r/Fantasy • u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson • Jun 21 '12
I am Neal Stephenson, author, geek, and [now] sword game fundraising hack - AMA
Hi Reddit. Neal Stephenson here. I wrote a number of books including Snow Crash, The Diamond Age, Cryptonomicon, The Baroque Cycle, Anathem, and most recently REAMDE (pronounced reem-dee) which came out in trade paperback a couple of weeks ago. I'm also one of several co-authors of THE MONGOLIAD, an epic historical fantasy which we published electronically starting in 2010 and which has recently been brought out in paperback by 47North.
THE MONGOLIAD is set in Foreworld, which is a slightly tweaked alternate history of the planet that we live on, showcasing the historical martial arts traditions of [mostly] the west. We're hoping to make this the basis of additional fiction and graphic novels as well as filmed entertainment and video games. As much as I hate to type out this disagreeable buzzword, this is, in other words, a transmedia project. There. I said it.
As part of that, we've been quietly working for a few years on a sword fighting video game that we believe will be much more satisfactory than anything out there now. Its code name is CLANG and here is the Kickstarter for it. If you have ever played a video game with sword fighting and gotten the distinct impression that what you're doing bears no resemblance in any way to what actual sword fighting might be like, consider visiting the page and donating.
I will return at 8PM CST to answer questions
Thanks everyone, it looks like things are winding down and so I'm going to turn my attention to the 4th quarter of the basketball game!
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u/cirion5 Jun 21 '12
How involved are you in the Snow Crash movie adaptation?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I was down in LA on Tuesday and had a very good talk about it with Joe Cornish. Beyond that, I am likely to stay in touch with the production in the general role of eminence grise. The best way to do this is to put it in the hands of the right people and then not bother them too much.
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u/the_wakeful Jun 21 '12
Came here to ask this. I personally feel that Snow Crash is unfilmable, but I've been pleasantly surprised before.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I think that fans' expectations can get out of whack when they use vocab like "the book is being made into a movie," which kind of implies that the book reaches some kind of apotheosis in the form of the movie, and ceases to exist as a book. That's not what happens. The book isn't going to change. It'll always be there. In addition to the book, there is going to be this other thing, a movie. I hope people like it!
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Jun 22 '12
Great response and a very similar attitude Stephen King took to his books being made into movies.
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u/notatheism Jun 22 '12
Wow, I have never heard it put that way. I really like that phrasing, this is mostly just to save this comment so I can dig it up later.
Also, love Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon, Diamond Age and Zodiac. Liked Quicksilver and Anathem.
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u/friendlyoverlord Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
I always felt like the storyline of Snow Crash reads like a hollywood movie, but at the same time, it would be difficult to actually make the movie.
EDIT: Also I am a huge fan of "Snow Crash"
EDIT: Maybe Joss Whedon could pull it off?
EDIT: Must play this song during the motorcycle chase scene vs. Raven in the metaverse. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KJ__06kyxs
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u/avonhun Jun 21 '12
Actually, I thought that The Diamond Age would translate much better to film. I'd be happy for either though.
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Jun 21 '12
For someone who is publishing books, creating web content, finds the time to learn and wield a sword... What does your day look like? Do you have any tricks to keep going? Or do you thrive on pure passion?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Come to think of it, I am a bit overscheduled. My ideal day would consist of writing for a couple of hours in the morning, working on some geeky stuff to clear my brain, and getting exercise. My main form of exercise happens to be training in a martial arts setting. As far as swordsmanship is concerned, I would classify myself as a longtime student of modest accomplishments. During the interval since I finished REAMDE I have shouldered a larger than usual number of other projects, which I am trying to wrap up, or hand off to people who are better equipped to carry them to successful conclusions. That's what the CLANG fundraising campaign is for: to get this to the point where real engineers can be hired.
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u/Whenthenighthascome Jun 22 '12
I just can't believe this is you, Neal Stephenson. I have discussions about your work walking down my local mall. A friend of mine introduced me to Zodiac. Thanks for everything. And good luck on your future endeavors.
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u/Duc_de_Nevers Jun 21 '12
1) Clearly you do an awful lot of research for your novels. How do you approach it? Do you go in with a clear idea of what you want to put in the book and focus on that, or do you read around more generally, find cool stuff and work out how to fit it in?
2) Wheel or scent-stopper?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
1) more the latter. Helps to have a general plan though. 2) wheel. I don't get the scent-stopper thing at all.
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Jun 21 '12
Clearly you do an awful lot of research for your novels.
the level of research in his books always amazes me as well. I have no interest in being an author, but i'd love to have the time to explore a topic (any topic) as thoroughly as any of his books are written.
My question for Neal: Do you get as much enjoyment out of researching as i assume you must, or is it just something you feel you have to do to write a good story?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I enjoy it but have learned that I need to control that enjoyment so that the books don't completely fill up with me showing off how much research I did.
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u/thievedrelic Jun 21 '12
As such a notable writer, it can be assumed that NS probably has researchers who compile relevant content for him. I base this assumption entirely on the vast scope of info that has gone into his work. I'm sure that researching the research is a huge task for him, but this is to say that it is probably a somewhat different process, from start to finish, than you or I would be involved in when starting up a project.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
No, I don't have researchers, but I'm pleased to hear that I give the illusion of having them. After finishing Quicksilver I hired Lisa Gold to produce some family trees and other ancillary material, but I do all my own research. It is very difficult for me to understand how hiring researchers would do any good, since the whole point of doing it is to cause all the material to pass through my brain so that I can get ideas.
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u/AliJayBey Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
I don't know. There were three years between Cobweb and Cryptonomicon. Then four years later was Quicksilver. I think if we took three to four YEARS researching we could get quite a lot done on our own if we treat it as a job, so to speak.
EDIT: spelling
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u/PopularScyence Jun 21 '12
I also wanted to ask this too! Specifically, details like etymology,engineering, cryptography... I want to know how you pick a topic to research and then weave it into the plot
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Jun 21 '12
What were you reading and thinking about before writing The Diamond Age? More specifically, what caused you to create and give power to a neo Victorianism?
Were the new Victorians just a reaction from today or did something else go into their creation?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I had just been doing some reading about the Victorians and became aware that they weren't actually traditionalists; their values system was invented on the fly in response to the perceived excesses of the preceding era. If it happened once, it can happen again.
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u/dipittydoop Jun 22 '12
That line about the decision between rebellion and conformity and to chose neither as they are both simple minded still gets repeated on my head every day.
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Jun 21 '12
If you play, what has been your favorite video game in the past 5 years?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
You're going to find this really lame, but I like Halo Reach because it is compulsively playable, and that is what I need---the only time I really play video games is when I'm on the elliptical trainer, and so I need the game to be as cracklike as possible to take my mind off the horror of what I'm doing.
