

I was being a blonde. I remember now. Thank you.

Some things I didn't understand when they were talking about the network and all that kind of stuff and soemtimes I just assumed what they were talking about was correct without understanding it all. It isn't really necessary to understand every little detail of the book.

I also remember that chapter.
We will find out later on. Just keep reading. You haven't forgotten anything important yet. At least not concerning the submarine.

I am still not sure what the point of the book is since there are so many questions left, but somehow I did like it.

[Lauren]

"two large black Merceded issue from the forest, like bad ideas emerging from the dim mind of a green lieutenant."
Great line. Stephenson is so good at similes; I've been highlighting them throughout the book.

"Otto produces a diamond ring literally out of his asshole - he carries valuables around in a polished metal tube shoved up his rectum - and Shaftoe serves as best man, uneasily holding that ring, still hot from Otto"
That was hilarious :D

(view spoiler)[When Enoch Root dies
What?! Nooooo! (hide spoiler)]

[Lauren]

Ok, I overreacted; clearly a ruse.

[Lauren]

I'm at 66%. I'm going to SA on Thursday, and planning to read more on the plane (a five-hour flight on Thursday, and two hours on Saturday). I doubt I'll finish before the end of the month though.

However, for those who have finished, I think you can go ahead and start the Baroque Cycle and the related discussion; I don't mind catching up. Or trying to.

How do you feel Varla Fiona?

[Varla Fiona]

Yeah, go ahead with others. I have put this one aside for now. If I have to force myself to read, then it is the wrong book for me, at least at that time!

[Barbara]

I'll wait till you have finished the book. I have had very little time to read because I have to work different shifts and that is very tiring. Take your time. I have lots of other books to read.

[Lauren]

I drank some coke and committed myself to a 3-hour reading session last night. Covered 8%, so I'm now at 75%.

Bored though. Too much technical stuff that I don't understand in the slightest. I did, however, love the part about how Lawrence's wife (the Grandma of Randy's story) can't do anything practical and assumes her car has run without maintenance or being filled with petrol for several decades, proving that men are superfluous.

I will now make a strong cup of tea and try and make it to 80%. At this rate I could actually finish by the end of the month.

[Barbara]

Cool.

I liked that part too. I can just imagine how everyone conspired to keep her car running without her knowing about it.

The tehnical parts I just assumed were correct and read them without thinking too much about them. I assume that stuff like that won't be in the other 3 books. Or if it is that I will be able to understand it better.

[Lauren]

Finally finished! Took me almost 4 months.

I agree about the Andrew Loeb thing. And he's in a suit too!

Overall, I really enjoyed most of the character-based bits, and was thoroughly bored and/or baffled by almost all the technical bits. I like the fact that it's so geeky, but it's also a very alienating aspect of the book for me.

I'm glad the ending was mostly happy, although by the time I reached it I had no idea what they planned to do with the gold, except to give their digital currency value. It's only thanks to Wikipedia that I have any idea how they plan to use it to prevent another war like WW2, and that sounds a bit thin, to be honest. Having a data haven like The Crypt seems like a useful tool for anyone with Hitler-like ambitions. If people like Lawrence weren't able to crack the German and Japanese codes, the war would have ended very differently.

I also wasn't too upset about Bobby's death. I mean, I would have preferred him to live, but it wasn't a heart-stopping moment. I'm glad everything turned out well for Lawrence; he was my favourite character.

I'm going to leave this unrated for now, but for the most part I'm glad read it. It was generally entertaining, and finishing feels like an achievement!

[Crusader]

Congrats on finishing it!

[Barbara]

Congrats!

Let me know when you're ready for the next one. Take your time!

[Lauren]

Should we just start on 1 May (Wednesday?).

[Barbara]

Fine by me, but only if you want to and have the time.

[Lauren]

I definitely want to at least start reading The Baroque Cycle. I have other things I need to read, but that's just the norm, so I'm ok with starting now. I'll probably go very slowly though!

[Barbara]

Me too, unless it grabs me. Since I have little time to read now that I work and so many other books I want to read. but I am sure I can make time to read a few pages every day. :)

S**T 1 May is Wednesday. I am so absorbed by the coronation tomorrow I didn't realise 1 May is this Wednesday, like the day after tomorrow. No problem I can start that day, no worries. :D

[Lauren]

Coronation?

Lol, I'll probably read 5 pages (which would be more like 30 pages in a normal book).

[Barbara]

Yeah, our Queen announced in January that she is going to abdicate tomorrow. So in the morning she is going to sign an official paper doing just that and then in the afternoon her son will be acknowledged as the new King in a special church service. We don't actually crown our kings and queens but we have a ceremony that we call an "Inhuldiging" where the new king swears an oath that he will uphold the constitution and defend our country and the government swears their loyalty to the new king. So the whole country is in a festive mood and there all kinds of parties and special activities. Also a lot of royalty from all over the world is coming to attend the cermonies tomorrow. Even the crown princess of Japan is coming and she hasn't left Japan for offical business in 11 years. So it is a very big deal. And I kind of lost track of the dates.

I probaly won't read much more than that. I just had a look inside the book (Quicksilver right!?) and it isn't structured as Cryptonomicon which is a shame, because if it was we could have settled on one chapter a day.

[Varla Fiona]

Wow, I didn't realise you or Japan still had royal families. I know there are countries which have royalty that no longer rules as such, but we hear so much about the Brits and Monaco that I never really thought about which other countries have royals!

[Barbara]

There are still a lot of countries that have ruling royal families. There is Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Marocco, Oman and several other Islamic countries. Then there are some Asian countries like Bhutan and African countries. And there are also the members and descendants of royal families that no longer rule but were ruling only decades ago like Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Iran that are still very welcome at the royal courts and who will be coming tomorrow.
Most ruling families don't have a direct say in the government of their countries but still have roles to play in the background and provide a stabilising factor in times of political unrest or when a new government has to be formed. They are also a very important symbol of unity and hope for most countries.
We all look forward to tomorrow. Also because we will see the daughters of the new King during their first official appearance and we are all very curious to see how they will be, since their father was such a "rebel" when he was young.

[Varla Fiona]

Enjoy the celebrations.

Like I said, I knew there were some countries, but I didn't realise how many! Thinking about it, within South Africa, the Zulu nation has a King as does Lesotho (which is a separate country, but inside our borders). There may be more, but that is what I know of...