Snow Crash

/
“When the Deliverator puts the hammer down, shit happens.”
- Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash

Snow Crash is a science fiction novel written by Neal Stephenson. It was published in 1992 and broke new ground as post-cyberpunk tour de force that became an immediate modern science fiction classic. Due to it's original lexicon, Snow Crash is not the easiest of reads initially, but is well worth the investment. The characters are well developed and complex. The story is unique and unfolds as a classic mystery with lots of discovery. As pure escapism, Snow Crash completely transports the reader into an alternate reality of a near future will be immediately recognized.

The novel begins with Hiro Protagonist, last of the freelance hackers and the greatest sword fighter in the world. Hiro works as a high-speed pizza deliverer for the Mafia (a Deliverator). Living in a U-Store-It near the Los Angeles airport, Hiro splits his time between the real world and the Metaverse, a three-dimensional virtual world accessed by personal computers and public terminals. Strapped for cash and living on the edge in reality, Hiro is a warrior prince and one of the original hacker elite that created and developed the Metaverse.

After an unfortunate mishap while delivering a pizza, Hiro teams up with Y.T. (short for Yours Truly), a 15 year old female skateboard courier that is streetwise and sassy. Together, Hiro and Y.T are pursued by Raven, an Aleut harpoon Master that drives a motorcycle with a sidecar nuke. Their goal? Unravel the mystery that is Snow Crash, a new a dangerous drug and computer virus.

Snow Crash is a rocket ride from start to finish and one of my favorite novels. It is an absolute recommendation and a must read for any fan of cyberpunk or science fiction. If you have not read Snow Crash, what are you waiting for? If you have read Snow Crash, get comfy and read it again!

_____
Paper Trail: 
    ▪    Neal Stephenson - Official Web Site
    ▪    Wikipedia - Snow Crash
    ▪    Amazon - Snow Crash
    ▪    Audible - Snow Crash

This post was originally published on Kerrsplat.com, dated October 27, 2013.

Band of Brothers

/

I recently finished re-watching HBO's, Band of Brothers. Band of Brothers is a ten-part miniseries that takes place during World War II. Based on the Stephen E. Ambrose's book of the same title, Band of Brothers follows the fictionalized history of Easy Company (part of the 506th Parachute Infranty Regiment, 101st Airborne Division) from training through the end of the war.

This viewing marks the forth time I have watched the series. The first time, I viewed it as it unfolded on HBO directly and it was captivating. I was completely enveloped by both the production and content of the miniseries. This time was no different. Every episode floods me with emotion. Every episode puts me there with the soldiers of Easy Company. Every episode, even the last, leaves me wanting more. 

On this viewing, I had the pleasure of watching it with my 15 year old son. We watched an episode a night. We waited until the rest of the family went to bed and then meet up in the family room. Taking our usual positions, me on a comfy sofa and my son in an overstuffed chair, we settled in for an hour or so of pure escape into a time and world that few now can remember. 

This was my son's first time watching Band of Brothers completely. He was filled with emotions and questions and wonder that made him think and ponder. A rare gift to a 15 year old. He was enthralled. I enjoyed watching him and his journey through the miniseries as much as I enjoyed my own. 

Band of Brothers… This miniseries is, without a doubt, one of the finest works to ever come out of Hollywood. It is a true cinematic masterpiece and a creative body of work that will stand the test of time. If you have not had the pleasure of seeing the miniseries, you should.

_____
Paper Trail:

This post was originally published on Kerrsplat.com, dated October 19, 2013.