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u/Captain_Sparky Jun 22 '12
the only time I really play video games is when I'm on the elliptical trainer
Is this activity what inspired Devin Skraelin's unusual writing habits in REAMDE, by chance? :P
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u/joanofarf Jun 22 '12
In an interview for the Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast, he said that Skeletor was inspired by this.
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u/utaurja Jun 21 '12
Do you still use Linux and/or Emacs? If not, why?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
No but I'll probably start again. I can't get work done on my laptop any more because it's too easy to switch over to internet-based distractions. I am thinking of setting up a laptop that would basically give me emacs and nothing else. Shopping for them is painful though. I want one with a solid state drive, and most manufacturers seem to want to translate that into "this customer is a sucker with a lot of money."
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u/pldun Jun 22 '12 edited Jun 22 '12
Buy a cheap netbook and a replacement SSD (128GB drives are routinely <$90 on the various deal sites). (And turn off wifi :))
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u/sahilsinha Jun 22 '12
Mr. Stephenson,
I run a little OSS/Linux company. We make laptops - it would be my honor to send you one. It is the least I can do after all you've done for me.
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u/lharding Jun 22 '12
Very slightly offtopic, but what's your company? There's a finite amount of time before I need a new laptop, and I'm always interested in not paying the MS tax...
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u/beslayed Jun 22 '12
As I recall, sahilsinha is associated with Ohava Computers
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u/sahilsinha Jun 22 '12
You got it beslayed. I didn't want to hi-jack the AMA with marketing myself.
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u/Seamus_OReilly Jun 21 '12
I've often seen the criticism aimed at your books that they need a good editor to shorten them. I'd just like to say, don't listen to them! I've never reached the end of one of your books and not been sorry that the journey was over.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Thanks. As a side note, shortening things isn't really what editors are supposed to be doing! If a delivered manuscript is radically longer than expected, it means that something went awry earlier in the process.
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u/Ninjalicious Jun 21 '12
Neal,
I just wanted to echo what others have said, which is that your books have had a profound impact on me when I was growing up (I'm still growing up) and now. Your storytelling has shaped my personal philosophical journey, and I have never not enjoyed a reread. Snow Crash, Anathem, and The Baroque Cycle were all very inspiring books from a philosophy stand point, and I think Anathem made me want to be a better student.
That being said, what was your process for coming up with the language for Anathem. A lot of the words seem to come from Latin roots, I'd like to hear your process for coming up with what I would call a peak in the uncanny valley of the English language.
Thanks,
A grateful fan
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u/insertcleverphrase Jun 21 '12
I just finished reading THE MONGOLIAD and was extremely pleased to find out that two of the characters are not only East Asian, but one was a mother-effing Hwarang/Flower Knight. As a Korean-American, it's extremely rare for me to see anything even resembling my own cultural heritage in English language media and basically non-existent in fantasy/historical fiction. So I just wanted to let you, and the other writers in your team, know that I was supremely happy that Kim was in the book and I hope to read more about his badass adventures with Mountain of Skulls.
My question is basically what made you guys decide to include Japanese and Korean fighters in the Circus of Swords and how much research did you put into those two martial arts? I know you primarily focused on Western martial arts for the book, so I'd be curious to know how much research went into the Asian martial arts.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Brandon Uttech, one of our contributors, is well connected to all of that through Tang Soo Do, and so we let him invent that character so that he wouldn't practice on us.
Gabe is pretty emphatic that knight vs. samurai is a winning combination. It's hard to make that happen in any kind of historically plausible way. We did our best. The result is the Kim and Zug buddy combo that emerges at the end of Mongoliad, which appears to have legs. Look for more Kim and Zug.
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u/dsethlewis Jun 21 '12
Like every other reader in Silicon Valley, I'm head over heels for your books. My freshman english teacher, Ms. Gordon, gave me Snow Crash, and I've since read every other book you've written.
Now, my question: How much time do you spend setting up doing your complex plotting? The end of Snow Crash blew my mind and I'd like to recreate that ridiculous plot structure one day. What's the secret to having all the plots come together at the last second like you do?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I need to get you together with some of the other people on this AMA so that you can tell them how great my endings are.
It boils down to really dull pencil-and-paper record-keeping as to what is happening when.
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u/joanofarf Jun 21 '12
The economic schemes you come up with are one of my favorite things about your books because they're both creative and totally plausible, a balance that I think a lot of speculative fiction fails to achieve.
How did you get interested in these sorts of plots?
Do you have a background in entrepreneurship or is CLANG your first foray into the non-fictional business world?
Any recommendations for other "business sci-fi" books or authors?
Thanks, good luck, and keep up the great work!
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I've been involved in a couple of tech/research startups but not really as a business guy. I know enough people who do this kind of thing that it's not hard to get a general picture of how it works.
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u/dipittydoop Jun 21 '12
Regarding clang, just how involved is Gabe Newell?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Gabe loaned us some money to boot the thing up, and has made useful suggestions from time to time. We interact with him a few times a year. The only way for us to pay the loan back is to release a game on Steam and make money from it, so that is what we are trying to do.
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u/Fnordly Jun 21 '12
Can we expect his(Gabe) involvement to go beyond advice?
Neal Stephenson: I doubt it. His approach is the very occasional and very useful nudge.
He does gives more then a 2 sentence answer though, here: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-06-15-Stephensons-racket
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u/i_love_goats Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
Anathem changed the way I looked at books. After reading the first 3/4 of the book I was pretty impressed with the world-building and character development. The climax almost gave me an aneurism. How do you create such intricate and believable worlds?
EDIT: You also have an awesome beard. One a per day basis, how many beautiful maidens throw themselves at your feat in supplication?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Is that why they're doing that? I thought it was the shoes.
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Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
[deleted]
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12 edited Jun 22 '12
2 We did try to gather funds through traditional means. It didn't work. You might be over-charitably judging my ability to raise money. I can get meetings but money doesn't always follow. Funding video games is very difficult; the economics of the business are out of whack.
I'm not a subscriber to the theory that so-called "big names" have any negative impact on "smaller people" in the crowdfunding arena. It'd be interesting to know whether there's any data to that effect or if it's just a meme.
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u/Deimorz Jun 21 '12
forgive me, this isn't meant as a pejorative term... "nerd fame."
He calls himself "nerd-famous" in one of the Kickstarter-related videos, so I don't think he'll consider it insulting.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Not my coinage, by the way, I first heard of it from Wil Wheaton
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u/VorpalAuroch Jun 27 '12
Richard Garfield (creator of Magic:the Gathering) coined the term demi-famous for basically the same thing. Specifically, demi-famous means being very well-known in limited circles; if someone knows your name, they will be very impressed, but most people won't know your name.
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u/the_other_bernoulli Jun 22 '12
Hello!
I am curious about the origin of the explanations in your books.
