Neal Stephenson Is Michael Crichton for Geeks

Why Neal Stephenson isn't (but could be) the king of modern techno-thrillers.
This is the first of two videos featuring the books of brilliant science fiction author Neal Stephenson. In this one, I compare Stephenson to the former king of the techno-thriller novel, Michael Crichton.
The second video, which I'll upload soon, takes a closer look at each of Stephenson's novels and identifies which of them are essential reading and why.
Stephenson is a challenging writer. His novels are densely packed with fascinating ideas, deep dives into science/technical subjects, and sometimes strange diversions. That's why he's one of my favorite authors. I always learn new and interesting things when I read his books.
1:00 Stephenson/Crichton - Things in common
2:40 Shared technology interests
6:00 Acclaim and popularity
6:57 Significant differences
10:55 Stephenson's hallmarks
15:16 Conclusion
Other videos featuring different parts of my book collection are linked below.
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Martha Wells Before Murderbot: • The Many Worlds of Mar...
Michael Moorcock:
Enter the Multiverse: • Michael Moorcock's Ete...
Guy Gavriel Kay:
Tier Ranked: • Tier Ranking Guy Gavri...
GGK Is the Greatest Living Fantasy Author: • [OLD VERSION; Please w...
Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever series:
First Chronicles: • Are the Chronicles of ...
Second Chronicles: • Are the Second Chronic...
Last Chronicles: • The Final Chronicles o...
Brandon Sanderson vs. the Evil Librarians: • Brandon Sanderson's Mo...
Channel Overview: • Welcome to the library...
Fantasy Overview: • Classic Fantasy Fictio...
Science Fiction Overview: • Rare and Classic Scien...
Mystery Overview: • Classic Whodunits and ...
Adventure/Thriller/Historical Fiction Overview: • Classic Thrillers and ...
Horror and Weird Fiction Overview: • Classic Horror and Wei...
Children’s Books Overview: • 150 Years of Classic C...
Literature Overview: • Classic and Modern Lit...
Antiquarian Nonfiction Overview: • Antiquarian Books Abou...
Illustrated Books Overview: • The Golden Age of Book...
#booktube #booktubesff #sciencefiction #scifi #bookreview #thrillers

[@thelibraryladder]

In hindsight, I don't think I talked enough in this video about what makes Stephenson such a compelling writer, and why he is essential reading for me. I address it in more detail in the follow-on video about his individual books. The two videos were originally intended to be one comprehensive video, but it became too long and unwieldy during production, so I split it, albeit imperfectly.

[@AnotherBrownAjah]

A similar detailed breakdown of Crichton wouldn't go amiss...

[@Vronsky-dd8mg]

I want to thank you for this content. I've watched all your videos and they're excellent. It's rare to find such variety and quality on a KZbin book channel. Keep it up! 🥳

[@thelibraryladder]

Thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying the channel. I have plenty more to come.

[@travlishallingquest5719]

This is an excellent analysis. I see Neal Stephenson's writing style as an amalgamation of Michael Crichton's accessibility and entertainment factor, and Thomas Pynchon's exhaustive research and cerebral approach.

[@thelibraryladder]

Great analogy to Pynchon! I didn't think to make that comparison, but I can definitely see parallels now that you mention it. Thanks!

[@travlishallingquest5719]

@@thelibraryladder Anytime!

[@sciencefictionreads]

I've been wanting to try Crichton for awhile now, I had no idea there were similarities between his work and Stephenson's! Nice to see your subscriber count rising, much deserved!

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! Despite being a fan of both authors for 30+ years, the parallels between them never occurred to me until I was reading Stephenson's latest, Termination Shock. I started thinking about how adept Stephenson is at writing in very different genres, across a wide range of time periods, and about very diverse types of technologies. That's when I saw the connection to Crichton, because I remembered having a similar reaction to Crichton's book State of Fear (which also deals with climate science) when I read it 20 years ago. I recommend starting Crichton with Jurassic Park, which is more in-depth than the movie and has some significant plot differences. Most of his earlier books are good-to-great reads, but the science in some of them (e.g., The Terminal Man) is a little dated by today's standards, which might reduce your enjoyment of them.

