Super Tuesday

For the sci-fi nerds among us, this upcoming Tuesday is Super Tuesday. First, the last installment in Neal Stephenson's Baroque trilogy, The System of the World, will be released. I've slogged through the 1800 pages of the first two volumes (Quicksilver and The Confusion); like Dylan, I enjoyed the latter more than the former, so I have moderately high hopes for the final volume.

(I will say, however, I've enjoyed other Stephenson books more -- in fact, I would rank them as follows: Cryptonomicon, Snow Crash, Zodiac, The Confusion, Quicksilver, The Diamond Age, and The Big U. Cryptonomicon had the perfect blend of action, science, geekiness, and humor; the others fall short in one or other areas. If you include the "Stephen Bury" novels he co-wrote with his uncle, I'd put Interface between Snow Crash and Zodiac, and The Cobweb between The Confusion and Quicksilver.)

Second, the original "Star Wars" trilogy will be released on DVD as well. Sadly, these appear to be the "Special Editions" that contain George Lucas' after-release re-editing to include more special effects. That's bad enough -- part of the appeal of seeing the original "Star Trek" series on the Sci-Fi channel every now and then lies in the cheesy sets -- but Lucas also messed with the integrity of the plot. In the cantina scene in "Star Wars" (aka "Episode IV: A New Hope"), Greedo confronts Han Solo, seeking to collect on Solo's debt to Jabba the Hutt. Solo shoots Greedo from beneath the table before Greedo has his gun out, thus establishing that Solo is a man of expedience, not fairness. In the re-edited version, Greedo shoots first, missing at point blank range, establishing Solo as a man acting in self-defense -- and Greedo as the galaxy's most incompetent thug.

I'm not even sure how I'm going to explain all this to Nicholas when he's old enough to watch them. Maybe I'll just show him the fight scenes in "The Matrix Reloaded". . . .

Comments

[Dylan]

I am very impressed by the completeness of your Stephenson reading. Although your ranking is probably fair in terms of enjoyment, it feels slightly wrong to put any of the Baroque Cycle behind Zodiac just because of how much more weighty the former are. And Snow Crash? I've only read it once, have forgotten most of it, and didn't find it as amazing as everyone else. Probably on a second read I would.

And the little girl with a magic book angle always chokes me up during my frequent Diamond Age rereads.

[Tung Yin]

I've read "Cryptonomicon" and "Snow Crash" twice and will probably re-read them again. I could see myself re-reading "Zodiac" and "Interface," but I doubt I'd re-read the others. So yes, it is an enjoyment list, not a weightiness list. . . .

Oh, while I found "The Diamond Age" dull, I loved the Dinosaur's story in it.

[Dylan]

As you would expect from my refined manners and tastes, I'm a sucker for the Victorians, which no doubt explains my love for The Diamond Age better than its objective merits.

And yes, Dinosaur is exceptionally cool. Every little boy/girl should have someone like that to teach him to kick ass.

[A. Rickey]

Going to have to agree with Dylan here: Diamond Age not only ranks among my favorite Stephenson books, but my favorite sci-fi. Much better than the rather hapdash Snow Crash. But I've not read any Stephenson since Snow Crash.

[A. Rickey]

Erm... sorry... make that Cryptonomicon.