Lots of action, realistic extrapolation, and even a message built in, I did really enjoy reading this book.(incidentally, I was in Mumbay and got to wander why when you visit a temple they offer you a milky holy water: read the book and you'll wander too)Technically, I would recommend the author to consider compact light reactors (based on U233 and from Brasil in my extrapolations) rather then radioisotope sources as power supplies. The Diamond Age has more stile and is clearly more mature a job: Snow Crash has more action and frankly for me it was more fun to read. Re other reviews: what is the Big U?