Having finished Neuromancer last week, I am now consuming
Diamond Age. Diamond Age is written by Neil Stephenson and takes place in a
future where nanotechnology pervades every facet of life. Though I have only finished
30% of the book, it tends to be focusing on the cultural impact of the
technology over the actual technology itself. This is in stark contrast to
Neuromancer which in place of significant character development dwells on the
technological developments of society.
The novel opens with a character defined by many cyberpunk
traits (attitude, body modifications, illicit dealings) but swiftly kills him
off as punishment for maiming a man. Following his sentencing the novel moves
fully into societal study with ruminations about optimal education, ideal
social structures, and value adjustments resulting from the ubiquitous
nanotechnology.
I formed a deeper connection to the Neuromancer universe (much
of it mirroring our reality and near future), but I am enjoying the actual plot
of Diamond Age much more at this point. The anthropologist/sociologist approach
to the future is fascinating makes the novel (i.e. kindle) hard to set down.
As always, below are links to Amazon if you are interested
in picking either book up for your kindle or in a hard copy format.
The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (Bantam Spectra Book)
Neuromancer
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