''Anathem'' is a
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
novel by American writer
Neal Stephenson
Neal Town Stephenson (born October 31, 1959) is an American writer known for his works of speculative fiction. His novels have been categorized as science fiction, historical fiction, cyberpunk, postcyberpunk, and baroque.
Stephenson's work exp ...
, published in 2008. Major themes include the
many-worlds interpretation
The many-worlds interpretation (MWI) is an interpretation of quantum mechanics that asserts that the universal wavefunction is objectively real, and that there is no wave function collapse. This implies that all possible outcomes of quantum me ...
of
quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics is a fundamental theory in physics that provides a description of the physical properties of nature at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles. It is the foundation of all quantum physics including quantum chemistry, ...
and the philosophical debate between
Platonic realism
Platonic realism is the philosophical position that universals or abstract objects exist objectively and outside of human minds. It is named after the Greek philosopher Plato who applied realism to such universals, which he considered ideal ...
and
nominalism
In metaphysics, nominalism is the view that universals and abstract objects do not actually exist other than being merely names or labels. There are at least two main versions of nominalism. One version denies the existence of universalsthings t ...
.
Plot summary
''Anathem'' is set on the fictional planet of Arbre. Thousands of years before the events in the novel, the planet's intellectuals entered ''concents'' (
monastic
Monasticism (from Ancient Greek , , from , , 'alone'), also referred to as monachism, or monkhood, is a religion, religious way of life in which one renounces world (theology), worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work. Monastic ...
communities) to protect their activities from the
collapse of society
Societal collapse (also known as civilizational collapse) is the fall of a complex human society characterized by the loss of cultural identity and of socioeconomic complexity, the downfall of government, and the rise of violence. Possible cause ...
. The ''avout'' (intellectuals
separated from ''Sæcular'' society) are banned from possessing or operating most advanced technology and are supervised by the ''Inquisition'', which answers to the outside world. The avout are normally allowed to communicate with people outside the walls of the concent only once every year, decade, century, or millennium, depending on the particular vows they have taken.
The narrator and protagonist,
Fraa Erasmas, is an avout at the Concent of
Saunt Edhar. His teacher, Fraa Orolo, discovers that an alien spacecraft is orbiting Arbre – a fact that the world government (''Sæcular Power'') attempts to cover up. Erasmas becomes aware of Orolo's discovery after Orolo is banished (in a rite called ''Anathem'') from the concent for using a video camera (a forbidden technology) to observe the ship. The presence of the alien ship soon becomes an open secret among many of the avout at Saunt Edhar. The alien ship eventually declares its presence by shining a laser upon several Millenarian Maths (the bastions of those avout who have taken a thousand-year vow of isolation). Shortly after that, the Sæcular Power summons many avout from Saunt Edhar, including Erasmas and a Millenarian named Fraa Jad.
The avout are told to travel to the concent of Saunt Tredegarh to attend a ''Convox'' (a joint conference of the avout and the Sæcular Power). However, Erasmas and several non-avout companions, with Fraa Jad's tacit agreement, decide to seek out Orolo. After a dangerous journey over the planet's frozen pole, they reunite with Orolo at an archaeological excavation of Orithena, an ancient concent destroyed by volcanic eruption. Orolo holds
philosophical discussions with Erasmas about the nature of the cosmos and consciousness, and how he believes that the aliens are not simply from another planet, but from another cosmos that is influenced by Arbre. During one of the discussions, a small spacecraft lands in Orithena on an ancient
analemma
In astronomy, an analemma (; ) is a diagram showing the position of the Sun in the sky as seen from a fixed location on Earth at the same mean solar time, as that position varies over the course of a year. The diagram will resemble a figure ei ...
symbol within the excavation. (It is later revealed that Orolo had transmitted the analemma symbol to the spacehip and anticipated the landing at Orithena.) A female alien's body is found on board, dead of a recent gunshot wound. She has brought with her four vials of blood – one for each of four alien races – and evidence about their technology. Shortly thereafter, the aliens
propel a massive metal rod at the volcano, triggering an eruption that destroys Orithena. Orolo sacrifices his life to ensure the recovery of the dead alien's remains and her blood samples, an event that leads to his
canonization
Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of ...
as Saunt Orolo.