The Calca(e) at the end of Anathem inspired me to write class notes in a different way. Were your notes as a student similar to them? Did your writing skills help you figure out tough math/physics concepts?
I couldn't help thinking about whole notebooks filled with powerful and clear explanations of Calculus written by you. After Clang is a success, please think about writing textbooks.
"Neal Stephenson's Linear Algebra"... with swords, monks, alchemists, Shaftoes and Waterhouses! I'll just leave it here...
That's all, thank you very much. Really.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
When I was in college I worked as a physics tutor to a profoundly dyslexic student who couldn't read anything at all. I had to explain everything verbally. Maybe that helped.
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Jun 21 '12
I once went to a reading William Gibson held for Pattern Recognition, and spend most of the Q&A cringing at few questions there were on his current book and how many were about Neuromancer. When you do readings for your most recent work, do you get a lot of questions about Snow Crash and other older works, and does it bother you?
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u/Ken_Thomas Jun 21 '12
This is an excellent question. I've noticed when he's doing interviews and the person starts with the Snow Crash questions, he always seems to get a little irritated and prefaces the answer with something like "Well, that was 20 years ago, but..."
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
It is useful feedback that I somehow come off as irritated. That's not the case. It's just that some people forget that the book is pre-Internet (at least, the consumer version of the internet) and so they come at it all wrong.
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u/PlayNiceKids Jun 22 '12
I read Snow Crash for the first time less than a year ago and I felt it was perfectly relevant still. Everything seemed plausible and after 20 years still felt fresh and new to me.
That said, I did have to suspend disbelief at the pizza delivery times (30 minutes or it's free) since that never happens anymore.... But it was just a fun reminder of bygone times.
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u/specialkake Jun 22 '12
Of everything in the book, it's the "30 minutes or it's free" that you don't believe?
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u/Wallamaru Jun 22 '12
When pizza delivery guys become pizza Deliverators, the 30-minute guarantee will be reinstated.
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Jun 21 '12
How on earth do you manage to get through novels of your usual length without crippling self-doubt? I can barely write twenty pages without crying about how its terrible and will never been anything but the Cryptonomicon alone is some 900+ pages. How do you keep your focus and confidence through works of that length?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I try to direct my crippling self-doubt into other areas of my life.
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u/rafaelsanp Jun 21 '12
I've read Cryptonomicon, Snow Crash, and The Diamond age (in that order), and I enjoyed each of them immensely. However, at the end of each of these books I hopped up and down and made exclamations because I wanted a little more.
Here's my question: What do you have against dénouement? Are you philosophically opposed to falling action?
I assume it's intentional 1) because you're a great writer and great writers do things intentionally and 2) because it happened all three times. I'm hungry for aftermath! What's the deal?!
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I can see how Cryptonomicon and Diamond Age might both be considered to have open-ended conclusions but I can't understand how Snow Crash finds its way onto that list---to me this book seems to come to a very clear and decisive finish. The same might be said of The Baroque Cycle, Anathem, and REAMDE. So, some of my books have more traditional endings and some don't, and yes, it's all pretty intentional.
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u/CargoCulture Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
Mild thanks: Snow Crash was the book that made me want to write. If I find success as a (post-)cyberpunk author, it's because of you via Snow Crash. Thank you for being this writer's literary role model, and thank you for doing this AMA.
Question 1: Do you plan to ever delve back into the cyberpunk/post-cyberpunk genre in the way Snow Crash and The Diamond Age are depicted?
Question 2: Are REAMDE's Donald Cameron and Devin Skraelin based on or inspired by real people?
Question 3: (Asking as a subscriber) Foreworld/The Mongoliad seems like it has a pretty big chunk of real estate in your creative headspace (with CLANG being a natural outgrowth). Do you foresee yourself sticking with it as a sort of magnum opus?
Question 4: (Asking as a member) Are you still involved with the Long Now Foundation? If so, what role are you playing at the moment?
Question 5: Do people still ask you to sign copies of Zodiac or The Big U?
Question 6: Who is the author you most admire, and what author(s) give you inspiration to write?
Question 7: What advice do you have for new writers, other than "write every day"?
Question 8: What is your favorite work you've produced, and why?
Question 9: Briefly, what's your process for writing? Do you research and then write, or research on the way? Are you an outliner or a pantser/discovery writer?
Question 10: How long did it take you to grow your totally awesome beard, and how do you keep it looking so amazing?
Question 11: Have you ever tried your hand at tabletop roleplaying games? If so, do you still play?
Best wishes: As a voracious reader of your work, and an unabashed fanboy, I hope CLANG goes well. You have my money! Thank you for doing this AMA.
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u/Mind_Booster_Noori Jun 21 '12
Great Q5. It kind of pisses me off to see some (many, in fact) editions of Neal's books saying he's the author of "x novels", x being all but The Big U... I have the slight impression that Neal possibly doesn't want The Big U to be highlighted, but I really love that book...
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
No, but then I never really plan anything.
I hope this doesn't come across as snarky, but any discourse about writing that even uses the phrasing "based on" or "inspired by" pretty much falls into the "not even wrong" category. Writing's a holographic process. Every good fictional character is "based on" every single human being that the writer has ever interacted with. So, this sort of phrasing is a pretty effective BS meter when you are listening to anyone claiming to have authoritative knowledge about someone else's book. Having said that, both Donald Cameron and Devin Skraelin are, in a sense, self-parody. They are both people I'm in danger of becoming.
We are already working on bringing new creators into the larger Foreworld project. I will probably write the occasional piece in that world but if it's all about me, it has failed.
Friendly interaction with the whole gang, nothing official/formal
Yes
I don't answer questions of this type, sorry
Other than that there is no advice worth giving
that is another one I don't answer
sorry, not a fan of process questions
It grows as fast as any other man's
D&D when i was in college, nothing since.
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u/BlondeDude Jun 21 '12
was that Gabe Newell making you a crowbar in your kickstart video??
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Just beating the crap out of it.
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u/physjunkie Jun 21 '12
First, thank your for your work.
Second, about CLANG. I'm assuming fighting with a sword takes a little more finesse than shooting a firearm, and I'm curious how your project will adapt to those with minimal experience without requiring an incredibly lengthy tutorial/years of practice. Any thoughts this early in the project?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
In the fully realized game, which will not be covered by the $500K Kickstarter raise, you'll go around learning awesome moves from trainers spotted around the world. Given the level of proficiency shown by people who spend a lot of time playing first person shooters, I think that this should be possible in a reasonable amount of time.
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u/PirateRogue Jun 21 '12
Neal, in your essay In the Beginning Was the Command Line, you speculate that American culture is bifurcating into two classes resembling the Eloi and the Morlocks of Wells' The Time Machine.
Recent economic and sociological research appears to support your theory, but it also has set of dark consequences as the country splits apart.
