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Liked It “This book is really better than it should be. The descriptions of the political process are illuminating, and the way it injects the technological-fiction aspect is brilliant. The characters are convincing in the world presented in the book, even if the world is slightly exaggerated. I've read...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “Rubbish. Utter rubbish. Nothing like Snowcrash, Diamond Age etc.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Far too predictable. Some moments of good humour, but otherwise everything in it is said better in other Stephenson novels. I can see why he originally published it under anther name.”
Sophia P wrote this review 12 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“This book is really better than it should be. The descriptions of the political process are illuminating, and the way it injects the technological-fiction aspect is brilliant. The characters are convincing in the world presented in the book, even if the world is slightly exaggerated. I've read it twice and find that it is a good choice during a major election cycle if you find cynicism toward the media aspect of the campaigns interesting.”
Peter F wrote this review Wednesday, May 2, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Bizarre characters in an almost Philip-K-Dick-ian plot about a presidential candidate who, after suffering an incapacitating stroke, makes a Faustian bargain with a hi-tech campaign consultant who can restore the candidate but at the price of his autonomy. The candidate soon finds that the restorative brain surgery he has undergone has left his mind at the mercy of the consultant who now forces the candidate to say what the consultant wants him to say. Naturally, the consultant has thoroughly focus-grouped everything the candidate is to say. The evil of it all is not that the consultant imposes his own thoughts or ambitions so much as that he makes the candidate say what "people" want to hear according to the consultant's research.”
Miles F wrote this review Tuesday, November 29, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“A good book, but not amazing. I would recommend reading Snow Crash and Diamond Age before this one.”
Alvin G wrote this review Sunday, March 7, 2010. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Rubbish. Utter rubbish. Nothing like Snowcrash, Diamond Age etc.”
Kai W wrote this review Thursday, January 7, 2010. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Very interesting story on how politicians can be made and the puppet-masters who control them from the shadows.”
Tommy Elf wrote this review Thursday, September 10, 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“The most shocking thing about this book is that it was written in 1994. Well worth reading after the recent election and the media hype about the (current) President-elect before he even takes office.”
Paul C wrote this review Friday, January 16, 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This book was originally published under a pseudonym, and I think I read it before I had any idea that it was really by Neal Stephenson, several years ago. I recently re-read it and enjoyed it again.
emilysk wrote this review Sunday, July 13, 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
A prominent candidate for President is struck down by a massive stroke. His campaign is contacted by a shadowy group that offers a new kind of therapy to help him recover from the stroke, with a brain implant of sorts. It's decided to go ahead with the implant, but to keep it secret from the public. The catch is, the implant can be used to control the candidate's behavior... and the shadowy group may not have his best interests in mind.
It's kind of a thriller, kind of a sci-fi novel, and there are glimpses of Stephenson's quirky and funny style that would be more obvious in later books like Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon.”
“Stephenson originally wrote this under a pseudonym, and it was re-released after the success of Cryptonomicron. It's actually a political sci-fi thriller, very well executed, and I'm very surprized it hasn't become a movie yet. Good fun, fast read.”
Carin A wrote this review Saturday, November 10, 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
