![]() ![]() Anathem is a masterwork of world-building. ![]() ![]() I give the recommendation because he pulls this off really well. In the outside "saeclular" world, people live in a crass, consumer-oriented society both like and unlike ours. It's a non-religious parallel to monastic life. They live in walled-off communities called Concents, with divisions within which only have contact with the outside world, and with each other, for one 10 day period out of each year, decade, century or millennium.Īs such the Avout, as they are called, lead a simple life, mostly free of technology, devoted to higher learning. The culture is much older than ours, but not vastly more advanced because on this world scientists, mathematicians and philosophers live a cloistered life. On the other hand, if you enjoy such exploration, this is the book for you.Īnathem is set on a planet which is not Earth, but is full of parallels to Earth. This book is highly recommended, with the caveat that you must have an interest in philosophy and metaphysics to avoid being turned off by a few fairly large sections which involve complex debate on these topics. I'm going to start with a more general review, then delve into deep spoilers after the jump. The latest tome - and at 900 pages, I mean tome - from Neal Stephenson (author of Snow Crash, the Diamond Age and Cryptonomicon) is Anathem. ![]()
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