BOOK: Cryptonomicon (Was "extropian and transhuman publicity")

GBurch1@aol.com
Sat, 12 Jun 1999 17:04:33 EDT

In a message dated 99-06-10 01:28:04 EDT, mnielsen@theory.caltech.edu (Michael Nielsen) wrote:

> Neal Stephenson's newly released best-seller "Cryptonomicon" contains

> references to a group that appears to be at least loosely based on the
> extropians and transhumanists.

This is the third time I've seen this happen. In Greg Bear's "Slant" extropians are mentioned (in a perhaps not too favorable way -- it's a little ambiguous) and the group is more prominently featured -- and ultimately favorably -- in Alan Steele's "A King of Infinite Space".

> I'm about a third of the way through the book at present. It's showing
> considerable promise as a novel, less as a hard science fiction story ---
> not many new ideas, but an interesting human side.

I'm also about a third of the way through the book and think it is marvelous. In terms of literature, per se, Stephenson is the best science fiction author working today, IMHO. I sincerely hope this book succeeds as a "crossover" piece beyond the "literary ghetto" of science fiction.

     Greg Burch     <GBurch1@aol.com>----<gburch@lockeliddell.com>
     Attorney  :::  Vice President, Extropy Institute  :::  Wilderness Guide
      http://users.aol.com/gburch1   -or-   http://members.aol.com/gburch1
                         "Civilization is protest against nature; 
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