This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 137.205.8.xxx (talk) at 01:41, 4 December 2001 (Fixed cryptographers link). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 01:41, 4 December 2001 by 137.205.8.xxx (talk) (Fixed cryptographers link)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)A sprawling novel that is more a combination of historical fiction and contemporary techno-thriller than the science fiction of Stephenson's earlier works. It follows the parallel saga of cryptographers from World War II and their descendants attempting to use modern cryptography to build a data haven in a fiction East Asian island state, and the political machinations that follow both efforts. Cryptonomicon was notably heavy going for non-technical readers in parts, spending pages explaining in detail some of the concepts behind cryptography and even including the details a real, near-unbreakable cypher algorithm as part of the plot. Despite this, the book drew praise from both Stephenson's science fiction fan base and literary critics and buyers.