Snow Crash

By: Neal Stephenson

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Only once in a great while does a writer come along who defies comparison - a writer so original he redefines the way we look at the world. Neal Stephenson is such a writer and Snow Crash is such a novel, weaving virtual reality, Sumerian myth, and just about everything in between with a cool, hip cybersensibility to bring us the gigathriller of the information age.

In reality, Hiro Protagonist delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo's CosaNostra Pizza Inc., but in the Metaverse he's a warrior prince. Plunging headlong into the enigma of a new computer virus that's striking down hackers everywhere, he races along the neon-lit streets on a search-and-destroy mission for the shadowy virtual villain threatening to bring about Infocalypse. Snow Crash is a mind-altering romp through a future America so bizarre, so outrageous...you'll recognize it immediately.

©1992 Neal Stephenson (P)2001 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Brilliantly realized...Stephenson turns out to be an engaging guide to an onrushing tomorrow." (The New York Times Book Review)
"Fast-forward free-style mall mythology for the 21st century." (William Gibson)

Hidden Gem

I Loved it is a hidden gem - great read - would def recommend to some one else !

Only book I've ever read twice

As long as you go into it with an open mind, you will enjoy the hell out of it. I mean the main character's name is Hiro Protagonist, how serious can you take it?

Futuristic cyber punk, down the rabbit hole type of book. A modern Neuromancer. Some of the coolest gadgets and weapons in any book I've ever read. The rat-things are hands down the coolest creature I've ever visualized (actually the 2nd coolest, right behind the Shrike from Hyperion) and R.E.A.S.O.N. one of the coolest guns.

The book is pretty heavy with tech jargon and assumes its reader is somewhat knowledgeable with computers. The characters are well developed with realistic personalities. I grew attached to them quickly. Deadpan humor is sprinkled heavily and cleverly throughout.

I really wish this book made it to the theaters instead of Ready Player One. Imagine Jason Momoa as Raven! He was born for that role.

I don't want to give anything away, but the ending seemed a little forced. 1 star deduction for that. Overall it's a wild and entertaining ride you will not forget.

annoying chapter transitions

I had no problem with the narrator, but the extra music+sound effects for the chapter transitions are annoying and completely unnecessary.

the perfect book

this book is amazing, drives into consciousness much deeper than you would ever expect, but it's still fun and light. amazing balance

One of my Husband's Favorites

This is almost always on in my husband's car. It is such a compelling story, that makes it perfect for a roadtrip. It has something for everyone and you'll find yourself connecting with the characters. Check this out, then check out the rest of his stuff.

An interesting story

This book was recommended to me by a friend and I think that was the only reason I actually finished it. It wasn't bad and I am glad I finished it but I have to say I wasn't too satisfied with the story overall. I love details. But this book gets bogged down by too much. It will spend a tremendous amount of time explaining something to the point where I was thinking 'Ok! I got it!'. What made those times worse, were the times when they would basically just say all of that stuff again but from a different characters perspective. Overall, there is enough interesting concepts here to keep you somewhat entertained but overall I still don't really know how I feel about this book. Part of me thinks I didn't like it and part of me thinks it had it's good points. I wouldn't really recommend this to anyone but I wouldn't tell them to not read it or listen to it, if they were thinking about it.

I will say the narration was good. Varied voices, good job.

Great concept but the story is not great

It was hard to get engaged initially but it picked up after a few chapters. I love the concept but the story as a whole wasn't that great.

Religious techno book.

Why the low star rating? Without a doubt I see why so many people suggested this one after I read Ready Player One. However I felt a lot of this book was pointless filler. It did a poor job explaining things not through the explanations themselves but through how they did it. I literally skipped parts of random song lyrics that went on for a bit or chapters of religious stuff to explain what was going on. Great story that just fell dull through giant chunks of it. Also the ending just felt like a giant buildup that - when it is done - leaves you falling straight down off the cliff.

One of the best things I've ever read

amazing book. one of the best things I've ever read, it had it all. a self fulfilling Nam Shub

base cyberpunk

not a huge fan of the writing style of Neil Stevenson but an extremely entertaining story. a lot of cyberpunk cultures groundwork laid out in this book.