'Reamde' by Neal Stephenson is a sprawling thriller that delves into the world of online gaming, espionage, hackers, and international security. The plot follows the creation of T'Rain, a popular online multiplayer game, which becomes the target of hackers releasing a virus called Reamde. This leads to a global conflict that goes beyond the virtual world, involving a diverse cast of characters such as a game author, Russian mobsters, British intelligence agents, and more. The writing style is characterized by meticulous attention to detail, intricate descriptions of technology, and a fast-paced narrative that keeps readers engaged.

Characters:

The cast includes a wide variety of characters that contribute to the story's complexity, though some readers feel that not all characters are fully realized.

Writing/Prose:

While the writing is engaging and rich with detail, it may also come off as lengthy and meandering, particularly in action sequences.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot combines various elements of thriller, action, and modern gaming culture, though it sometimes appears convoluted and stretched over too many pages.

Setting:

The story is set across diverse locations in both the real world and a virtual game environment, creating a rich, immersive backdrop for the action.

Pacing:

Although the pace fluctuates, particularly toward the middle and end, it retains an overall engaging rhythm for most readers.

“The Apostropocalypse,” Richard said, mangling it a little, since it was hard to pronounce even when you were sober, and he had been hanging out in the tavern of Schloss Hundschüttler for a good part ...

Notes:

Reamde is a massive novel, spanning over 1,000 pages, making it a lengthy read.

The story combines elements of a thriller with speculative aspects of virtual reality and computer gaming.

It involves a complex plot about hacking, the Russian mafia, Islamic terrorists, and online gaming.

The central character, Richard Forthrast, becomes embroiled in an international incident due to a ransomware virus called Reamde.

The narrative is structured as a series of interconnected stories featuring a diverse cast of characters.

The book is recognized for its high action, pacing, and entertaining, engaging style, contrary to the dense prose of some of Stephenson's previous works.

It addresses contemporary issues such as cybercrime and the economic implications of online gaming and virtual currencies, highlighting how they intersect with real-world crime and intrigue.

Zula, Richard's niece, is depicted as a strong female character, along with other well-developed female characters, which is a notable aspect of the book.

The plot is heavily reliant on coincidental events that connect the various character narratives, creating a critique of how randomness influences modern life.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings for Reamde include descriptions of violence, abduction, and discussions of cybercrime, which could be distressing for some readers.

Has Romance?

There is a medium presence of romance in the book, with relationships between characters developed throughout the narrative.

From The Publisher:

"Stephenson has a once-in-a-generation gift: he makes complex ideas clear, and he makes them funny, heartbreaking, and thrilling."

-Time

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Anathem, Neal Stephenson is continually rocking the literary world with his brazen and brilliant fictional creations-whether he's reimagining the past (The Baroque Cycle), inventing the future (Snow Crash), or both (Cryptonomicon). With Reamde, this visionary author whose mind-stretching fiction has been enthusiastically compared to the work of Thomas Pynchon, Don DeLillo, Kurt Vonnegut, and David Foster Wallace-not to mention William Gibson and Michael Crichton-once again blazes new ground with a high-stakes thriller that will enthrall his loyal audience, science and science fiction, and espionage fiction fans equally. The breathtaking tale of a wealthy tech entrepreneur caught in the very real crossfire of his own online fantasy war game, Reamde is a new high-and a new world-for the remarkable Neal Stephenson.

Ratings (27)

Incredible (2)
Loved It (16)
Liked It (4)
It Was OK (4)
Hated It (1)

Reader Stats (55):

Read It (27)
Want To Read (23)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (4)

1 comment(s)

ehanut203

Loved It

5 months

I'm not sure I would call this a science fiction novel. It has MMORPGs, geeks, drug smugglers, gangsters, guns for hire, spies, commandos, terrorists, and extended family (perhaps the most terrifying of all). It's a thriller, an adventure novel, a romance, perhaps even a coming of age novel, but I'm not sure it's sci-fi.

But that doesn't matter, because above all it is awesome. Stephenson's style of throwing a huge amount of information at you in a way that is both complex and understandable is on display here; if you've loved any of his other books, especially

Cryptonomicon, you will love this one.

The only reason this doesn't get five stars is because I'm not sure about the resolution of Reamde (the character). It was...kind of all his fault? But that sort of falls to the wayside.

That aside, the ending of this book will have the most cynical liberal (i.e. me) cheering "America F*ck Yeah!" I love the way the final scene went down, and the question of who was going to get to do the big deed - won't spoil here - and I think I'm satisfied with how it turned out.

What can you read after
Reamde?

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Reamde

Neal Stephenson

Book 1 in the series:Dodge