Erasmas travels to Saunt Tredegarh where he attends the Convox dedicated to dealing with the military, political, and technical issues raised by the existence of the alien ship in Arbre's orbit. Research is conducted on the samples from Orithena, and the aliens are found to come from planets in four parallel and distinct cosmi: Urnud, Tro, Laterre and Fthos. The
many-worlds interpretation
The many-worlds interpretation (MWI) is an interpretation of quantum mechanics that asserts that the universal wavefunction is objectively real, and that there is no wave function collapse. This implies that all possible outcomes of quantum me ...
is discussed by high-level avout at evening meals to which Erasmas performs the duties of a servant. It is hinted that Laterre is a futuristic Earth, which serves as a 'higher plane of existence' for Urnud and Tro, and Arbre is itself a 'higher plane' for Laterre and Fthos. Through observation and experiment, Erasmas and his companions determine that the conference has been infiltrated by the aliens and unmask a French-speaking Laterran linguist named Jules Verne Durand. He explains that the aliens are experiencing internal conflict between two factions. The currently ruling faction (the more militaristic 'lower worlds' Urnud and Tro, as well as some Laterrans) intends to attack and raid Arbre for its resources in order to repair their spaceship, while the opposing faction ('the higher world' Fthos and most Laterrans) favors open negotiation. Durand believes that an alliance could be formed between Arbre and the peaceful faction and offers to help the Arbrans.
Fearing alien attack after Durand has been exposed, the avout simultaneously evacuate all concents including Saunt Tredegarh. Erasmas and his comrades are taken to a distant sanctuary where they undergo astronaut training for a mission to board the alien ship, disable its weaponry and negotiate with the aliens. Prior to launch and without their knowledge, the Sæcular Power implants each of them with miniaturized
neutron bomb
A neutron bomb, officially defined as a type of enhanced radiation weapon (ERW), is a low-yield thermonuclear weapon designed to maximize lethal neutron radiation in the immediate vicinity of the blast while minimizing the physical power of the b ...
s that will be used to kill everyone aboard the alien ship if the mission fails. Three people, including Fraa Jad, are issued detonators. The team is launched into space on modified
ballistic missiles and approaches the alien ship by stealth. Four of the avout destroy the ship's main weapon before falling in combat. The rest of the team boards the ship and temporarily pass out from breathing alien air.
The narrative now parallelizes across multiple timelines. In one narrative, Fraa Jad awakens Erasmas and leads him through the ship toward the command center. Upon being discovered and attacked by alien soldiers, Fraa Jad detonates the neutron bombs. In another narrative, soldiers take Erasmas and Fraa Jad captive and bring them to parley with the leader of the peaceful faction. In the final narrative, Erasmas awakens in a hospital on the starship and learns that diplomatic negotiations are underway thanks to the successful destruction of the alien weapon. Erasmas is told that Fraa Jad died in an accident during the launch, contradicting the other narratives. It remains ambiguous which (or how many) of these contradictory narratives are real, or how the narratives have influenced each other. It is implied that some Millenarian avout are capable of operating simultaneously in multiple parallel timelines, and that the Millenarians had called the alien ship to Arbre to disrupt the subjugation of the Avout by the Sæcular Power.
Erasmas attends a diplomatic summit where a funeral ceremony is held for those lost on both sides and a peace process begins between the aliens and the Arbrans. On Arbre itself, the Sæcular Power and the avout have agreed to cooperate as equal powers. The Arbrans inaugurate a second "Reconstitution", revising many of the rules that had restricted the work and lifestyle of the avout. Erasmas and his friends begin to build a new concent, open to the outside world and dedicated to Saunt Orolo.
The "Discipline"
In the novel, avout follow a life path called the Discipline, sometimes referred to as ''Cartasian Discipline'', after Saunt Cartas, the founder of the mathic world. It is a set of rules governing what is (and is not) allowed for avout to know and/or do, and was codified centuries before the time of the story in the ''Second New Revised Book of Discipline''.
Chief among these is that the avout are separated, both mentally and literally, from the Sæculum, or outside world. There are different levels of separation. For example, within a concent, there are different terms of residency. There are 1-, 10-, 100-, and 1,000-year orders. Each of these celebrates "Apert", a festival opening the concent to the outside world and allowing the flow of information between them, on an interval determined by that number. For example, a 10-year order would celebrate Apert once every ten years, remaining isolated otherwise. Likewise, a 100-year order would only celebrate Apert every hundred years, and a 1,000-year order once every 1,000 years. It is an essential part of this that at any time an order celebrates Apert, all orders below it also celebrate Apert. For example, a Millenarian (1,000-year) order would celebrate in the year 3000. Because 3000 is also a multiple of 100, 10, and 1, Centenarian, Decenarian, and Unarian orders would also celebrate. Exceptions to this rule include "hierarchs" (those who administer the concent) who are required to confer with the Sæcular Power on decisions of weight.
