…and while I’m tossing out these short posts (hey, that Perdido Street Station post tired me out), you really ought to check out this interview with Neal Stephenson over at Slashdot. Even if you aren’t that interested in Stephenson, scroll down to question #4.
Neal Stephenson is pretty much the coolest guy ever.
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Having (nearly) met Sterling up-close, and having adored Stephenson’s writings (well, Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon – I have to admit I basically fell asleep during, IIRC, Zodiac), the Japanimation-like showdown between the two as relayed by Stephenson is pretty dang funny. I think his spot amongst the “coolest guy[s] ever” was secured with Snow Crash – anyone who can demonstrate competancy with the finer points of technology, with a futuristic viewpoint, and with ancient languages has my vote as someone who knows WTF he’s talking about.
I think that Stephenson’s a sleeper, that history will show him as one of the better writers of our time. Far moreso than his recent ally (and less-recent adversary) Gibson, who shot his load with Neuromancer…
Anyhoo, great interview!
Yeah, Stephenson is one of the few authors whose books I’m willing to purchase in hardcover because I just can’t wait until they hit paperback. He’s a Good Writer, and he has Really Cool Ideas–you often see one or the other in a writer, but it’s rare that both qualities combine in a single author, it seems. Especially in the sci-fi-ish genre.
IMO, Vernor Vinge is about the only living sci-fi writer whose books pack the same level of punch. Have you read any of his books? It was fun to see Stephenson chatting about Vinge’s Singularity concept in the interview.
Quirky and fascinating guys, both of them.