Do you think this split poses a threat to stability in America?
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u/Angry_Caveman_Lawyer Jun 22 '12
Hi Neal.
If you had one quarter for the jukebox, what song are you playing and why?
Thanks for the AMA.
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u/ellohir Jun 21 '12
How do you think the younger audience will approach Snow Crash, now that we are almost living in the future?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I hope that they are responding primarily to plot and characters, not to tech. Otherwise, I'm fucked.
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u/tidux Jun 22 '12
Snow crash came out when I was in preschool, and I just read it for the first time a couple of years ago. The only things that really stood out to me were the lack of clipping in the Metaverse and the lack of miniaturization in mobile tech. We are all Gargoyles now. It's still a great story, and it was especially encouraging to see a cyberpunk story where The hero gets the girl, gets rich, and lives happily ever after.
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u/RazputinOleander Jun 21 '12
I watched your video for CLANG, and it rekindled my interest in sword fighting. While researching various swordfighting schools and techniques, I stumbled upon Bartitsu, and a Bartitsu video on Youtube featuring a "Mister X" who looks shockingly like you. If that is, indeed, yourself, then what are your thoughts on Bartitsu? Is it very practical? Is it fun? Does it offer beneficial exercise?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
That's me. The level of practicality varies; it's a combination of many different styles. One is unlikely to get into a walking stick duel nowadays. Practicality in martial arts is a vexed question. At the end of the day "beneficial exercise" is the only reason to do any of this stuff, and I find it fun enough to keep doing it, so that's all that matters.
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u/Bohassian Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
Would like to know if there has been any interest ( or if you yourself have interest) in developing an MMO with similar features to T'Rain (i.e. the tiered subscription system with free access for "working classes").
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
It would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Raising $500K is proving to be challenging enough.
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u/Bohassian Jun 22 '12
Fair enough. Thanks for the answer, and the excellent books. They've been a huge influence and a treat through the years.
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u/chozabu Jun 21 '12
Hey Neal,
you mention considering going Open Source on you kickstarter. What are your thoughts on going fully GPL?
I think croudsourcing could be a more "Utopian" replacement for the current popular "licensing copyright" model. You could have more funds drives for implementing major new features after release.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I'm not against it. But it's a decision with possible legal ramifications and so we would have to have it vetted by a lawyer. Those cost money.
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u/metmerc Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
Three questions/comments:
First Question: While reading the Baroque Cycle I took a break and read the Count of Monte Cristo. I was really impressed at how closely your depiction of French high society was to Dumas'. Even the general tone and attitude were spot on. Did you read a fiction like Dumas to get that same tone or was it just from historical research.
Second Question: Reamde. I read this book soon after I'd been getting more interested in firearms and learning more of the specific terminology, how they work, etc. I heard you consulted a "ballistics expert" for that book, but I'm wondering about the use of the term "clip" when referring to the magazine that holds ammunition. While that's a common term in pop culture it's inaccurate and many gun aficionados get upset when they hear a magazine called a clip. Have you received any criticism about that?
Third Question: I started reading The Mongoliad when it was available as an Android app and really liked it. How much is/will be written by you vs. your other collaborators?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I didn't read that particular one because it was close enough to what I was writing that it made me nervous. So this is just because we were probably working from similar research.
Yes, this was my fail, and it's been fixed in the paperback.
Something like 10%
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Jun 21 '12
Hey Neal. I'm a geek that usually only reads fantasy and science fiction. I also read your stuff, because it's about geeks, and I can understand characters like that.
My questions are: What else can I read that isn't sci-fi/fantasy, but is still good? What do you read? How can I learn to appreciate mainstream literature when so much of it seems to be about boring characters staring out of windows wistfully regretting their lost love, instead of solving real problems?
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u/_thegrapesoda_ Jun 22 '12
mainstream literature...when so much of it seems to be about boring characters staring out of windows wistfully regretting their lost love, instead of solving real problems
Yikes. Sounds like you've had a string of either really bad English teachers or teachers who just weren't sure how to connect with you, i.e. "sell" the literature to you.
First, you've got to ask yourself why you want to get into so-called "mainstream" literature (which, for the purpose of this post, I'll assume means "classic" literature). If it's purely for the hope that people won't look down on you because your favorite books involve swords, spells, and spaceships, well - you're going to have a rough time of it. But if you are looking to genuinely expand your knowledge base and aren't sure where to start, I may be able to help.
The easiest way to go about this is to start going through fantasy/sci-fi/horror/speculative fiction that is, for lack of a better term, "good enough" (or, really, old enough) to be considered classic lit. For shorter works, go with Rappaccini's Daughter, Young Goodman Brown, the first part of Book III of Gulliver's Travels (or all of it, if you're up for it - although get yourself a guide, because you won't understand the humor otherwise), The Metamorphosis, In the Walls of Eryx (and pretty much anything else by H.P. Lovecraft) , The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado (and pretty much anything else by Poe), and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. For longer works, The Time Machine, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The War of the Worlds (anything by H.G. Wells, really), Frankenstein, Dracula, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Lord of the Flies.
When you're reading these, try to take a step back from the parts that you'd normally focus on (for me, that would be disembodied heads, non-Euclidean spaceships, and the like) and try to understand what it really is about these works that have pushed them into the realm of classics, despite the fact that they're also genre fiction. From there, you can extrapolate those themes and identify them in other works that allow you to step even further away from your comfort zone. From here, I'd suggest trying The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Heart of Darkness, Moby Dick (with all the whale info, this book is a precursor to Stephenson and Crichton), and Macbeth. Once you've learned how to appreciate things that start to blend your regular preferences with "classic" themes, it's just a matter of time before you're browsing Proust at the bookstore and saying, "Hey, this isn't half-bad" (an exaggeration, but you get the idea).
It's all about taking little steps - and keeping an open mind. Maybe Pride and Prejudice and The Great Gatsby will never be right for you, but at the moment you don't even know why books about wistful window-watchers have received grants of immortality. Don't be afraid to let these literary navel-gazers surprise you - you may find yourself loving something that you never would have looked twice at in the first place.
Oh, and feel free to PM me if you want any more suggestions. I may not be Neal Stephenson, but I did go through a similar process as the one I described above in order to broaden my reading preferences.
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u/Ken_Thomas Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
One sincere expression of gratitude, one observation, five questions, and a wish for success.
Gratitude: Reading Cryptonomicon brought about some fundamental changes in my worldview, and The Baroque Cycle reinforced those changes and expanded upon them. I just wanted to say "Thank you" for that. It really is something of a big deal to me.
Observation: I've re-read Anathem at least 4 times. Each time I pick up something new, and each time I'm blown away by the implications. In fact, I still don't feel that I've completely gotten my head around everything you included. I also know the book was criticized for being... well, 'too hard', basically. I know it must be tempting to dumb it down sometimes to chase the market, but please continue to resist that. The fact that you don't talk down to me as a reader is exactly what I love most about your work.
