“Our opponent is an alien starship packed with atomic bombs,” I said. “We have a protractor.”
In Stephenson’s latest doorstopper novel, the outline of an enjoyable space opera has been thrown into a blender with a dictionary, some mathematical proofs, and a copy of The Name of the Rose. I’ll tell you up front that this isn’t my favorite of his works (my money is still on Cryptonomicon), but that didn’t stop me from reading all 937 pages of it, or from continuing to think about it weeks later.
I’m still enamored of the basic conceit of Anathem—a secular monastery and its concentric communities of intelligentsia sequestered from society for staggered periods of time—one, ten, a hundred, or a thousand years. Erasmus and his cohorts live in cloistered contemplation of logic, philosophy, and mathematics, kind of like graduate school if one never left the physics building. Parts of the monastery have been cut off from the outside world for over eight hundred years.
In general terms, Anathem is about what happens when the doors open and the walls come down. Erasmus, investigating his mentor’s sudden, inexplicable fall from favor, uncovers something world-changing. Next thing you know (of course, in Neal Stephenson time, that takes hundreds of pages), he’s leading his fellow bell-ringers—Schrödinger’s strike force—against invaders from alternate polycosmic realities.
I wasn’t the intended audience for this novel, which often made me feel like a high-school student auditing a graduate course in quantum physics. I recognized Plato, Occam’s Razor, and the Pythagorean Theorem, but many other references passed over my head with a gentle whooshing sound. Those of you who feel deeply and philosophically about triangles will find much to love in this book. For readers like me, there are endearing geek characters, satire of modern life, and kickboxing Tibetan monks. And, digs from xkcd aside, I love the way Stephenson uses language to build this world.
Check the WRL catalog for Anathem
Check the WRL catalog for the audiobook
Hi, I just wanted to say that this article would have helped a lot more if a more substantial plot summary was included, so I’d know what I’m getting into (and if I’m interested) before reading this. Thanks.
Two comments on your request for more plot summary, Anna. First, there’s a thin line between summarizing a plot and giving away too much of the book. As blog writers, we try very hard not to be guilty of the former. Second, if you’ve read much of Neal Stephenson, you’ll know that the plots are far too complex to sum up in a nutshell, nor are they exactly the point of his books. If you enjoy plot-driven science fiction, come talk to us at the library. I’m sure we can recommend some writers who would suit your tastes better.
Tis looks preposterous so I will definitely give it a go! probably cryptonomicon as well, maybe first.
Is there a a first book for this series or it matters not ??
tnx
chris
Preposterous in an entertaining way! I re-listened to Anathem on audiobook this winter and actually enjoyed it more the second time. Anathem and Cryptonomicon are both stand-alone books, not part of a series. Cryptonomicon takes place in our world, with flashbacks to World War II; Anathem is more science-fictional. I hope you enjoy one or the other!