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Roger's Reviews > Termination Shock
Termination Shock
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Can a fan of Neal Stephenson comment here and let me know if this is a prime example of his writing and where it would rank amongst his best works? If it's in the top 5 or 10, I have no shame in saying I won't bother reading anything else by him.
Termination Slog, I mean, Termination Shock, is a book by Neal Stephenson that will unfortunately be available in stores near the end of November. It's a 700+ page novel about characters that aren't very interesting, trying to stop climate change. Obviously I can't reveal much more since I read through an advance copy, but even if I could there really isn't much to say.
It's a book of ideas that doesn't culminate into anything and wouldn't change the mind of a naysayer who doesn't believe in climate change in the first place. It's hard sci-fi at it's worst with bloated descriptions that add nothing to the story and feels more like Stephenson was just wanting to show off how intelligent he is.
Speaking of bloated descriptions, I saw a reviewer on here DNF the book saying it was akin to Stephen King's verbosity but boring. Stephenson constantly adds back story to characters that don't need it and builds upon them in ways that put a halt to any progression that may be trying to happen. Even if the stories were interesting, the cardboard cutout characters are so wooden and lifeless it wouldn't even matter. When they're talking to each other it feels like AI that's trying to figure out what smart, cool people would sound like if they were real humans. It's unbelievable.
Also, I find the shoehorning in of COVID to be pretty tasteless. It was very obviously added in at the last moment to be relevant. It adds nothing and feels lazy.
I'd say I'm sorry for sounding so harsh but I just don't care. Termination Shock is a rambling mess that feels like amateur hour. I was already in a reading slump and this definitely didn't help.
Thank you to William Morrow and Harper Collins Publishers for being kind enough to send me a physical advanced copy of this book.
Termination Slog, I mean, Termination Shock, is a book by Neal Stephenson that will unfortunately be available in stores near the end of November. It's a 700+ page novel about characters that aren't very interesting, trying to stop climate change. Obviously I can't reveal much more since I read through an advance copy, but even if I could there really isn't much to say.
It's a book of ideas that doesn't culminate into anything and wouldn't change the mind of a naysayer who doesn't believe in climate change in the first place. It's hard sci-fi at it's worst with bloated descriptions that add nothing to the story and feels more like Stephenson was just wanting to show off how intelligent he is.
Speaking of bloated descriptions, I saw a reviewer on here DNF the book saying it was akin to Stephen King's verbosity but boring. Stephenson constantly adds back story to characters that don't need it and builds upon them in ways that put a halt to any progression that may be trying to happen. Even if the stories were interesting, the cardboard cutout characters are so wooden and lifeless it wouldn't even matter. When they're talking to each other it feels like AI that's trying to figure out what smart, cool people would sound like if they were real humans. It's unbelievable.
Also, I find the shoehorning in of COVID to be pretty tasteless. It was very obviously added in at the last moment to be relevant. It adds nothing and feels lazy.
I'd say I'm sorry for sounding so harsh but I just don't care. Termination Shock is a rambling mess that feels like amateur hour. I was already in a reading slump and this definitely didn't help.
Thank you to William Morrow and Harper Collins Publishers for being kind enough to send me a physical advanced copy of this book.
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Reading Progress
September 8, 2021
–
Started Reading
September 8, 2021
– Shelved
October 6, 2021
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 55 (55 new)
His early works are real gems - particularly Diamond Age, Snowcrash, and Cryptonomicon. Everything since the Baroque Cycle has been bloated and mediocre with maybe the exception of The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O., which was pretty decent fun.
Leon Van, thank you for the recommendations. I'm glad to hear this isn't a good example of his best works.
Paul, I think I'll have to check out Diamond Age since it was recommended twice. Thanks for the info!
Unfortunately, while I haven't read this particular book, Stephenson "jumped the shark" decades ago. After his initial rise in popularity due to a couple of amazing novels in Diamond Age and Snow Crash and on into Cryptonomicon he was maybe my favourite author at that time. Beginning with the Baroque Cycle I think he became the victim of his own success. I felt like that was the point where every novel he wrote became bloated and self indulgent and lost any edge he may have had. I absolutely see the Stephen King comparison, though he's nowhere near as prolific as King.
