42Scifi-Fantasy

Cryptonomicon

By Neal Stephenson

Published: 2002

Cryptonomicon defies categorization: it is essentially a WW2-era historical novel welded to a modern-day corporate techno-thriller, for lack of a better classification.  It shifts between two eras – Lawrence Pritchard Waterhouse, a master code breaker; and his grandson Randy Waterhouse, master of computer wizardry and geek extraordinaire.  Present throughout both eras is a focus on cryptography and information security, and a major aspect of how World War II was won on the back of information theory and deception.

In that sense, Cryptonomicon is science fiction; although the term “nerd fiction” would do it more justice.  Everything from the field of geekdom can be found in this novel, ranging from offhand opinions about trading card games to seeding Riemann-Zeta functions with the name of the head of the NSA.  Only in nerd fiction would Alan Turing’s bicycle chain explain the entire professional career of the protagonist.  Of course, what would the reader do without descriptions of the internal mechanics of pipe organs; which the author finds essential both for ending Nazi regimes and falling in love with breathtaking women who speak a language entirely devoid of vowels.  Stephenson never takes a magical approach: if you never knew what Van Eck phreaking was, Stephenson will personally guarantee you could lecture on the subject at Harvard when you’re done.

While it is almost certain that Cryptonomicon will enthrall MIT engineering students, those who lack a bona-fide hacker’s certificate will find faults.  Some elements, such as the completely unrealistic confrontation at the end of the novel, are downright absurd.  Others are completely nonsensical for a book so scientifically oriented – the author certainly does not provide an explanation of how he resurrects the dead merely to avoid a plot inconvenience.

Neal Stephenson actually does fine work here – the writing is robust and evocative, the action scenes are intense, and humor is amply embedded throughout the nine-hundred-plus pages.  Despite this, it quickly becomes evident that the plot is less important than the dissertations on number theory and sewing together the common threads between the two timelines.  The lack of focus on an identifiable plot is evident, as it requires nearly six hundred pages for the reader to finally realize that the story actually revolves around blood money.  It is surprisingly successful to a large degree, as reading it is enjoyable even though it is not very fulfilling: though the ending does wrap up almost every loose thread, it is somewhat anticlimactic.

While I had the benefit of a joint degree in computer science and mathematics, those who lack such distinguished badges of nerdiness may still find much to appreciate.  The text is detailed and captivating; and its military-infused storytelling comes through with a great authenticity that is rare: Robert Ludlum nor Tom Clancy could do better than the author’s harrowing depictions of soldiers during World War II.  He never provides an unpainted picture, and while some of the minor characters are underdeveloped (insert yet another token female here), for the principle characters Stephenson spares no detail; providing a deep view of the character’s soul complimented by the idiosyncrasies of how he or she eats their breakfast cereal.

Notably, Cryptonomicon is theoretically the first volume in a series.  Personally, I’m not sure that I could take nearly another thousand pages of it. Finishing it is like graduating high school: a great time was had by all, but you’ve had your fill and now you’re ready to go on to something else.  If you’re looking for light reading, you won’t find it here; nonetheless, Stephenson is a great author – if you like nerd books or military fiction, you’ll definitely want to check it out.

Reviewed by Baruch Speiser