NS is far more concerned with his
characters than in prior novels, and makes them complex and interesting in their own right -
not merely as spear bearers for the plots (and there ARE several plot
lines and world lines going on simultaneously). I can't pretend to up
up on cosmology - but fortunately the "many worlds" hypothesis - first
developed by the father of Mark E(verett), leader of the band, Eels,
back in the 50s however complex mathematically, is conceptually easy
to u... (show more)

NS is far more concerned with his
characters than in prior novels, and makes them complex and interesting in their own right -
not merely as spear bearers for the plots (and there ARE several plot
lines and world lines going on simultaneously). I can't pretend to up
up on cosmology - but fortunately the "many worlds" hypothesis - first
developed by the father of Mark E(verett), leader of the band, Eels,
back in the 50s however complex mathematically, is conceptually easy
to use if SF though i have nil understanding of quantum mechanics!
And basing a SF novel, in large part, on Husserl's phenomenology
worked well too - i even managed to recognize what NS was doing about
half way through.

It all worked because I cared about the characters who are drawn with
affection - with their flaws and virtues wrapped up within their
personalities. Though the themes (first contact; the the uneasy fit
between science and society; proof and "truth" and religion;) are
"big" - and never set aside, the characters come first. I worried
about the young proto-savant/saunt Erasmus's love for the prickly Ala
AND for his ongoing fond, but conflicted, relationship with his
sister, Cord - who lives out in the "world" as opposed to the
cloistered scholarly orders that Erasmus inhabits. Esp. when he
nervously realizes that not only is Cord his loving and bright
sister..but that, gulp, guys find her attractive. When one of his
mates refers to her as "the exquisite Cord" he's forced to see his
sister, who he knows as a skilled machinist, a familiar family member,
as - oops oyeah..sexual being too despite being his sister.

Usually novels that flout the oft invoked rule "show don't tell" flop
- Anathem works because the telling is interesting in itself and the
telling and the POVs are integral to the characters. There IS
action, there IS conflict, there ARE super weapons that can evaporate
a planet; Anathem IS a SF novel. But it is also a talky, academic
sendup - but without the snideness of most conventional academic
satires. Anyway, it took me a long time - but in the end i liked
Anathem a great deal. (show less)