Anathem

Version: Unabridged
Author: Neal Stephenson
Narrator: Oliver Wyman , Neal Stephenson , Tavia Gilbert
Genres: Fiction
Publisher: MacMillan Audio
Published In: September 2008
# of Units: 28 CDs
Length: 29 hours
Ratings:
Tell Your Friends:

Overview

Fraa Erasmas is a young avout living in the Concent of Saunt Edhar, a sanctuary for mathematicians, scientists, and philosophers, protected from the corrupting influences of the outside 3saecular world by ancient stone and complex rituals. Over the centuries, cities and governments have risen and fallen beyond the concents walls, yet the avout have always managed to adapt in the wake of catastrophe.

Now, in celebration of the week-long, once-in-a-decade rite of Apert, the fraas and suurs prepare to venture beyond the concent. During his first Apert as a fraa, Erasmas eagerly anticipates reconnecting with the landmarks and family he hasnt seen since he was 3collected. But before the week is out, both the existence he abandoned and the one he embraced will stand on the brink of cataclysmic change.

Powerful unforeseen forces jeopardize the peaceful stability of mathic life and the established ennui of the Extramuros. Erasmas and his colleagues, teachers, and friends are summoned forth from the safety of the concent in hopes of warding off global disaster. Erasmas finds himself a major player in a drama that will determine the future of his world.

Reviews (5)

Complex But Good

Written by Lorna on August 10th, 2010

  • Book Rating: 4/5

Ok, true confessions, I'm a science fiction fan married to a physicist. I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed. The world was intricately designed. You need to follow the details carefully so if you only like light reads, you'll have trouble with this one. If you like to speculate about the future and the nature of time, this is a good one.

A huge yawn

Written by Anonymous on February 25th, 2010

  • Book Rating: 1/5

Perhaps the most confusing book I've ever listened to. Gave up trying to figure it out and mailed it back after 1/2 of the first CD. A huge yawn and head-scratcher.

Give it time

Written by Del on December 16th, 2009

  • Book Rating: 4/5

Like Jorg when I first started listening I was ready to send it back after the first disk. It was like having someone read a dictionary to you, but I have a long drive and decided to stick it out. By the end of the 9th disc I was hooked and couldn't wait to find what would happen. My main annoyance was the definitions of terms read at what I guess were chapter beginnings. Either they came to early at a point they had no context or they came to late at a point when you had already figured out the definition. The book is heavy on science and theory and I found my self thinking while I listened. I don't think this book is for everyone, but if you like books like "The Schrodinger's Cat Trilogy" this may be the novel for you.

Anathem

Written by Jorg from Lauderdale by The Sea, FL on January 17th, 2009

  • Book Rating: 5/5

When I listened to the first of the CDs I was ready to send them all back. The beginning was highly confusing to me mainly thanks to the terminology used (consisting of made-up words that were explained in a dictionary dated 3000 AR - whatever that meant). I decided to keep listening and now I am grateful I did. The author, through the eyes of a young math - a kind of non-believing monk using mathematics- lets us take part in a world which came -in the past- to the brink of destruction through uncontrolled tecnological and biological development. The book is definitely worth listening to. It deserves 5 stars for sure.

Anathem

Written by Blair from Cleburne, TX on November 4th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 5/5

I have not listened to the audio, but I did recently finish the book. It is excellent and among the best of this wonderful author's works. This is the kind of book that starts in the middle and works backwards and forwards so don't expect to understand everything until the end. I think the audio would be ideal because the book was so large and heavy it was difficult to read out of sheer size. This is not your usual sci/fi novel. Fans of fiction will enjoy it as well.

Author Details

Author Details

Stephenson, Neal

Neal Stephenson is the author of seven previous novels. He lNeal Stephenson is the author of seven previous novels. He lives in Seattle, Washington. ives in Seattle, Washington.