Re:Can you have read the same book? (Score 2, Informative)

What a disappointing review.

Most of the facts stated by the review's author are opinions -- and not especially well-formed opinions. Some comments are purposefully misleading (see "Munroe's Law").

One of the best things about Anathem is how absolutely accurately the novel pegs the myriad ways in which very intelligent people interact with other very intelligent people -- largely by demanding fact over opinion and by recognizing when something is reasonable over when something is desirable. The author of this review is very enthusiastic about his position, but he is incorrect in most of his statements.

He entirely neglects to mention -- at the risk of spoiling the story, I'm sure, though after warning away most possible readers it's a disingenuous concern -- that Anathem builds to the most fantastically bad-ass set of scenes and set pieces to grace traditional science-fiction in a very, very long time. And the more deeply you've grasped the conceptual framework that the author laid before you, the more its conclusion will reverberate in your brain for some time to come.

Anathem is like a clockwork of fantastical proportions; if all you want to do is check the time as you pass, you're set. Breeze on through and it'll be the quickest 900+ pages you've ever read. But if want to follow the inner workings all the way through then there's an extremely rewarding experience in front of you. I strongly recommend that smart people read this novel.