Sometimes in author interviews, I’ll hear an author talk about a book that changed their life. Until recently I was always kind of surprised that many authors could name single titles (or possibly a series) that they deemed had changed their life. I wondered whether one book can have such a significant impact on you as to call it life-changing. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised that I had a few books like that. One of which is Anathem by Neal Stephenson.
The story takes place in another universe, on a planet called Arbre. The first hundred to two-hundred pages of the book is tough to get into because you have to familiarise yourself with the vocabulary of the world. But Stephenson is such a brilliant writer that even amidst this fairly intense mental weightlifting of trying to come to terms with this new vocabulary and the history of Arbre, he still manages to keep you entertained. Anathem starts slow, but the dialogue and interactions are pure indulgence. It’s so fun to read! Pages and pages of contemplative dialogue was like eating chocolate … or pancakes … or just consuming something awesome. And I should probably confess that it’s been years since I’ve read the book from start to finish but I still sometimes quote Fraa Jad.
“Time doesn’t exist” – Fraa Jad
Anathem by Neal Stephenson
This book taught me countless things about fiction writing. Things like: tension doesn’t have to be explosive to capture and hold the reader’s attention. You can build subtle tension with dialogue and ideas. Tangents can make a story richer. Stephenson’s tangents are mind-boggling at times and he explores many social and science related themes, some of it very relevant, and others just interesting to think about.
Also, this book taught me that it’s not about how much you read but how you read. Slowing down is good and often it’s much more beneficial (and enjoyable) to read with utmost attention than to rush to the finish line.
Also what makes this story intimate and different to most other epic sci-fi tales is that it is written in first person. You don’t often see a first person narrative in serious, expansive sci-fi, but it really works and it also gives the reader a closer view of Raz’s insecurities and hopes.
As I was preparing for this post I read a few scenes from the book and thought: All these things are true and great but there’s one thing that I’ve left out that might be the most important reason why Anathem is one of my favourite books of all time. That one thing is the magic factor. Anathem’s magic factor is through the roof. Every scene that I read is so much more than just words on a page. The book instantly connects me with a sense of excitement and wonder and totally transports me to a new and strange world. It’s one of those books that you know you’ll read again because you’re actually sad that the story has to end.