[@nedrycasey]

Thanks for sharing this lovely comparison.

[@thelibraryladder]

Glad you liked it!

[@Seven-Planets-Sci-Fi-Tuber]

Thank You I've loved reading both authors, but now you've got me cliff-hanging: I won't touch another unread Stephenson book I own until I've seen your sequel video!

[@willp2877]

I am beyond jealous of your Snow Crash hardcover! Another awesome video. Thank you sir. You got me into reading Guy Gavriel Kay and am forever grateful for that.

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks. I was overjoyed to find that 1st edition of Snow Crash on eBay for only $20 about 15 years ago. A couple of years later, I met Stephenson at an event and he graciously signed it for me while expressing amazement that anyone even had a copy (he said Bantam Spectra printed only a small number of them because he was an unproven author at the time). Book club editions with the same wonderful jacket art can be found, but even their prices are escalating. I'm so glad you're enjoying GGK! That's exactly why I made those two videos.

[@vajs6312]

Well, that did it. I was a bit intimidated by the fact that Cryptonomicon had a lot of heavy math in it, but I’ll buy the $3 copy at my local used book store and give Stephenson a go. I’ve only ever read Jurassic Park and The Lost World, but I was so elated by the experience, I can remember thinking that Crichton writes like a science teacher I really wish I had.

[@thelibraryladder]

I think Cryptonomicon is a good book to start with when reading Stephenson. If you enjoy it, you'll probably like most of his other books. The writing is pretty dense in places, but you don't actually have to understand everything he writes about, so don't let the technical subjects he discusses (such as math) dissuade you from trying the book. That's a great analogy for Crichton. He's like a good high school science teacher, while Stephenson tends to write for slightly more advanced readers. (But, again, it's not essential that one understand all the technical details in his books.)

[@vajs6312]

@@thelibraryladder That’s very helpful. Being a history teacher, I find Stephenson’s settings really intriguing, so I’ll give it a go. Thanks very much!

[@samfunston]

Great overview, you've definitely piqued my interest with your videos. I'm going to be adding some Stephenson, Crichton, as well as GGK to my reading list.

[@thelibraryladder]

Awesome! If you wait a few days, I'll have another video up with some suggestions for where to start with Stephenson (some of his books are more challenging and difficult to get into than others, and thus might not be the best introduction to his works). For Crichton, I think the best place to start is with Jurassic Park. If you're familiar with the movie, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to discover that the book is significantly different in several respects.

[@flutebasket4294]

Michael Crichton was a billion dollar Idea Man, but his prose reads like stereo instructions

[@kaizacorp]

Excellent video! I've just finished reading Anathem and loved it. Once I got used to the terminology it was quite captivating (knowing French made this a bit easier surprisingly). I had a bit of difficulty following some of the philosphical Dialogs but having a background in computer science and physics helped me grok things for the most part (especially picking out the analogous terms/theories). I've got Cryptonomicon, Snow Crash, and Seveneves waiting for me on the shelf. I'm looking forward to your video in hopes it'll help me narrow down my next step!

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! Was that part of the @Your Brain on Books readalong? I was tempted to join the fun, but I had already recently re-read Anathem, and so I wouldn't be reading along with everyone. Anathem is one of Stephenson's most challenging reads. I happen to love it, but the first half (or more) of the book can be pretty slow, dense and confusing, because there's not a lot of plot movement. Instead, there's a lot more temporal (historical) and conceptual development that become extremely relevant when the plot hits the accelerator pedal in the final third of the book. Cryptonomicon, Snow Crash and Seveneves are all great reading choices, but they're very different from one another stylistically. I hope my upcoming video can provide some helpful information about them.

[@kaizacorp]

@@thelibraryladder Yes it was for Baron's readalong. A few people understandably didn't take to it, but I'm glad to have joined as it gave me that extra boost to stick with it at the start. Excellent, I can't wait to watch the video. I'm leaning more towards Snow Crash, mainly for reasons of length and I'm more familiar with the cyberpunk subgenre. I've also got Diamond Age on my radar, but I'll need to track down a copy first.

