Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for Anathem by Neal Stephenson starting sometime in February 26, 2018.

I'll fix a date for this later, probably by early January.

Probable.

Yes. I've tried Seveneves and I didn't like it. But I'm intrigued. So I'm in!

It can be a bit tough to get into at the start, but I think it's worth sticking with. I'm well due a re-read, so I'll hopefully join in.

I'm in if we can fix it in such a way that I can squeeze it in between the other already set BRs.

I’m definitely joining this one. I’ve read 2 books from Stephenson and haven’t been disappointed at all! Looks like this one could get super nerdy ...

Going to try join in for this also!

So I am going to start this today or tomorrow. I have already been leafing through it and the huge chronology is really fascinating.

Read the first page. So starting today.

If I finish Blackthorn early I will try to jump into this one because the description sounds darn interesting and I already have a copy of the book.

This probably will take a while to get into. I’m already struggling with the “made up word or obscure English word I do not know” problem.

I did not realise this was one of his big books! Yowz. Ok, this will take some time to get through... xD

I'm gonna give a try to this though it seems to be a very tough read. Starting today.

I have read a bit - a tiny bit, and trying to decipher all the terms takes some doing, but if I am reading this right, there is going to be a bit of a clash of cultures, because these mathic people are utterly cloistered.

So, first chapter done - Stephenson has taken the jargon to an entirely new level here, along with the gigantic infodumps, but I think I am getting a tenuous grasp of this book

Arkadeb wrote: "So, first chapter done - Stephenson has taken the jargon to an entirely new level here, along with the gigantic infodumps, but I think I am getting a tenuous grasp of this book"

I really enjoyed those bits and pieces where the questions were asked about what the current rules are regarding criminals... I feel like I'm slowly getting a grasp on what he's going for. but it's all so alien.

as a non native speaker books that make up words are always a lot of effort and I'm so glad for the Kindle dictionary

@Anyone confused by the made up words :P
There's a glossary at the back of the book if you need it. If the word isn't there, chances are it's real even if it sounds made up (I thought savant was a fake word for the longest time)

Saul wrote: "@Anyone confused by the made up words :P
There's a glossary at the back of the book if you need it. If the word isn't there, chances are it's real even if it sounds made up (I thought savant was a ..."

Thank you, haven't noticed that on Kindle ....

174 pages in and I'm gonna DNF. There is way to much philosophy and science in this book for my present state of mind. A too tough vocabulary and so many made up words... It's just not for me. :(

So about 4 chapters done and I feel like this book is finally getting to the point

It does take a while. I personally love the world building, though. I don't mind the slow beginning

I am only on page 100 but I am having a great time with this so far...now that I bookmarked the glossary in my Kindle, I am all set.

7 chapters done.... it definitely improves as it goes on. Its quite funny really how (view spoiler)[ an alien first contact story has been written in a scientific monastic setting (hide spoiler)]

I’m starting tonight. Just got a few pages done and now I see the difficulties with the new words.

I liked it, or rather parts of it. Frankly I felt that the chapter Feral was just superfluous. To quote my review:

There is a good story in there, but finding it is like looking for ancient ruins in the rainforest equipped with only a pocketknife.

I have started on Saturday and I'm loving it already. It has all the sings of a five star read.

I have just been winging it! Damn I wish I had a physical copy of this one (easier to flip to the glossary) - I think I need to dig in my heels and really start on getting a few more chapters done but it's just one of those books that doesn't lend to casual reading!

Mayim wrote: "I have started on Saturday and I'm loving it already. It has all the sings of a five star read."

Hah, I figured you'd like it Mayim!

It's one of my favourite books - it's typical Stephenson in that it's dense and vocabularific, but once you get into it things flow really well. I adored the world-building and the sense of a great mystery being slowly unveiled.

I'm on page 220, about 20% in and it's slowly getting easier and I'm really intrigued to see where it goes...so far a lot of interesting thought experiments but not really anything I feel the need to comment on.

Seán wrote: "Mayim wrote: "I have started on Saturday and I'm loving it already. It has all the sings of a five star read."

Hah, I figured you'd like it Mayim!

It's one of my favourite books - it's typical St..."

But also I love gleaning out the real figures. There is Socrates and Plato, and Pitagoras, and Jesus and all sorts of figures (or places) veiled very thinly. What a fun to read!

