>As someone else has pointed out, you've got the order pretty hosed >up there. The fact that _Diamond Age_ was a pseudo-sequel was one clue. :) >(I have also heard that _The Big U_ has been re-released, haven't looked >for it yet). For what it is worth, Stephenson does not think that The Big U was all that good. > >It also goes to show how different tastes are. I think _Cryptonomicon_ >is his best book yet. Of course it helps being a fairly techical >computer geek, so that some of the things are funny (Ordo, Finux) I would have wielded an editorial chainsaw to Cryptonomicon. I really like Stephenson, he is fast and he is funny. That gets old over 1200 pages or whatever it was.... Back to your regularly scheduled discussion of who Mario is.... brad