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)

A little Scattered but Lines up at the End

Very interesting but development, too many turns down ill relevant paths in the story, somehow we always drifted back, especially at the end. The Good Guys win, somehow it doesn't quite feel like they do. I did enjoy the story, but found myself distracted and not concerned enough to rewind back to hear what I missed.

An epic, thrilling cyberpunk ride!!

You can be absolutely sure that if you choose to listen to this book you'll be part of a thrilling ride between aspects of the real world, the science fiction, ancient mythology, the dystopian future and cyberpunk action. I'm impressed the way Neal Stephenson is creative and imaginative. He connects several aspects, dots that you'd never think of to connect, and yet he makes sense of it all, fitting it all in this adventure and gives you a lot to think about the society.

The characters are amazing, and we have the best protagonist name ever written in a novel: Hiro Protagonist. The characteristics of Hiro, Y.T and the villain Raven are very engaging, we're given alongside the history the several reasons that instigate each character and their actions. Hiro has became one of my favorite protagonists, hero, sword fighter and cyberpunk badass! Let's not forget about the villain - Raven is also one of the best villains I've known, he scares the shit of everyone, he's a badass, big, strong, skilled killer and a harpooner!!! (Wtf?) Yes!! A harpooner!!

I was completely immersed into the history, the metaverse, the virus threat, the conspiracy investigation from ancient mythologies and brain's structure and of course the ACTION SCENES are AMAZING. What can be better than a hyper speed motorcycle chase in the metaverse between the best sword fighter of the world and a badass harpooner villain? Maybe an amphitheater duel? Neal Stephenson nails it!

I hope they adapt this book into a movie, or TV series. It would be an visual spectacle with outstanding characters.

still a revolutionary insight to techno-religion

ties together religion language internet VR metaverse goverment media honor and the power of unlimited information.

Loved it!

The descriptions this man writes are amazing, effective, true, and a bit funny. Highly recommended

Great story. Weak ending.

Tons of buildup. Interesting setup. Fantastically weak, abrupt ending. Disappointed but the rest was pretty engaging.

Interesting World Building

Enjoyed very much. Author's ability to project the future with technology and society is very much appreciated. Narrator provides excellent service. Highly recommend.

A great first choice for an audiobook

This was the very first book I finished listening to, and damn it's good. While I loved the vividly imagined world Stephenson put to page, I do find myself wishing the book got going a little faster than it did, however that doesn't take away much from it for me. I plan on buying a physical copy just so I can keep it around. "Sci-Fi Masterwork" is damn right.

Great Cyber Story

If you're looking for something cyberpunk, look no further. There were some bits in the reading where I'm sure a different narrator took over for a sentence or two and was quite jarring to listen to. Other than that, this book was fantastic. There's just enough cheese to break up an otherwise pretty gritty world.

A parody of a good book?

The book started-out strong and loud, building a loveable and arresting world, but almost ruins itself with the inclusion of a few problematic bits (CW: pedophilia), and a few illogical missteps. Overall: I'm glad I read it, but disappointed that it wasn't executed more skillfully.

Neal at his best

Now to wait for HBO show if it ever comes. This is a ride in the cyberpunk world and the metaverse where mafia and corpos run the show but a hero can comes in many ways from. This was a great story that’s fits in the cyberpunk sci-fi genre.