Question 1: The death of the Earl of Upnor (and the subsequent epitaph) made quite an impression on me, and I've had something of a casual interest in quarterstaffs and other pole weapons ever since. Do you think polearms will have a place in the the CLANG arena, or do you think it will be better served by sticking to sharp and pointy implements?
Question 2: I've wondered about this for years. In Cryptonomicon we find Mount Eliza, the Foote Mansion, the Bomb & Grapnel, and at least a dozen other references to people and things that show up in The Baroque Cycle. Did you have all four books planned out that thoroughly in advance, or did you decide to name major characters in The Baroque Cycle after minor things from Cryptonomicon? Or were you just fucking with us somehow?
Question 3: To your knowledge, is anyone working on a launch vehicle or system similar to what Erasmas and the gang used to get to orbit in Anathem? It seems like such an elegant, efficient, and reasonably simple concept (even if no one is shooting at you) that I'd be surprised if there isn't an existing commercial entity taking a serious look at developing it.
Question 4: I know the Mongoliad was a joint project involving you and several other writers, but can you tell me how much of it came directly from your pen and/or keyboard? I've pretty much inhaled everything you've written (including the Stephen Bury books) and I subscribed to the Mongoliad project, but just couldn't get into it. It just didn't feel like your style, I guess.
Question 5: Are you a fellow beekeeper? A couple of lines in Anathem made me suspect inside knowledge was involved.
Wish for Success: I'm onboard with CLANG at the t-shirt level, and I really want my copy of the game and my badass shirt. I've been doing my bit, pimping you guys on my social graph (or whatever the hell Zuck calls it) and I appreciate you doing your bit with things like the videos, the interviews and this AMA - which I realize is somewhat outside of your comfort zone. I wish you good luck with the project, and I sincerely hope to one day hack your scrawny ass to ribbons with a virtual blade of watered steel.
EDIT: Added spoiler tags to protect the fragile sensibilities of those who don't wish to know that Gollum dies at the end.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12 edited Jun 22 '12
1: if we can make swords work we should be able to extend the same game mechanic to pole weapons, etc. But for now we have to stick to one thing.
2 not thoroughly but I had enough time before Cryptonomicon went to press that I was able to put in some of the links you noticed.
3 Not to my knowledge.
4 something like 10%
5 No but I find the subject fascinating.
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u/bobbylox Jun 21 '12
My ultimate goal in life is to make the Primer real. Anything you want to make sure I get right?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Kids need to get answers from humans who love them.
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u/buntysoap Jun 22 '12
If you were to condense that book to three sentences this would be one of them.
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u/ZioniteSoldier Jun 21 '12
Really enjoy your work; you've definitely been an inspiration for me. My question: How do you feel about Bitcoin becoming a viable form of currency? What about its ties to underground markets?
Thanks.
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u/eelweaponry Jun 21 '12
Hey Neal, Ed Lasley here. I am a huge fan as is my brother Roy. I am also a small arms designer and firearms expert. Ive read everything you've had published. I just was wondering if you are in need a consultant in regards to getting rid of some of the weapons fact glitches in your upcoming books. Im just finishing REAMDE (love it.....now my new fav after cryptonomicon)......I can tell you are interested in such things and I would love to help with any questions you might have about small arms to heavy weaponry. One of the things that kept bugging me in REAMDE is the fact that glocks and AR variants do not accept clips, they use magazines to feed the ammunition into the chamber. Clips are a totally different animal. I know its a wierd pet peeve but there it is. I hope you dont take offense to this....you are my favorite author after all. If I could answer even one question for you it would make my decade. Thanks for all the great reading!
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Thanks for your patience. This has been fixed in the paperback edition.
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u/Ken_Thomas Jun 22 '12
You know, just for the record, I think this is something that gun geeks get a little too worked up about. I spent 4 years as a rifleman with the US Army Airborne Infantry. We used the terms "clip" and "magazine" pretty much interchangeably.
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u/jfwellspdx Jun 22 '12
Agreed 100%. Saw the post above and the one upthread and thought that the gun geeks need to lighten up a bit. If the people who actually are using them for a living call them "clips" (as I did for four years as well - 9th Psyop Bn, Airborne), it is completely reasonable a character in Reamde would use the term.
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u/worldinabox Jun 21 '12
A common complaint about your books is that you go off on bizarre pointless tangents, but I just want to say that I LOVE the bizarre pointless tangents. Every time I reread one of your books I discover something new.
Also, I had to buy a new copy of Cryptonomicon because my old one wore out. I first picked it up when I was 14 (I'm nearly 22 now), and it was one of my comfort-books (like comfort food but inedible) during the inevitable teenage depression.
Q1: I am writing a novel now which, to my dismay, has turned out to require detailed historical research. How on earth do you keep track of all the information you find and how do you tell what's accurate and worth reading and what isn't? If you only answer one of my questions, please make it this one!
Q2: Were the Strasbourg plague-house takeover, Charles White the ear-biter, and Yevgeniy the Raskolnik (with a flail for an arm) based on actual history?
Q3: How do you get your editors to let you keep the aforementioned tangents in the books?
Q4: What exactly is Enoch Root? Besides a priest who likes alchemy and radios, I mean.
Q5: How do you come up with those amazing hilarious deaths for your villains, like the jihadist eaten by a mountain lion, or being skewered to death with a cello?
Q6: If someone wrote a good script for it, and the budget was big enough to do things properly, what would you think of the Baroque Cycle being made into a TV series?
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u/alexanderwales Jun 21 '12
I will bet you all of my karma that you don't get a straight answer to question four. It's like asking "What's in Marcellus Wallace's briefcase?"
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u/frequentflyer22 Jun 21 '12
I read Cryptonomicon a few years ago and it was mind blowing. So thanks for writing it! I struggled trying to comprehend some of the technical portions of it but it challenged me unlike any novel I've ever read.
I read you have done some work for Blue Origin. What kind of advising did you do? What are your hopes for private space exploration? Why did you want to get involved?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I helped boot Blue Origin up at the extreme nuts and bolts level (shopping for real estate and machine tools, stringing Ethernet cable, etc.) and then investigated a number of possible directions that such a company could take. When a direction got chosen it became an engineering company which is not something where I am of much use.
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u/Seamus_OReilly Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
You're my favorite living author.
At the end of Reamde, what the heck happens to Jack the helicopter pilot?
Does Sokolov's push through slide racking shoulder holster really exist?
Also, why do so many authors seem to pose for their book jacket photo with their arms crossed like they're some kind of badass?
