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Snow Crash cover art

Snow Crash

Written by: Neal Stephenson
Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
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Publisher's Summary

Only once in a great while does a writer come along who defies comparison - a writer so original he redefines the way we look at the world. Neal Stephenson is such a writer and Snow Crash is such a novel, weaving virtual reality, Sumerian myth, and just about everything in between with a cool, hip cybersensibility to bring us the gigathriller of the information age.


In reality, Hiro Protagonist delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo's CosaNostra Pizza Inc., but in the Metaverse he's a warrior prince. Plunging headlong into the enigma of a new computer virus that's striking down hackers everywhere, he races along the neon-lit streets on a search-and-destroy mission for the shadowy virtual villain threatening to bring about Infocalypse. Snow Crash is a mind-altering romp through a future America so bizarre, so outrageous...you'll recognize it immediately.

©1992 Neal Stephenson (P)2001 Audible, Inc.

What the critics say

"Brilliantly realized...Stephenson turns out to be an engaging guide to an onrushing tomorrow." (The New York Times Book Review)
"Fast-forward free-style mall mythology for the 21st century." (William Gibson)

What listeners say about Snow Crash

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fun For A While

February 2022 | 4/5
This is a soft 4 - the world building is awesome, but the ending is a hot mess. It's a shame, because I was loving my time with Hero Protagonist, and Y T, and even Raven.
There's plenty of satire and sword fighting - it's obvious why the book is adored by so many.

I've read several Stephenson novels, and they all feel the same - I have fun, and there's memorable chunks, but they are not my favourites, and I don't really recommend them to others.

Props to Neal for the metaverse, avatars, and encrypted electronic currencies.

If you enjoy The Matrix, Hackers, and MMORPG's, you've likely read Snow Crash, but if you haven't, check it out!!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Sounds like it was recorded in a can

Sounds like it was recorded in a can. You get used to it but not a hi-fi recording. But overall pretty decent.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I really love it!

The first book I read from Stephenson and the first I've heard, too.
The narrator does the story justice.

Absolutely recommended for everyone who loves Gibson.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Very unique

It’s a Good book got a little wordy in some areas but overall I enjoyed it

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

actually a really good book

story was simple and entertaining. the recording was a bit fuzzy, but you get used to it

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Skip irrelevant parts and it's good

Premise is ok, villain gets a hold of a mental virus that can allow him to take over and hero protagonist works to save the day. If you skip the irrelevant history lessons, 15 minutes of toilet paper and similar, was a good listen.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A cyberpunk tale for the ages.

Only drawback is the varying sound quality, it will swap between high, low, and medium abruptly throughout most chapters.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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One of the books that got me into Audiobooks

This book is an example of what makes Neal Stephenson great.

I like the setting and world this takes place in, it's jaded & harsh but also grounded in its own fictional way.

There are some truly badass characters in this book. Hero, YT and Raven are just too cool to ignore.
Just listen to Reason & enjoy the aftermath!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Awesome

Incredibly prescient! Stephenson basically predicted things like Google Earth and computer assistants like Siri, services unknown when the book was published in 1992

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Good story, interesting speculation on society

Ostensibly a story about a skateboarder, pizza delivery man, religious nuts and ancient Sumerians. If you liked Reamde you will like this. The story is set in a world where governments don't really exist and small state-enclaves are franchises of major corporations and the Mafia. Part of it takes place in the real world and part of it in cyberspace.

The characters, at least the main ones, are fairly well fleshed out. The technology is interesting as is the speculation on the development of human society. Some of it is amusingly retro as things like the library of congress would have been replaced these days with Google and smartphones would have made all the jacking into consoles obsolete.

The story is fast paced, and interesting. I enjoyed it. One complaint was the sound. It was inteligible and clear all the way through but sounded tinny on every device I tried. I compensated by cranking the bass on all devices. Without that I would have given it 5 stars.

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