[@WordsinTime]

Awesome video! I haven't heard these two mentioned together before but you made some interesting comparisons. I'm looking forward to reading Jurassic Park and Snow Crash soon!

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks, Jonathan! I think Jurassic Park is Crichton's high water mark, and the absurdist aspects of Snow Crash might really appeal to you, given your love of Vonnegut. I hope you enjoy them!

[@curtjarrell9710]

Good vid. Can't wait to hear which Stephenson to avoid or wait til later to read. I want to read some of his work later this year.

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! The more detailed look at his books will be up in a few days.

[@BookishChas]

These are some excellent points! I haven’t read Stephenson at all. I’ve only read one Crichton book, but he’s very readable.

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks, Chas. I hope you find the opportunity to try a Stephenson or two.

[@thepapertraveler1122]

Another great video! My bookshelves are sometimes where good intentions go to die. I’ve collected 3 Stephenson books and 1 co-written, but the sheer size and the fact I know they are for the more scientifically minded has me intimidated but yet I’m drawn to them. I was going to ask where to start but you answered that at the end. Looking forward to Part 2!

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! For readers lacking strong math/science backgrounds, some of Stephenson's books are a lot more accessible than others. I hope I can point you in the right direction for where to start.

[@joshmarksberry2274]

I thought the same thing when I delved into Tom Clancy years ago. I was always told he was a expert in technical and historical aspects of military. And yes it was however the technical side was very well laid out and interwoven with the storyline and all the many many subplots going on he really just grabs the reader by the neck and won't let go. Just jump right in if you haven't already and just brush up on the topics as you go. I realize my comment was is two years behind yours lol. Just a bit of encouragement because I know exactly how you feel. Peace

[@singaporeghostclub]

I have Neal's Quicksilver and The Confusion as hardcovers as well as Cryptonomicon on my Kindle, and I haven't even started reading them. However, now you have really nudge me into doing so! One thing to note is that, the way Neal describes some scenes, or explains a plot is quite difficult for a layman like me to grasp; he uses words that I never knew existed and to have a dictionary or a thesaurus would be very handy!

[@thelibraryladder]

Those of some of my favorites by him! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Wikipedia can be a helpful reference tool as well when reading those books, particularly for background on the historical events and people described in them.

[@singaporeghostclub]

@@thelibraryladderThanks for the tip and keep up the great work you're doing here!

[@luizdelsoto]

I knew Crichton, great books, but Stephenson is new to me, thanks for the recommendation

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! I hope you enjoy Stephenson. If you're interested, I briefly review and tier rank his works in another video.

[@luizdelsoto]

@@thelibraryladder I'll take a look 📚😀

[@leninmoreno4020]

Great comparison video. May I make a suggestion… would you be willing to make a video explaining the different awards mentioned here? I would love to know and understand the differences. Thanks

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks and great suggestion! I'll add it to my list and try to get to it prior to the next awards season.

[@leninmoreno4020]

@@thelibraryladder much appreciated 😀

[@alynam82]

Well, you've definitely lit the fire 🔥 under my rear to finally pick up a Stephenson book. I'll be honest, I've been afraid to. Whereas I've been a Crichton fan for years, and read many of his books, I've only heard of Stephenson for about a year and haven't yet read anything of his. I purchased this Baroque Cycle on my Kindle, and occasionally brush by it in my search for a new read - and I love historical fiction, so I want to say that this should be right up my alley. But just haven't found the oomph to dive in. But I thank you for a video like this, because it at least gives me the courage to give him a try.

[@thelibraryladder]

I'm glad to have been of service! The Baroque Cycle is pure genius and is possibly the best historical fiction novel I've ever read, but you might not want to start there in reading Stephenson. I'll have a second video about Stephenson up in a few days providing suggestions about which of his books to prioritize on your TBR list.