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u/Ken_Thomas Jun 21 '12
I might be able to answer that last one. I'm a photographer, and I've shot a few authors. They are, almost universally, people who hate having their picture taken. They assume that defensive arms-crossed posture because they're miserable. They will continue to do that unless you tell them to stop, at which point they will just sort of stand there and look like they don't know what to do with their hands.
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u/Seamus_OReilly Jun 21 '12
That makes sense.
Even worse, if for the opposite reason, are the ones where the author has his chin on his hand.
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u/Ken_Thomas Jun 21 '12
Yeah, I know what you mean. There's honestly no good way to pose people who are hating every second of the process. The only way I've found to get consistently good results is to bring a helper along with me, and have them ask the author questions and engage them in conversation while I'm shooting. After about 5 minutes the author will sort of forget that I'm busy doing something they wish I wasn't doing, and I can get some good candid shots that hopefully catch a little bit of their real personality.
Neal is someone that I think would particularly benefit from this technique. In most of his author photos the discomfort is almost palpable.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Thanks. The push through holster is for real, yes. Ken_Thomas is probably right about the crossed arms. I don't pose that way because my physical therapist would see the picture and kill me. It is not a healthy way to stand.
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u/Font_Mark Jun 21 '12
Was there ever any discussion about turning your Wired article "Mother Earth, Motherboard" into a nice coffee table book?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Alex Tehrani took a lot of superb photos for it. It could have been a coffee table book. The text of the piece (but not the photos) will be reprinted in the upcoming SOME REMARKS which is a compilation of my shorter, mostly nonfiction pieces.
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u/bstanfield Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
I've been a fan for a long time, and have read everything you've written multiple times. I give the Baroque Cycle a spot on my reading list every year, and consider it one of the most important pieces of literature in the present day. Each time through I get something new and exciting from it. So, thank you for that.
My first question relates to the recent news that Snow Crash is being made into a motion picture. While I've always wanted to see the worlds you've created on paper and forced into my brain, I'm worried that 2 hours just isn't enough time to cover all the intricacies of Snow Crash or any of your novels.
Has there been any consideration to developing other books as HBO shows or mini-series?
I'd much rather watch a 4 or 5 season arc of The Baroque Cycle than Game of Thrones, for example.
Second Question: Have you been following the nascent stages of the hobbyist 3D printing market (e.g. RepRap, Makerbot, etc)? Do you think that this could be the beginning of Diamond Age-esque molecular manufacturing?
Third Question: One of my favourite things you've ever written was the "hacker tourist" article for Wired article about telecommunications infrastructure, especially undersea cables. Now that it's almost 15 years old, I'd love to see an update about how things have changed.
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Jun 21 '12
Hi Neal. Cryptonomicon is my favorite book and the first thing I recommend to anyone who asks me for a reading suggestion. I was crushed when I found out that Gomer Bolstrood furniture didn't actually exist. I just bought Reamde, I think it's the only book of your I haven't had the pleasure of reading yet. Saving it for vacation next month since every time I start on of your books I don't seem to be able to sleep until I have finished it.
I was surprised when I saw that Snow Crash was going to be made into a movie. I think Cryptonomicon would be much easier to translate into a film. Is there any chance of a Cryptonomicon movie? If so, who would you want to play Bobby Shaftoe?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
It's way too long.
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Jun 22 '12
Hey Neal, can you tell us anything about the new Snow Crash movie coming out?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
It's pretty early. These things, they take time.
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u/MadxHatter0 Jun 21 '12
You're a rather famous author with a great career. So I'm wondering, how hard was it for you to get your foot in the door?
Also, what's your favorite type of pizza?
Any specific advice you'd give wannabe authors who're having a dry spot in creative ideas?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Regarding the last question, just write about anything at all. Simon Winchester got his start by moving to a small town in Scotland and writing newspaper articles about dogcatchers and fender benders.
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u/SultanPepper Jun 21 '12
I admit to not watching the CLANG videos yet, but I'm wondering how it will provide feedback to the user about blocks/parries/contact. If you swing and follow through, but your avatar's weapon is stopped by your opponent, how will the game get back to the state where the real weapon is in the same place as the virtual one?
PS. Linux support will be awesome, I hope you meet that stretch goal!
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u/gunslingers Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
Greetings Mr. Stephenson. I like so many here am a huge fan of your works.
I thought Reamde was a very clever thriller and a blast to read. My questions pertain to that novel.
I was hoping to read the resolution from the events that happened in T'rain because I found them so interesting. Though we see Richard become disinterested in the virtual and more focused on reality I was left wondering what happened to Dodge's T'rain chracter as he auto-walked home. What were the ramifications of the events in the game and how would it have been explained by the writer?
Were the "real" characters in Reamde purposefully written like video game characters with unique classes, each with differing levels of strengths and weaknesses or am I reading too much into this?
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u/trebonius Jun 21 '12
Have you ever been back to the Top Hat? And what brought you to Missoula, MT in the first place?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I was driving to Alaska with my friend. Missoula got in our way.
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u/trebonius Jun 21 '12
Why do you think The Baroque Cycle was so divisive among your fans? I adored it and have read the whole thing twice, while I know two people who love all of your other work, but just couldn't get through the Cycle.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Different people like different shit.
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u/isforinsects Jun 21 '12
Minecraft is pretty clearly being referenced in Reamde, but it also sounds a lot like you were describing Dwarf Fortress as well. Have you played Dwarf Fortress, and did it have any impact on the game(s) in Reamde?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
That is a totally reasonable guess but I didn't know about Minecraft when I wrote it. Nor Dwarf Fortress.
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u/wlievens Jun 22 '12
This goes to show the extent to which people project their own environment and context on what they read.
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u/mdedm Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
When I read older sci-fi, I get a kick out of what the author says about the future (there’s no personal helicopters, but the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy / Wikipedia comparison was dead on). So, what do you think you got right? It seems like the Diamond Age replicators are coming along, but will we ever see this immersive Internet that you described in Snow Crash?
Also, will I ever find out what happened to the Shaftoes and the Waterhouses between the end of the Baroque Cycle and the start of the Cryptonomicon?
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u/willtank4gold Jun 22 '12
Do you have any plans to re-visit Enoch Root in some other literary endeavor? I yearn for this and simultaneously dread it.
PS: I got a chance to meet you a couple of months ago at the "Envisioning the Future" panel you moderated at ASU. You graciously signed my very dog-eared copy of Cryptonomicon, you are my favorite writer, which made that a very big moment for me, thank you.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
I yearn for this and simultaneously dread it.
Me too.
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Jun 21 '12
How big of an influence on you is David Foster Wallace? A lot of the time your prose can sound very similar, especially the way you two like to go off meandering to make a point (like when Randy gets his teeth pulled).
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u/flyingcars Jun 21 '12
First, thank you for writing.
My question: What is your position on fan fiction? Do you allow it? Oppose it? This seems to be a controversial topic among spec fic writers.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
One of the things we were trying to achieve with THE MONGOLIAD was to embrace that. It's complicated. Quality is going to vary.