Check out Cryptonomicon - a very cool book that also introduces an important character in the subsequent Baroque Cycle books (which are also excellent - read them 3 times.) I couldn't finish his last book, 'Fall; or, Dodge in Hell', and from what you have to say about the new one, I don't think I'll even bother with it. It almost feels like his recent stuff was done by a bad ghostwriter, or any decent editor was nowhere to be found.
I'd add Zodiac and The Diamond Age to the good list. I also enjoyed Reamd, but agree that the later books are weaker. Fall, you should absolutely read the first 100 pages just for the awesome world building, but the story does bog down later.
Cryptonomicon is probably the lightest lift to get into, I would definitely recommend it as a starting point.
By lightest lift I do not mean shortest...
Both snow crash and diamond age are much shorter, and have real importance as accurate near future predictions that actually came true
I loved the Baroque Cycle; I loved Reamde. Dodge aggravated me so much that I forswore reading anything new.
Anathem is my favorite book of all time. I also enjoyed Cryptonomicon a lot.
Seven Eves is pretty good but my favorite was Anathem
Thanks to everyone for your recommendations! I tallied up the books that were mentioned and tied are Cryptonomicon and Diamond Age, followed by Snow Crash. Since I don't own DA at the moment, I'll probably start Cryptonomicon this month, if not next.
As a Stephenson fan--I think this may actually be his worst book. I hadn't thought about it in that light before. I still pretty much enjoyed the book--and I was engaged by his scientific writing and speculation, as usual--but it had definite flaws and could have been improved with editing.
I read Snow Crash decades ago and still think about it often. Back then, he seemed to me like Gibson-lite.
Termination Slog - I liked that. Good review, probably more fun than the book. I may pick it up because I am a climate fiction fan.
Susan, thank you! If you do pick it up, good luck!
Sue, good to know about Snow Crash. I do have a physical copy on my shelf so I hope it'll win me over.
Sam Jack, I feel like this could potentially be interesting if it were around 300 pages instead of 800.
His last really good book was Anathem. My personal favorite is Cryptonomicon.The way you describe this one sounds like Fall, his book from 2019. Even that one had some truly interesting parts, but he spends most of the book dwelling on the genesis of a digital afterlife modeled on MMORPGs. It could have been about 1/3 the length.
When Stephenson is good he's very good, and the impact some of his books made on me from his 1990's and 2000's career keep me coming back. Your mileage may vary.
This was definitely not his best. To get a feel for what he was trying to do, read Reamde. For the best he can do, which is really damn good, read Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon or Anathem.
I’ve read everything he has published and this one ranks near the bottom for me, I found it a chore to get through. Cryptonomicon remains my personal fave and probably top 3 of mine by any author.
Far and away my favorites was the Baroque Cycle trilogy, an historical semi-fiction placed in the time of Issac Newton. It has ripping fun action along with serious commentary on the origin of modern monetary systems. Typical of Stephenson to pull you in with an action novel and teach you things you probably never thought about before, but are part of today's life and the background to the daily headlines.
"This is too long, a slog" is certainly a common first-contact-with-Stephenson reaction. A lot of first-timers find themselves mysteriously sucked back in for a second time, and then a third, and voila! a new fan!
Holy hell this book is dull. It's a narrated factory tour with marginal character development.
Thank you for all the NS book recommendations. I was so excited to read Termination Shock and even more relieved to stop at about page 80. I wanted to like this book, wanted to like NS, and so I'll try one of his earlier books recommended here. Snow Crash and Diamond Age.
Probably among the bottom three, mate. And those are the last three. From Diamond Age through Seveneves they have all been very very good. Anathem, Cryptonomicon, The Baroque Cycle ... all the stuff between '95 and '15 are well worth the time. The last three ... not so much.
Thanks to all the commentators. I read 70% of this book thinking, it might get better. I'm off to the library now.