[@alynam82]

@@thelibraryladder that sounds like some good counsel. It's a shame, because it seems like something I thought was I looking forward to, but I'm going to take your word for it. Until the next video, then 😀

[@wileyschmitt]

Great video as always. Did you like Eater's of the Dead?

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! Mixed feelings. The story and how Crichton tells it are a significant change of pace from his typical fare, and it took me a while to adjust to it. Once I did, I mostly enjoyed it (I'm a fan of historical fiction).

[@ClyDIley]

I was never into reading outside of practical purposes growing up, especially fiction. However, after discarding my less redeemable habits from college, I was looking for something to fill my time with and that's when I picked up Jurassic Park on a whim and off I went. Five years, 25 series, and something like 80 books later and I have yet to find something as enthralling as I found that first Crichton book, and Congo even more so after that. I'm starting to think I may never find something as good as those first few hits. Looking forward to trying Stephenson, thanks

[@thelibraryladder]

Wonderful! In case you missed my mention of it at the end of this video, I have a second video in which I tier rank Stephenson's novels, if you'd like suggestions on where to start reading him. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@blacknwhitecookie8967]

Question please: if you've read 5-6 Crichton books and not really found them to be the best writing (Timeline was my favorite), would you still give Stephenson a chance? I just bought Anathem, Necronomicon & the complete Baroque Cycle & want to start Necronomicon, but I'm a bit worried now. I'm not anti-Crichton, just have found better writing out there & read way too many different genres. I love SFFH & Guy Gavriel Kay is my new found favorite. Love your videos, thank you

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks for your question! Stephenson's writing style is definitely a matter of taste. Some people really dislike it, some people love it, and still others merely tolerate it. For most of his books, I fall somewhere between the love and tolerate camps. He's a good writer, but he can become a little tedious when he goes off on descriptive and explanatory tangents that undermine plot progress and pacing. However, I find many of those tangents (though not all) fascinating to read and learn about, and I'm willing to indulge his narrative excesses because of the ideas they represent and the educational value they provide. Cryptonomicon is a good starting point to see if you'll enjoy his books. The good and bad aspects of his writing are on full display, and the plot is fascinating and still timely more than twenty years later. I'd suggest giving it a try. Also, keep in mind that his books tend to start slowly and then pick up steam after some initial expository infodumps. (And for the record, I think Crichton's writing was very uneven. Some of his books were very well done, in my opinion, but others I've had difficulty finishing.)

[@blacknwhitecookie8967]

@@thelibraryladder Probably the best reply I've received from a BookTuber, thank you! And definitely a big thanks for turning me on to Guy Gavriel Kay! I started with Under Heaven (not one of your recommended starting points, but it sounded very intriguing) and I was thoroughly happy with his beautiful writing. Thanks again

[@AnotherBrownAjah]

Ohhh I love Crichton. A contemporary I feel could step into his shoes is Andy Wier. though he injects far more humor than Crichton. Although, I suppose Wier is more in the realm of the "Gee wizz" category. Also never apologize for being dry and academic haha, its why Im here

[@thelibraryladder]

What I like about both Crichton and Weir is that the science & technology they feature are for the most part realistically plausible, unlike the tech in many modern techno-thrillers. Project Hail Mary was a little bit 'out there,' but The Martian and Artemis were pretty realistic from a science standpoint. Thanks for the free pass on being a bit professorial!

[@dbensdrawinvids8390]

On the subject of technothrillers, are you familiar at all with the work of William Gibson? He's most well-known for Neuromancer, but has done a slew of work in a similar vein. My favorites outside Neuromancer itself are what is known as the Blue Ant Trilogy. I'd be interested in a video outlining your thoughts on his work, if you were up for it.

[@thelibraryladder]

Gibson is on my list of authors I plan to do retrospectives of. The Blue Ant trilogy is among my favorites of his, and of his recent works, I quite enjoyed The Peripheral.

[@spaceysun]

I have watched the movies and TVs that are based on Crichton's works and enjoyed them, but I have never read any book by him or Stephenson. You have successively piqued my interest in Stephenson's works. Thank you! On the other hand, would you mind considering sharing with us your views on SF books written by scientists? e.g. Robert Forward, Alastair Reynolds, and Stephen Baxter?