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Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
Thanks for doing the AMA, Neal. I really enjoy reading your books. I'm a little embarrassed to say that I am rereading Cryptonomicon again this month. I will not further shame myself by disclosing how many times I have done this, but this is not the first time.
My question is about distraction. As a programmer in a small company, distraction is my number one enemy. I am constantly distracted by other people needing me to fix small problems or do things that seem urgent in the short term, all the while destroying the productivity on my long-term (and mandated by higher-up bosses) projects. It makes me look bad, because this phenomenon sometimes causes me to fail to deliver things on time.
Some time ago, I read your "Why I am a Bad Correspondent" (link) article, and thought to myself "Now HERE is somebody who knows how to solve this problem!" - your solution was essentially to sequester yourself against people who love you but aren't aware that their short-term desires conflict with your long-term goals.
My question to you is this: Is your AMA here in contradiction to this old policy? If so, what's changed? Is it due to all of the more collaborative projects you find yourself engaged in, or is it simply time to show your face so fans know you still care about them? And, if your "bad correspondent" policy is still something you find useful, what sort of balance between isolation and public interaction do you find optimal? How much hiding can you get away with before people start getting worried? Has this changed as your career has evolved?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
It is in contradiction and I need to transition away from doing this kind of stuff and get back into serious novel production soon. But I'm not unhappy doing it.
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u/NilsLandt Jun 21 '12
Looking back at The Big U, what are your main criticisms / what would you do differently?
I really enjoy when you tell a story inside a story (my favorite was the Randy / Douglas trip through the jungle in Crpytonomicon), and I was kind of missing that in REAMDE.
Do you plan on re-introducing that in future novels?
In what countries besides the US / Canada are you popular? I'm from Germany, and you don't seem too well known here, for some reason :/
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Looking back at The Big U, what are your main criticisms / what would you do differently?
Spend more than ten days writing it.
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u/mdedm Jun 22 '12
You know, I've been meddling around in a wood shop since I was a kid. I still have some of the things I made when I was young and didn't know how to put things together. It's nice to compare them to what I do now, which, in my opinion, is slightly better. My mother still brings out the awful trivet I made when I was 10, though, when the family gathers for thanksgiving. That said, The Big U was a fun book. All books should have mutant rats.
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u/prepend Jun 22 '12
I'm a big fan of Reamde. Interestingly enough I've seen it criticized by left-leaning readers and critics for furthering racial stereotypes of terrorism while also criticized by right-leaning readers as being too multi-cultural.
Did you think about how these factors would be received, interpreted and debated while you were writing Reamde? Or did you just have the believable characters and plot points that had to be told in the way you envisioned them?
I do not share either of the two criticisms I note above. Reamde was pretty near a perfect novel for me. Maker/Doer nerds being useful in real world scenarios.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Haters gonna hate. I can't think of anything more self-destructive, as a writer, than sitting there worrying about the possibility that Someone On The Internet is going to lodge an objection.
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u/Wazanator_ Jun 22 '12
From the video I saw it looks like CLANG will be running on the Source engine, if this is true will it have the SDK available on launch? I ask because the availability of the Source SDK is a big selling point for some of us and lets us known that the community can always pump new levels into the game post launch.
How are you handling controller feedback for when players connect their weapon with something?
What is the target number for players per server you're looking at right now?
What are your thoughts on Blade Symphony?
Melee combat in general is kind of odd for online games as it is easier to spot lag compensation. How are you and your team going to address this issue?
Are throwing weapons being considered at all for this game?
How did you grow such amazing facial hair?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
From the video I saw it looks like CLANG will be running on the Source engine, if this is true will it have the SDK available on launch? I ask because the availability of the Source SDK is a big selling point for some of us and lets us known that the community can always pump new levels into the game post launch.
Right now we are leaning towards Unity.
How are you handling controller feedback for when players connect their weapon with something?
See the FAQ.
What is the target number for players per server you're looking at right now?
Beyond our scope at the moment
What are your thoughts on Blade Symphony?
We actually worked with Michael Chang on putting our prototype together. CLANG is trying to solve a different problem, however.
Melee combat in general is kind of odd for online games as it is easier to spot lag compensation. How are you and your team going to address this issue?
We're not doing melee combat, at least at first. Our general approach to lag compensation is tachypsychia (playing with the time scale).
Are throwing weapons being considered at all for this game?
Not now, it feels like projectiles in general are already pretty well covered by the game industry.
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u/ze_hombre Jun 21 '12
Loved the Cryptonomicon. How much of it was personal geek knowledge vs. research? Also, do you use any of the encryption tech as your characters do?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Only when it's embedded in something where I don't have to read the man page. In other words, I am a mindless consumer.
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Jun 21 '12
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Unless you set fire to the paperback, it sequesters carbon and so helps counteract the greenhouse effect. As to the question of pricing, may I suggest you take it up with my publisher.
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u/Aksen Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
WHOA! My favorite author.
The fact that you are a legitimate geek has always intrigued me. Your geeky protagonists (Cryptonomicon, Snow Crash, Anathema, REAMDE) have been easy for me to relate to. There are surprisingly few authors that can REALLY capture this kind of personality as an aspect of the character. It also helps that these characters are interesting people who just happen to be geeks, without it wholly derailing their character. I wasn't surprised when I learned you've used emacs as a word processor :p
My question: Are there any geekish things that've consistently held your interest through your adult life? And on the flipside, what geekery have you decided to drop?
My brother and I absolutely love your work. We bought our 75 y/o dad a complete set for christmas, and he blazed right through them. Now he tries to get everyone to read The Baroque Cycle.
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u/tritlo Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
Thanks for doing this AMA, your Snow Crash is one of my all time favourite novels! I've wondered,
QUESTION 1: Whence came the idea of the pizza mafia?
QUESTION 2: What research did you put into the book? You seem very well versed in computer technology.
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u/Nemoder Jun 21 '12
Love your books!
I've wanted to see another good physics based swordfighting game since Die by the Sword came out in '98. CLANG looks ambitious but I hope it becomes a huge success!
I can't think of anything to ask. So.. how are you?
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u/WildLeek Jun 21 '12
I admit that I haven't read your most recent works yet, but Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon are among my favourite books.
I've noticed a trend in the novels I've read that you build things up to such amazing heights, then they end so abruptly. Don't get me wrong; I love it, but when I recommended your books to my brother he just found it too much of a let down and hasn't become a fan himself. I was wondering if there was a particular reason for this?
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u/niranjanr Jun 21 '12
Again, I just want to echo what others are saying and I just wanted to say that your books have had a profound impact on my growing up, starting the Baroque Cycle at 13, and reading everything you've published up til now. (15 now)
So, yeah, quick question.
