The Day the Moon Blew Up

Post by surge » Wed, May 18, 2016, 2:59 PM UTC

yoodenvranx wrote: post #81

bryant wrote: post #4

Seveneves is one of my favorites, even though it gets mixed reactions from a lot of others who've read titles like Anathem. I can't compare it to Anathem (the only other Stephenson book I've read so far is Cryptonomicon; looking to change that), but I can say I love the technical depth. Perhaps it's because it helps me suspend disbelief much more easily, though Bill's point that "if you’re the sort of reader who does…

> The only thing that somewhat frustrated me about it, as I suspect is the case for most people, is the fact that the last third of the book feels like it could (should?) stand on its own For me that last third part feels... rushed? I can not really explain it but the first two thirds of the book were awesome and then when you reach the last part you feel like Stephenson had to meed a deadline for printing and that p…

Post by soylentcola » Wed, May 18, 2016, 3:00 PM UTC

e12e wrote: post #89

bryant wrote: post #4

Seveneves is one of my favorites, even though it gets mixed reactions from a lot of others who've read titles like Anathem. I can't compare it to Anathem (the only other Stephenson book I've read so far is Cryptonomicon; looking to change that), but I can say I love the technical depth. Perhaps it's because it helps me suspend disbelief much more easily, though Bill's point that "if you’re the sort of reader who does…

> the only other Stephenson book I've read so far is Cryptonomicon Absolutely recommend "Diamond Age" and to a lesser extent (but more fun) "Snowcrash". I started "Cryptonomicon" right after reading Singh's "The Code Book", and it just felt like Stephenson did a sub-par job with the subject material (perhaps especially because "The Code Book" isn't fiction, but almost reads like it). Did start "Seveneves" when there…

Post by knodi123 » Wed, May 18, 2016, 3:40 PM UTC

rtkwe wrote: post #25

dbcooper wrote: post #2

>Seveneves belongs in the subgenre of hard science fiction, which means it emphasizes scientific accuracy. Everything adheres to physical laws, so unlike Star Wars, no one travels anywhere near the speed of light. A pity then that a little basic chemistry eluded both the writer and the critic - there's no carbon on the moon. Rather difficult to support humans, and carry out feats of biotechnology, without it...

That was covered at least in passing. The comet they capture and use to reach the Cleft provides the sources of carbon and other elements that are hard to get. Presumably long enough to build and launch slow missions to capture and redirect other sources (happens 'off screen'). > "The black stuff has all kind of goodies on it. Carbon, obviously. But also nitrogen, ptoassium---" "Micronutrients," Markus said, "that th…

Post by pavedwalden » Wed, May 18, 2016, 4:14 PM UTC

soylentcola wrote: post #93

e12e wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the only other Stephenson book I've read so far is Cryptonomicon Absolutely recommend "Diamond Age" and to a lesser extent (but more fun) "Snowcrash". I started "Cryptonomicon" right after reading Singh's "The Code Book", and it just felt like Stephenson did a sub-par job with the subject material (perhaps especially because "The Code Book" isn't fiction, but almost reads like it). Did start "Seveneves" when there…

Snow Crash and Diamond Age were my introduction to Stephenson in the late 90's. So far, of the ones I've read they are probably the most accessible and, as you mention, fun. Even though it's not essential in any way to read them in that order, The Diamond age is hinted to take place later on in the same world as Snow Crash so if you've got no preference for which order to read them, you might as well go that route. T…

Post by usrusr » Wed, May 18, 2016, 4:38 PM UTC

aetherson wrote: post #47

blisterpeanuts wrote: post #22

I greatly enjoyed some of Stephenson's other works, but I was actually a bit disappointed with Seveneves. The narrative is well crafted, but unfortunately I just got stuck on the whole space ark concept and couldn't suspend disbelief enough to continue. Maybe someone else can explain why it made sense to focus on an orbiting refuge, right in the path of the Moon's fragments, rather than dig a bunch of underground cit…

Well...... You'd clearly be right if you were looking at a timeframe of a few years, or a few decades, or maybe a century or two. But if you successfully establish a long term presence in space, you've got access to a lot of resources. If you're stuck in a hole in the ground for 5,000 years, and the surface is considerably more hostile than space, I think there's at least a colorable argument that space is the way to…