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! I'm glad you found the video helpful. My experience with SF books written by scientists is very mixed. I've found that they tend to have really interesting ideas, but the writing itself is often underwhelming. That's a generalization, though, because there are plenty of exceptions. I do plan to highlight some early SF authors who were scientists, such as Clarke, Heinlein, Asimov, L. Sprague de Camp, Hal Clement, and E. E. Smith, among others, and also some of the more modern author-scientists such as Vernor Vinge, David Brin, and Gregory Benford. I haven't read Robert Forward, although Dragon's Egg has been on my TBR list for years. I've read a couple of Stephen Baxter's novels, but he fell into the 'good ideas but subpar writing' category for me, so I haven't tried any more of his books. Alastair Reynolds is a more complicated case for me. I've read the first three books in his Revelation Space Inhibitor sequence, and I really respect his ideas and writing, but I just haven't enjoyed the books as much as I had hoped. They're bleaker than I prefer. Nevertheless, I plan to read more by Reynolds, at which point I might feel more comfortable discussing his books in a video. House of Suns is one in particular that I want to get to.

[@spaceysun]

@@thelibraryladder That sounds very reasonable to me. Thank you! (And thus, some more books to my TBR list...)

[@ssspaceman86]

Do you think Blake Crouch could be classified as a present day's Michael Crichton?

[@thelibraryladder]

Great question. My quick answer is that they have a lot in common. Crouch is certainly following in and expanding on the techno-thriller tradition that Crichton popularized. There are some significant differences, though. Crouch hasn't yet achieved the broad popular appeal of Crichton. Also, Crouch is more fantastical and less plausible in his plots and his application of scientific ideas and technologies than Crichton was (Crichton's Sphere and Timeline notwithstanding). That second difference might help explain the first if it limits his appeal primarily to serious fans of science fiction and horror, and not to the wider audience of thriller readers.

[@simonpark843]

Snow Crash is brilliant.

[@susansprague7304]

Very nicely said, thank you! I admit to much preferring the anarchistic goofiness of Stephenson's earlier work. Zodiac is (IMHO) a tragically neglected triumph.

[@thelibraryladder]

"Anarchistic goofiness" is a great description of his early works. Snow Crash is a strange and wonderful blend of absurdity and deadly seriousness. And the science in Zodiac is still highly relevant today, 34 years later.

[@stephenmorton8017]

I read and enjoy both authors. My only thought would be that Crichton seems to have written for the screen. For example Jurassic Park takes a very simple idea of resurrecting DNA and just runs with it to the silver screen. It's kind of annoying actually. Other than that they're both enjoyable. I just snagged Termination Shock and Fall and they are on my TBR pile. Right under Philip Roth's Plot Against America and Doctorow's Ragtime. I'm currently enjoying Gibson's Zero History after the disappointing Children of Memory. Adrian finished the series by burying a gimmick. Meh.

[@dugonman8360]

I guess I'm a weirdo since I adore Stephenson but Crighton, I'm mostly kinda lukewarm about. I've tried multiple times to get in his stuff but I've always been kinda disappointed. I always thought it was because he never described how his characters look, which is a personal pet peeve of mine, but I think its moreao that his stuff isn't my cup of tea. I tend to like the surreal and the more fantastical then the plausible and grounded. Also, wondering if you'll do a vid on some spooky writers. As a lover of the 80s paperback horror books and its authors, I always like listening to peoples opinions on the subject.

[@thelibraryladder]

Stephenson and Crichton have a lot in common, but there are plenty of differences, so I can see why you might respond well to one but not the other. I'm slowly rolling out my coverage of different genres to avoid confusing YT's algorithm too much. I have a video (or two) about horror/SF/historical fiction author Dan Simmons planned for this spring. As we get closer to Halloween, I plan to ramp up more spooky content. Thanks for watching!