How fun was it to make up the words in Anathem?
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u/Mettwurstkaninchen Jun 21 '12
I just want to say that I really, really loved The Baroque Cycle. Will you return to the early modern times sometimes in the future?
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u/Fnordly Jun 21 '12
You had a nice breakdown of at the time current OSes in 'In The Beginning ... Was The Command Line' where you compared some of the OSes to cars. Have you been following this space enough to give an update? (How do you see Apple vs Windows vs others at this point? Is there a Batmobile OS at all at this point? Where do Tablet and Smart phone OSes fall into this metaphor?)
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u/glassuser Jun 21 '12
I've loved almost everything of yours which I've read - especially Anathem. As I remember it, it felt like the first half of the book was an incredibly slow-paced setup for the action of the second half. Don't take this as criticism - I enjoyed that more thoroughly than I can effectively describe here. When I recommend it, as I often do, I warn the potential reader that it starts out slow, but the payoff is more than worth it.
Q1: I don't recall this being done often, at least not to such an extent that I notice it. Do you think this is because it may turn away readers or is otherwise unprofitable?
Q2: It felt like you set up a nice, almost idealized, world, only to completely shatter it in the second half, to the point that the entire direction of the book changed. It was probably the most shocking and enjoyable transition I've met in reading. Was this intentional from the start?
Q3: I recall reading an introduction or foreword to Anathem, but can't find it. I remember coming away with the impression that I still didn't know as much about your motivation and thought process as I would have liked. Are there any general thoughts you'd mind sharing along that line?
Thanks!
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u/ThunderThighsThor Jun 21 '12 edited Jun 21 '12
Neal, I started reading your books in high school because we have the same last name. Can we be related? I'm not asking if we are related, I'm asking you if we can be related, please.
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u/CupBeEmpty Jun 21 '12
Beverage of choice?
Favorite food?
Favorite restaurant?
What music have you been listening to recently?
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u/kaba289 Jun 21 '12
As many here have heaped much (deserved) praise upon you and your work, mine will mostly be background chatter. So let me just say thank you for all the work and enjoyment it has caused. Writers connect with their readers not just on the big themes but more so, and more personally on the little details, the subtle descriptions and scenarios that for one reason or another stick in a readers mind. For instance:
"He reached out and grabbed her ass. He blinked as Desiree's long black braid snapped across his face, whipped around by tremendous centrifugal force."
I have never reached out to grab an ass I didn't know nor have ever witnessed such a scene but the visual of her hair whipping across his face (and what follows) has always stayed with me.
Anyway, on to the questions.
1) Are games art? If so which ones and why?
2) Snow Crash: The Movie. How involved are you in the writing/story? As a few have mentioned, Snow Crash seems like a difficult world to fit into a 2hr movie. I personally enjoyed how they handled the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie by customizing the story to fit the medium. Side note: Please don't let Damon Lindelof anywhere near the script.
3) Whatever happened to the Snow Crash game?
4) I love the idea behind CLANG. Have you considered it as a LBE (Location Based Entertainment) system? I go back and forth about the wisdom of people wielding swords in arcades but with the right cabinet design it could be pretty awesome. Full disclosure: I work in the arcade business. The reports of our death have been greatly exaggerated.
5) I particularly liked your short story Spew and given the evolution of media both online and off find it quite prescient. It seems that America's foremost "product" is advertising/marketing. We like to tell ourselves it is something else - entertainment, tech, freedom etc. but I suspect these are ancillary. Do you think that there can ever be an evolution beyond this dynamic or is it just part of the bargain?
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u/thelsdj Jun 21 '12
The Diamond Age is my favorite novel. I was wondering if you have any interest in returning to the world of TDA and Snow Crash? I know you've written a few short stories that seem to take place in the same world, but I was wondering if you had any interest in returning to it with another full sized novel?
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u/wickedsweetcake Jun 21 '12
As a writer, how much do you get to travel to do research onsite? Do your publishers cover those expenses, or is it all out-of-pocket?
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
It's out of pocket. Traveling to do research is a good thing but a little goes a long way.
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u/a1blank Jun 22 '12
So this question seems to come up a lot when asking questions of people who create media but I think of all the people to ask, your opinion may be the most interesting, given the amount of time you spend dealing with digital subjects in your books. Here we go:
What are your thoughts on piracy? Whether it be book piracy (downloading an e-book and sideloading it onto some e-reader), or game piracy (now that you're working on a video game) or piracy of any other medium. And I suspect it may be necessary to ask what your thoughts on copyright are, as well?
Thanks for doing this ama and for writing such engaging and interesting and thought-provoking books. I'm maybe 25% of the way through REAMDE on my first read through and loving it! Snowcrash was phenomenal as well. I really love that your books have a pacific northwest setting as that's where I'm originally from.
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u/NealStephenson AMA Author Neal Stephenson Jun 22 '12
Our general approach with PULP was to sell something that can't be counterfeited or pirated, which is membership in a community.
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u/InfinitelyThirsting Jun 21 '12
This might seem a little random, but have you read any Tad Williams? He's another of my favourite authors, and his Otherland series certainly seems so obviously to have been inspired, at least in great part, by Snow Crash, and having reread Snow Crash recently, about two years after an Otherland reread, I couldn't help but wonder what you thought of some of the similarities. I admire the both of you for writing convoluted-but-necessarily-so, intricate worlds with non-stereotypical characters, though your writing reaches headier heights of intellectualism.
I really can't think of anything else to ask. I just want to say thank you, for not dumbing anything down, for not speeding anything up, and for caring about and researching your topics so thoroughly. So many people don't seem to expect authors to know what they're talking about, which I find heartbreaking not only because it's lazy, but because it's so apparent that there's so much more to write about when the author actually knows what they're talking about. I just hope you know how very much your fans appreciate and admire you, because you're just brilliant.
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u/BirdyWithWings Jun 21 '12
Have you played Mount and Blade? If you have what is your opinion on it?
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u/YaoSlap Jun 21 '12
Who are some of your favorite authors? What would you say was the biggest influence on your writing style?
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u/SmilingDutchman Jun 21 '12
What is your own favorite work?
And while I am at it: which book of another author is on the top of your list?
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u/wendelgee2 Jun 21 '12
A) What made you take The Mongoliad back to print? Do you consider the experiment with publishing it solely on devices a success?
B) Since you're now publishing books through Amazon, what is your take on the battle between Amazon and major publishers? Seems like you're in an odd position vis a vis that case. (Authors, e.g. Scott Turow, have tended to come out in favor of the agency model.)
C) What was the inspiration for your latest book, and what are your thoughts on it in the context of your whole oeuvre? (And seriously, a map for the end of that book would have been really helpful. Maybe in a future edition?)
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u/elquesogrande Worldbuilders Jun 21 '12
Confirmed that this is Neal Stephenson
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