Anathem by Neal Stephenson - 4.5 stars (Subdue)

[Joy D]

Anathem by Neal Stephenson - 4.5* - My Review

On planet Arbre, similar to Earth but with different linguistics, Fraa Esrasmus is part of a nonreligious monastic order comprised of scientists, mathematicians, and philosophers. The exchange of information with the outside (sæcular) world is restricted to avoid blending popular culture with intellectual pursuits. Without getting into spoilers, the separation of the two worlds is threatened, and many different groups are thrown together. The building of this “mathic world” takes about a quarter of this 900-page-tome, aincluding the education of Fraa Erasmus. It gains momentum and ends up as a fast-paced race against time. In fact, time is one of the primary themes of this book.

I recommend referring back to the timeline regularly, since it covers the major milestones in the history of Arbre, and they are important to the story. It will not be for everyone. It contains a good dose of physics, philosophy, logic, and metaphysics, but these concepts are conveyed through dialogues among characters or in a fashion that employs analogies rather than long explanations. It is one of those rare books that blends big ideas and philosophical dialogues with action and adventure. Humor is sprinkled throughout. It is densely written, and a good bit of heavy lifting is required by the reader (I wouldn’t take it to the beach). I had never read anything by Neal Stephenson before, but definitely plan to check out more of his works.

4.5