[@dugonman8360]

@@thelibraryladder pleasures all mine. Your channels relatively new but its starting to become one of my fav booktube channels in all honesty. Daniel Greene, Murphy Napier and Men carrying things are great channels but you put a great sense of weight and grandeur into your stuff (also Daniel Greenes humor turns me off). I dont know if its your voice or your presentation or even your good taste in furniture but it give the vid of "oh, this guy knows what hes talking about". Honestly, never read Simmons and I have a ton of his stuff on my tbr list so I am definately looking forward to that since I'll have a good idea to put it in order.

[@thelibraryladder]

I really appreciate the kind words and feedback. I'm trying to provide spoiler-free substance in my videos (which can be a difficult balance to strike) while taking advantage of YT's capabilities as a visual storytelling medium. It's been a fun learning experience so far, as I've been teaching myself how to put together these videos. (The down side is that it takes me a week or more to complete a video.) Simmons is one of my all-time favorites, but even he has written some duds, in my opinion. I'm really looking forward to putting together my planned overview of his books.

[@jmparchem]

I am an avid reader of Neil Stephenson, I hate that there is even a comparison. Stephenson projects a future or the past in his works and explores really deep themes. Crichton shallowly rewrites Frankenstein over and over.

[@Fia-kz6sf]

Wheres a good place to start with Crichton?

[@thelibraryladder]

I suggest Jurassic Park, Sphere, and The Andromeda Strain as good entry points.

[@user-pc4i8ege55]

I was a Crichton's fan since 1980 and I was disappointed by his late books. The quality of his books has been going down from the very beginning, from the amazing The Andromeda Strain and exceptionally good The Terminal Man down to complete disaster in State of Fear and Pirate Latitudes. Stephenson is more consistent, but his books would be much better if they were shorter.

[@thelibraryladder]

I agree that Crichton's output varied widely in quality. I've found his attempts at historical fiction and social/political/cultural commentary to be mostly underwhelming. My favorites of his tend to be the ones with stronger science fiction elements. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@andyskiles9542]

I can’t get through this because of your voice. Do you talk this way in your daily life? I wonder if your internal thoughts speak to you in this affected manner. I can’t get past it. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@thelibraryladder]

For better or for worse, it's my normal speaking voice (and internal voice) and has been for nearly all my life. :)

[@andyskiles9542]

⁠​⁠@@thelibraryladderInteresting. It’s not a good or bad thing. Not that it matters, but I’m not sure I believe you. The inflections seem affected in an intentional manner. I imagine a comedy skit type scenario of you being filmed out and about speaking to cashiers, car mechanics, you know…blue collar folks (with even the same background music) and their reaction is along the lines of: “why is he speaking like a narrator from an audio meditation track?” Then it’s revealed your friends and family all think the same thing, it sparks people to begin speaking like that and no one can get through a conversation because they keep falling asleep. It’s got potential comedy gold written all over it. Or even, someone could review your videos like you review books, authors, and concepts but they focus solely on your meditative voice. And they talk loudly and gratingly. Either way, your scripting is well thought out and I was able to get through the Eternal Champion post. :)

[@thelibraryladder]

I inherited my voice and inflection from my dad, so I suppose he's to blame. As for parodying my delivery, it's already been done. The YT channel Storytoob did it a few months ago in a video about 'Hot Girl' fiction. I suspect that some of what you're reacting to is the difference in the audio recording equipment I use, compared to other channels. Most channels use microphones or mic placements that require them to speak loudly to get a good signal-to-noise ratio in the recording (to avoid a boxy or hollow room sound). I use a highly sensitive shotgun mic positioned just off-camera, which allows me to speak at my normal conversational volume. The contrast with other channels that practically shout at the camera in order to be heard can be jarring. I have difficulty watching channels that are loud and shouty. If my voice bothers you, you might try muting it and turning on closed captioning. I enter the subtitles by hand to ensure their accuracy. Alternatively, you could try increasing the playback speed to stay awake. :D

[@andyskiles9542]

@@thelibraryladder Yes, nothing is truly original. That being said, I just watched the Storytoob post. He did a mediocre performance at best, and no music! You deserve a much better skit.