After Dodge in Hell, I started this book knowing it might turn out pretty badly. In 2015 I think I was saying Neal was my favorite author! Funny how things change, his earlier works are still some of my favorite novels ever. How I'd rank his novels I've read:
1. Cryptonomicon
2. Seveneves
3. Diamond Age
4. Snow Crash
5. Reamde
6. Anathem
Z. Termination Shock?? (not finished)
ZZ. Fall; or, Dodge in Hell
Yeah, Neal has lot the plot, literally. I gave up on his poorly edited monsters long ago. Basically he can write what he wants and get it published.
Every book is different for me. Reamde is my favorite-- very different from this one.
Sandra wrote: "Every book is different for me. Reamde is my favorite-- very different from this one."That is probably my favorite too.
Roger, Your review has made me curious as to how I'll feel about this book that I'm about to start. I'm a climate scientist and I tend to be hard on authors trying to get it right. My past experience with Stephenson is that he makes a good effort at being true to the science. I absolutely loved Seveneves which was both imaginative and a great example of world building.
Craig, I'll be very curious to hear your thoughts on this, especially with it being in your wheelhouse!
Neal Stephenson is very much love or hate. All his books have this same sort of feel in that (a) he loves experimenting with slightly (or sometimes very!) different ways of writing just one chapter or just a few paragraphs
(b) the books are long meandering stories where the joy is all in the weird things he talks about along the way
(c) the endings are unresolved hasty add-ons.
The fun is all in (b). If you didn't find his ruminations on the uneven-ness of geology, or performative war past and present, then you are not the target audience.
My favorite Stephenson is The Baroque Cycle, which has these elements all turned up to eleven. If they don't appeal to you, you'll surely hate it even more than Termination Shock!
Snow crash is the book to read from this author. For me its the best work he has produced.
Maynard, the Baroque Cycle actually had stories and I quite enjoyed it while learning a lot.
I loved Snow Crash (enough to re-read it), Diamond Age, Zodiac, Anathem and enjoyed Seveneves. I wasn't wild about Cryptonomicon, but others were quite impressed with it. I only got through one of the 3 books in The Baroque Cycle and probably won't go back to it. Early Stephenson books are my favorites, which makes me sad.
I too used to claim Stephenson as my favorite author. But now days our dystopian future is right on the horizon and it isn't as fun to read about new worlds anymore. I still love Cryptonomicon but most of the others have lost their charm for me. I don't buy into the CO2 version of climate change. I think we are making an ecological mess out of our planet but that it is mostly related to ordinary pollution and whatever they are spraying on us via chemtrails. So dealing with CO2 isn't high on my reading list. I think I'll skip this one.
Anathem. Read Anathem. Far and away my favorite of his. I'll echo the sentiment of several: there are better books of his in his earlier works, and you might like Seveneves.
His earlier work in the '90s is definitely worth a read!
This is typical of his writing, but much slower-paced than usual, action-wise. I would read Snow Crash, Seveneves or Fall before this.
If you're willing to give a second chance.Cryptonomicon
I'm a big fan. He has many many books that are better. Read Crypto or Anathem if you haven't.
Termination Shock is nowhere near Stephenson's best. Try Anathem or Snow Crash.
I'll re-iterate what many have said. I'm a massive Stephenson fanboy, and this is probably my least favorite of his books. It's confusing and lazy, I'd highly recommend Seveneves, Anathema, SnowCrash, Cryptonomicon over this. I'm sure he had a great initial idea for this novel, but it was not fleshed out and felt really rushed which is very unlike him, he usually takes a lot of time between novels and they're much denser and more meaningful.
Based on this description and comments from others (whom claim to be Stephenson fans) it sounds like this book is like Seveneves but much worse. I consider Seveneves to be my worst reading experience ever, so I wont even try this one.
Read Snow Crash. That is excellent; this book is not.
I think it has to do with later novels of Stephenson. I recently read Fall - Dodge in Hell, and did not appreciate it at all. It felt like a poor replica of the Silmarillion.
That being said, I have been a great admirer of Stephensons earlier work, including Seveneves and The Diamond Age, which I would fully recommend reading if you have the time.
Best,
Leon