The main secondary aspect of the Discipline is that the avout are allowed to own only their "bolt, chord, and sphere". These objects are made with "newmatter" (matter made with a modified atomic structure to be more versatile), and can be made to alter their shape, texture and other physical properties without the use of tools or other outside technologies. The bolt is a length of newmatter fabric and is used as clothing; the chord is a newmatter rope used to secure the bolt; and the sphere is a newmatter balloon of adjustable size, shape and hardness, and serves as a multipurpose tool.
There are several restrictions governing, for example, the use of "sequencing" (
genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including t ...
), "syntactic devices" (computers), or other "praxis" (technology). Due to the restrictions, avout can only work on an entirely theoretical basis ''
de jure
In law and government, ''de jure'' ( ; , "by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legally ...
''.
Philosophical and scientific content and influences
![RogerPenroseTileTAMU2010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/RogerPenroseTileTAMU2010.jpg)
Large portions of the book involve detailed discussions of mathematics, physics, and philosophy. Most of these discussions use fictional Arbran terminology, but treat ideas from actual science and philosophy. Stephenson acknowledges the work of author
Julian Barbour
Julian Barbour (; born 1937) is a British physicist with research interests in quantum gravity and the history of science.
Since receiving his PhD degree on the foundations of Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity at the University of ...
as the source for much of this material.
Neal Stephenson
Neal Town Stephenson (born October 31, 1959) is an American writer known for his works of speculative fiction. His novels have been categorized as science fiction, historical fiction, cyberpunk, postcyberpunk, and baroque.
Stephenson's work exp ...
''Clocks, Orreries, etc.''
acknowledgements for ''Anathem''
A major theme of the novel is the
many-worlds interpretation
The many-worlds interpretation (MWI) is an interpretation of quantum mechanics that asserts that the universal wavefunction is objectively real, and that there is no wave function collapse. This implies that all possible outcomes of quantum me ...
of
quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics is a fundamental theory in physics that provides a description of the physical properties of nature at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles. It is the foundation of all quantum physics including quantum chemistry, ...
based on a
directed acyclic graph
In mathematics, particularly graph theory, and computer science, a directed acyclic graph (DAG) is a directed graph with no directed cycles. That is, it consists of vertices and edges (also called ''arcs''), with each edge directed from one ve ...
, which accounts for the various "worldtracks" and "narratives" explored by Fraa Orolo and manipulated by Fraa Jad.
Another major theme is the recurring philosophical debate between characters espousing mathematical
Platonic realism
Platonic realism is the philosophical position that universals or abstract objects exist objectively and outside of human minds. It is named after the Greek philosopher Plato who applied realism to such universals, which he considered ideal ...
(called "Halikaarnians" in the novel and associated with Incanters) and characters espousing
nominalism
In metaphysics, nominalism is the view that universals and abstract objects do not actually exist other than being merely names or labels. There are at least two main versions of nominalism. One version denies the existence of universalsthings t ...
(called "Procians" in the novel and who are the Rhetors).
Stephenson cites the work of
Roger Penrose
Sir Roger Penrose (born 8 August 1931) is an English mathematician, mathematical physicist, philosopher of science and Nobel Laureate in Physics. He is Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics in the University of Oxford, an emeritus fello ...
as a major influence on the novel. Specific ideas from Penrose's work include: the idea that the human mind operates in certain fundamental ways as a
quantum computer
Quantum computing is a type of computation whose operations can harness the phenomena of quantum mechanics, such as superposition, interference, and entanglement. Devices that perform quantum computations are known as quantum computers. Though ...
, espoused in Penrose's ''
The Emperor's New Mind
''The Emperor's New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds and The Laws of Physics'' is a 1989 book by the mathematical physicist Sir Roger Penrose.
Penrose argues that human consciousness is non-algorithmic, and thus is not capable of being modeled ...
