A gripping and page-turning thriller that explores themes of power, information, secrecy and war in the twentieth century. From the author of the three-volume historical epic 'The Baroque Cycle' and Seveneves. In his legendary, sprawling masterpiece, Neal Stephenson hacks into the secret histories of nations and the private obsessions of men, decrypting with dazzling virtuosity the forces that shaped this century. In 1942, Lawrence Pritchard Waterhouse - a mathematical genius and young Captain in the U.S. Navy - is assigned ...
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A gripping and page-turning thriller that explores themes of power, information, secrecy and war in the twentieth century. From the author of the three-volume historical epic 'The Baroque Cycle' and Seveneves. In his legendary, sprawling masterpiece, Neal Stephenson hacks into the secret histories of nations and the private obsessions of men, decrypting with dazzling virtuosity the forces that shaped this century. In 1942, Lawrence Pritchard Waterhouse - a mathematical genius and young Captain in the U.S. Navy - is assigned to Detachment 2702, an outfit so secret that only a handful of people know it exists. Some of those people have names like Churchill and Roosevelt. Their mission is to keep the Nazis ignorant of the fact that Allied Intelligence has cracked the enemy's fabled Enigma code. Waterhouse is flung into a cryptographic chess match against his German counterpart - one where every move determines the fate of thousands. In the present day, Waterhouse's crypto-hacker grandson, Randy, is attempting to create a "data haven" in Southeast Asia where encrypted data can be stored and exchanged free of repression and scrutiny. Joining forces with the tough-as-nails Amy, Randy attempts tosecretly salvage a sunken Nazi submarine that holds the key to keeping the dream of a data haven afloat. But their scheme brings to light a massive conspiracy with its roots in Detachment 2702 - and an unbreakable Nazi code called Arethusa. There are two ways this could go: towards unimaginable riches and a future of personal and digital liberty - or towards a totalitarian nightmare... Profound and prophetic, hypnotic and hyperactive, Cryptonomicon is a work of great art, thought and creative daring, the product of a ingenious imagination working with white-hot intensity.
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Add this copy of Cryptonomicon to cart. $4.99, very good condition, Sold by Brit Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Milton Keynes, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2005 by Goldmann Wilhelm GmbH.
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Very good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
Add this copy of Cryptonomicon to cart. $5.04, good condition, Sold by Goldstone Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Ammanford, CARMS, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1999 by William Heinemann Ltd.
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Good. All orders are dispatched within 1 working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we are dedicated to recycling unwanted books on behalf of a number of UK charities who benefit from added revenue through the sale of their books plus huge savings in waste disposal. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied.
Add this copy of Cryptonomicon to cart. $7.99, good condition, Sold by ZBK Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Woodland Park, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by William Morrow Paperbacks.
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Used book in good and clean conditions. Pages and cover are intact. Limited notes marks and highlighting may be present. May show signs of normal shelf wear and bends on edges. Item may be missing CDs or access codes. May include library marks. Fast Shipping.
Add this copy of Cryptonomicon to cart. $8.08, good condition, Sold by Zoom Books Company rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lynden, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by William Morrow Paperbacks.
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Book is in good condition and may contain underlining or highlighting and minimal wear. The book can also include library labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys dvds etc. We offer 100% money back guarantee and fast customer support.
Add this copy of Cryptonomicon to cart. $8.08, good condition, Sold by Zoom Books East rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Glendale Heights, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by William Morrow Paperbacks.
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Book is in good condition and may include underlining highlighting and minimal wear. The book can also include From the library of labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys dvds etc. We offer 100% money back guarantee and 24 7 customer service.
Add this copy of Cryptonomicon to cart. $8.21, fair condition, Sold by Dream Books Co. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Denver, CO, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by William Morrow Paperbacks.
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Fair. This copy has clearly been enjoyed-expect noticeable shelf wear and some minor creases to the cover. Binding is strong and all pages are legible. May contain previous library markings or stamps.
Add this copy of Cryptonomicon to cart. $8.25, fair condition, Sold by Zoom Books Company rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lynden, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by William Morrow Paperbacks.
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Fair. Book is in acceptable condition and shows signs of wear. Book may also include underlining highlighting. The book can also include From the library of labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys dvds etc. We offer 100% money back guarantee and 24 7 customer service.
Add this copy of Cryptonomicon to cart. $8.67, fair condition, Sold by Zoom Books Company rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lynden, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by William Morrow Paperbacks.
Add this copy of Cryptonomicon to cart. $8.83, good condition, Sold by Zoom Books Company rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lynden, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by William Morrow Paperbacks.
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Book is in good condition and may include underlining highlighting and minimal wear. The book can also include From the library of labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys dvds etc. We offer 100% money back guarantee and 24 7 customer service.
Add this copy of Cryptonomicon to cart. $8.87, good condition, Sold by Gulf Coast Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Memphis, TN, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Avon Books.
Picked this earlier work up, after reading the first volume of Stephenson's Baroque Cycle. In the very fast-paced Cryptonomicon, he combines the recent history of codes and code-breakers with a unique interpretation of the present World Wide Web, and a prophetic (1999) view of a future in which ordinary citizens seek to protect their data from the prying eyes of governments. Scenes with a nerdy tech set alternate with those of battles and treasure hunters. Definitely gets the imaginative juices rolling.
greebs
Feb 5, 2009
A brilliant piece of genius
Cryptonomicon is a stunning masterpiece, well worth the time it will take to read (and digest) the over 900 pages it fills.
The book is divided into two time periods -- World War II, and the current day (which appears to be right around the turn of this century). In WWII, there are several different characters, each operating independently though all crossing each others path -- an American code breaker, an American Marine and a Japanese soldier. In the present, we mainly follow Randy and Avi, two software entrepreneurs heading to the Philippines to set up The Crypt, a project the reader slowly learns about through the course of their story. Along the way, real life characters such as Albert Einstein, Alan Turing, Ronald Reagan and Douglas MacArthur make cameos.
To say that this is a complicated book is an understatement, and yet Neal Stephenson makes it incredibly engaging, funny and consistently brilliant. As but one example, he writes four or five pages on how the chain on a bicycle wheel operates -- and it is only when he breaks from that narrative to point out that it's similar to how the German Enigma machine worked that I realized I'd just read five pages about a bicycle chain. It's incredible, and a book that -- given even more free time -- I'd easily read again.
Ricolaw
Jun 24, 2007
Nice story
Very nicely written story wrapping the internet and World war 2. It was a very believable story that worked very well.
