Neal Stephenson
2002-11-05
With this extraordinary first volume in what promises to be an epoch-making masterpiece, Neal Stephenson hacks into the secret histories of nations and the private obsessions of men, decrypting with dazzling virtuosity the forces that shaped this century.
In 1942, Lawrence Pritchard Waterhouse - mathematical genius and young Captain in the U.S. Navy - is assigned to detachment 2702. It is an outfit so secret that only a handful of people know it exists, and some of those people have names like Churchill and Roosevelt. The mission of Watrehouse and Detatchment 2702-commanded by Marine Raider Bobby Shaftoe-is to keep the Nazis ignorant of the fact that Allied Intelligence has cracked the enemy's fabled Enigma code. It is a game, a cryptographic chess match between Waterhouse and his German counterpart, translated into action by the gung-ho Shaftoe and his forces.
Fast-forward to the present, where Waterhouse's crypto-hacker grandson, Randy, is attempting to create a "data haven" in Southeast Asia - a place where encrypted data can be stored and exchanged free of repression and scrutiny. As governments and multinationals attack the endeavor, Randy joins forces with Shaftoe's tough-as-nails grandaughter, Amy, to secretly salvage a sunken Nazi sumarine that holds the key to keeping the dream of a data haven afloat. But soon their scheme brings to light a massive conspiracy with its roots in Detachment 2702 linked to an unbreakable Nazi code called Arethusa. And it will represent the path to unimaginable riches and a future of personal and digital liberty...or to universal totalitarianism reborn.
A breathtaking tour de force, and Neal Stephenson's most accomplished and affecting work to date, CRYPTONOMICON is profound and prophetic, hypnotic and hyper-driven, as it leaps forward and back between World War II and the World Wide Web, hinting all the while at a dark day-after-tomorrow. It is a work of great art, thought, and creative daring; the product of a truly icon
Stephenson's 'Cryptonomicon' provides a dense and intricate exploration of cryptography and its historical and speculative implications. The narrative structure, which alternates between World War II and the modern era, is meticulously crafted, offering a compelling juxtaposition of past and future. The mathematical and technological jargon, while demanding, enriches the narrative's authenticity. Though the dual timelines require a discerning reader, the intellectual rewards are substantial. The work exemplifies Stephenson's talent for blending technical rigor with engaging storytelling, making it a worthy addition to any buffs library focused on the interplay between science and narrative.
Stephenson's magnum opus offers a labyrinthine exploration into cryptology during WWII interwoven with cyberpunk elements set against contemporary Silicon Valley backdrop. This multitemporal adventure serves both intellectually stimulating due largely part thanks robust cipher systems discourse yet equally captivating because his sharp wit brings alive all fascinating cast historic war heroes alongside modern day hackers alike thus creating quite immersive reading experience overall.