''; Platonic realism as a philosophical basis for works of fiction, as in stories from Penrose's ''
The Road to Reality
''The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe'' is a book on modern physics by the British mathematical physicist Roger Penrose, published in 2004. It covers the basics of the Standard Model of particle physics, discussing ...
''; and the theory of
aperiodic tiling
An aperiodic tiling is a non-periodic tiling with the additional property that it does not contain arbitrarily large periodic regions or patches. A set of tile-types (or prototiles) is aperiodic if copies of these tiles can form only non- peri ...
s, which appear in the Teglon puzzle in the novel.
Stephenson also cites as an influence the works of
Kurt Gödel
Kurt Friedrich Gödel ( , ; April 28, 1906 – January 14, 1978) was a logician, mathematician, and philosopher. Considered along with Aristotle and Gottlob Frege to be one of the most significant logicians in history, Gödel had an imme ...
and
Edmund Husserl
, thesis1_title = Beiträge zur Variationsrechnung (Contributions to the Calculus of Variations)
, thesis1_url = https://fedora.phaidra.univie.ac.at/fedora/get/o:58535/bdef:Book/view
, thesis1_year = 1883
, thesis2_title ...
, both of whom the character Durand mentions by name in the novel.
Much of the Geometers' technology seen in the novel reflects existing scientific concepts. The alien ship moves by means of
nuclear pulse propulsion
Nuclear pulse propulsion or external pulsed plasma propulsion is a hypothetical method of spacecraft propulsion that uses nuclear explosions for thrust. It originated as Project ''Orion'' with support from DARPA, after a suggestion by Stanislaw ...
.
As an appendix to the novel, Stephenson includes three "Calca", discussions among the avout of purely philosophical or mathematical content. The first is a discussion of a
cake-cutting Cake-cutting may refer to:
* Fair cake-cutting
Fair cake-cutting is a kind of fair division problem. The problem involves a ''heterogeneous'' resource, such as a cake with different toppings, that is assumed to be ''divisible'' – it is possibl ...
procedure corresponding to the geometric problem of "doubling the square" presented in
Plato
Plato ( ; grc-gre, Πλάτων ; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) was a Greek philosopher born in Athens during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution ...
's ''
Meno
''Meno'' (; grc-gre, Μένων, ''Ménōn'') is a Socratic dialogue by Plato. Meno begins the dialogue by asking Socrates whether virtue is taught, acquired by practice, or comes by nature. In order to determine whether virtue is teachable ...
''. The second presents
configuration spaces (called "Hemn spaces" in the novel) as a way of representing three-dimensional motion. The third discusses a "complex"
Platonic realism
Platonic realism is the philosophical position that universals or abstract objects exist objectively and outside of human minds. It is named after the Greek philosopher Plato who applied realism to such universals, which he considered ideal ...
, in which several realms of Platonic ideal forms (called the "Hylaean Theoric Worlds" in the novel) exist independently of the physical world (called the "Arbran Causal Domain" in the novel). The mathematical structure of a
directed acyclic graph
In mathematics, particularly graph theory, and computer science, a directed acyclic graph (DAG) is a directed graph with no directed cycles. That is, it consists of vertices and edges (also called ''arcs''), with each edge directed from one ve ...
is used to describe the way in which the various realms can influence one other, and even the physical world can function as part of the realm of ideal forms for some worlds "downstream" in the graph.
Characters
*Erasmas (nickname "Raz"): The protagonist of ''Anathem''; a Decenarian fraa from the Concent of Saunt Edhar. The neglected son of slines, he was collected by the concent at the age of eight.
*Orolo: A Decenarian fraa from the Concent of Saunt Edhar. He is an eminent cosmographer and Erasmas's mentor at the concent. He is banished for using forbidden technology to observe the alien ship in violation of the Discipline's isolation requirements. He dies while recovering the alien body from Orithena, and is canonized as a Saunt for his sacrifice.
*Arsibalt: A Decenarian fraa from the Concent of Saunt Edhar and one of Erasmas's friends. The estranged son of a religious official, he seeks to reconcile religion with theorics.
*Lio: A Decenarian fraa from the Concent of Saunt Edhar and one of Erasmas's friends. He's known as an absent-minded eccentric and is interested in military history, Vale-lore (martial arts), and unusual gardening techniques. He leads the space mission to destroy the alien weapon.
