Any sufficiently developed idea related to information theory that a writer may have for a story will lead to the Stephenson Conclusion, that is, “Neal Stephenson already wrote it.”
I’m reading The Information by James Gleick. Â It does not list Stephenson in the index, despite being so far a lengthy, step-by-step rehash of his books. Â So I guess that works for nonfiction as well.
When you said “Stephenson Conclusion,” at first I thought you were going to post about his inability to bring a book to any kind of satisfactory conclusion. Strong openings, insanely-detailed and occasionally-gripping middles, and completely-bungled ends.*
*Cryptonomicon is, of course, exempt from the “occasionally-gripping” part of the middles. I skipped a hundred pages in that one and didn’t miss a thing. Not a goddamn thing.
I would tend to agree about the endings…but eh, I like them and refer to them enough otherwise that I don’t care.
I liked the middle of Cryptonomicon, actually…
Oh man! I write near-future science fiction. I am hosed. Completely, totally hosed. Darn that Stephenson Conclusion!
Many a bitter tear have I shed as well!