Mayim wrote: "But also I love gleaning out the real figures. There is Socrates and Plato, and Pitagoras, and Jesus and all sorts of figures (or places) veiled very thinly. What a fun to read!"

Yep, my college life was spent studying Philosophy, so I definitely appreciated that element of the book!

It is definitely an added value, a doll within a doll within a doll. But then, you don't need to know it all to appreciate how smartly these themes are used in the book.

The worldbuilding is breathtaking. It spans millennia, civilisations, cultures!

Mayim wrote: "It is definitely an added value, a doll within a doll within a doll. But then, you don't need to know it all to appreciate how smartly these themes are used in the book.

The worldbuilding is brea..."

I love spotting the real life figures and what Stephenson has made of them. And I love figuring out the tech the outsiders use.

The extramuros community is such a sad mirror for our modernity (at least in some respects).

Slow going for me. I have to look up again and again for the glossary every other paragraph, it seems. So, it's pretty tiring for me to read this book lol. I think I'm gonna take this reallllllly slow.

The world is pretty great. But, I'm really having problems imagining the layout of the Concent and how it would look like.

Interesting to note that although the Avout seem to think the Extramuros are insultingly stupid, but I notice that the technologies used by the Extramuros are way more advanced than the ones used by Avout. The only advance tech the Avout use is the "magical" orbs that they have. So, I'm not sure if Mr. Stephenson is trying to criticize the Avout or the Extramuros (as a representation of our current society) or both.

Barry, I think that after the Sack the avout are forced to be theors, i.e. to limit themselves to theory only. Any kind of translating theory into practice reeks of dangers and therefore was forbidden. But I might be wrong.

Yeah from what I understand they’re doing theory only on purpose as in they are forbidden from using tech. I’m only 33% in so I don’t want to guess Stephenson’s intentions when it comes to social commentary/critique quite yet.

Olivia wrote: "Yeah from what I understand they’re doing theory only on purpose as in they are forbidden from using tech. I’m only 33% in so I don’t want to guess Stephenson’s intentions when it comes to social c..."

I stopped to get the Queen of Fire out of the way but I cannot wait to go back to Anathem.

Yeah, the impression I got was that the Avout were cloistered away and forbidden from using most forms of technology, or translating any of their theory into practice. Their austere lifestyle was originally an imposition, not a choice.

Ah, at the end of chapter 5 / beginning of chapter 6 it took a very interesting turn. I'm intrigued.

Done. I need to mull it over. It was definitely interesting and captivating.

Ohhh... I got caught up with the Children of Time but I really want to go back to Anathem.

I put this one on hold too. Not enough read to form much of an opinion so far, but the size is intimidating. :D

Not to add extra stress Mayim (or to bury you in books - cause I have a feeling you're already down under a huge pile :))
but the Kay Squad is coming together for Curse of the Mistwraith and I can tell you Janny Wurys writes great! I just finished To Ride Hell's Chasm and found it even better than Kay!!!
So will you answer the calls to arms and join us? Please!?

Laura, I have been eyeing Wurst for some time and wanted to join the buddy reads too, but have you seen my reading schedule? It has been altogether crazy, and the work-related readload is going to lessen only in May. On the other hand, I am working on the final proofs from my publisher so it is a miracle altogether that I am able to read anything fantasy at all. I wouldn't like to keep you guys waiting especially that you have already started the series. :(

This book is taking me longer than usual. Just starting Part 4 and judging from the title we’ll see a significant character being excommunicated I guess ... I’m intrigued to know what’s gonna happen. But the new phrases are really slowing me down. And the huge and detailed depictions of the Concent also don’t quite help me in picking up my reading pace.

Barry wrote: "This book is taking me longer than usual. Just starting Part 4 and judging from the title we’ll see a significant character being excommunicated I guess ... I’m intrigued to know what’s gonna happe..."

Turns out all those descriptions etc. are actually quite important so it's worth sticking with it. I found that about halfway through I felt quite comfortable with the vocabulary and my reading pace improved.

I am finishing the Children of Time and will be right back to Anathem. :D

End of Part 4 ... expected to see that character leaving in Anathem. The implied mystery is really intriguing. (view spoiler)[If it's an alien spaceship, I assume the Hierarchs all know this based on info shared by the Saecular power.

I don't quite understand, though, why Orolo was anathemized. Considering that he should be a valuable asset to have to figure this thing out. Perhaps, a Voco was a better option, IMO. (hide spoiler)]