*Jesry: A Decenarian fraa from the Concent of Saunt Edhar and one of Erasmas's friends. Unlike Erasmas, Jesry comes from a prosperous family, and is bored with the routine of mathic life preceding the arrival of the aliens. He becomes famous for going into space with the Warden of Heaven (a religious leader of the Sæcular Power) to investigate the alien ship.
*Ala: A Decenarian suur from the Concent of Saunt Edhar. She becomes a major organizer of the Convox, and later, the Arbran resistance. Although they disliked each other as children, she and Erasmas become romantically involved in the course of the story.
*Jad: A Millenarian fraa from the Concent of Saunt Edhar. Jad is summoned to the Convox at the same time of Erasmas, but tells Erasmas to look for Orolo instead of traveling directly to the Convox. Jad is a participant in philosophical discussions at the Convox and plays a key role in the mission to the alien ship. It is hinted that he is hundreds of years old and possesses the ability to be conscious within multiple parallel cosmi.
*Cord: Erasmas' half-sister and a machinesmith who lives near the Concent of Saunt Edhar. She accompanies Erasmas on his search for Orolo. She and Yul become romantically involved in the course of the story.
*Sammann: A member of a social
caste
Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...
of
computer experts from the Concent of Saunt Edhar who accompanies Erasmas on his search for Orolo. He provides technological support and knowledge for Erasmas' companions throughout the story.
*Yulassetar Crade (nickname "Yul"): A wilderness guide who joins the expedition to find Orolo. He and Cord become romantically involved in the course of the story.
*Ganelial Crade (nickname "Gnel"): A religious man who volunteers to drive the avout to the Convox, before joining the search for Orolo. Erasmas mistrusts Gnel at first, but becomes friends over the course of the story.
*Jules Verne Durand: A linguist from Laterre who infiltrates the Convox to gather information for the aliens. He defects to the Arbrans and joins the mission to the alien ship.
Production
The novel was partly inspired by Stephenson's involvement with the
Clock of the Long Now
The Clock of the Long Now, also called the 10,000-year clock, is a mechanical clock under construction that is designed to keep time for 10,000 years. It is being built by the Long Now Foundation. A two-meter prototype is on display at the Sci ...
project, to which he contributed three pages of sketches and notes. A separate compact disc, entitled ''IOLET: Music from the World of Anathem'', containing eight experimental vocal compositions by
David Stutz
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
, was sold separately through
CD Baby
CD Baby, Inc. is an online distributor of independent music. The company was described as an "anti-label" by its parent company's Chief Operating Officer Tracy Maddux. The CD Baby music store was shut down in March 2020 with a statement that "C ...
and the
Long Now Foundation
The Long Now Foundation, established in 1996, is an American non-profit organization based in San Francisco that seeks to start and promote a long-term cultural institution. It aims to provide a counterpoint to what it views as today's "faster ...
, with profits going to The Clock of the Long Now project.
To create the world of Arbre, Stephenson constructs new vocabulary. In order to familiarize the reader with the new words, many of which are analogous to English, Latin or Greek words and ideas, a
glossary
A glossary (from grc, γλῶσσα, ''glossa''; language, speech, wording) also known as a vocabulary or clavis, is an alphabetical list of Term (language), terms in a particular domain of knowledge with the definitions for those terms. Tradi ...
is included at the end of the book. Each chapter begins with a definition of one of these words, which usually relates to the chapter in some way. In addition, the Orth language spoken by the characters was created by
Jeremy Bornstein at the author's request,
and has been documented. The word ''anathem'' was invented by Stephenson, based on the word ''
anthem
An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short ...
'' and the Greek word ''
anathema
Anathema, in common usage, is something or someone detested or shunned. In its other main usage, it is a formal excommunication. The latter meaning, its ecclesiastical sense, is based on New Testament usage. In the Old Testament, anathema was a cr ...
''. In the book, an ''anathem'' is a mathic ritual by which one is expelled from the mathic world.
Reception
''Anathem'' received mostly positive reviews.
Paul Boutin
Paul Boutin (born December 11, 1961 in Lewiston, Maine) is an American magazine writer and editor who writes about technology in a pop-culture context.
Boutin, who began writing for ''Wired'' in 1997, wrote for ''The New York Times'' from 2003 ...
wrote in ''
The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' that "the lasting satisfaction of ''Anathem'' derives … from Mr. Stephenson's wry contempt for today's just-Google-it mindset. His prose is dense, but his worldview contagious." On
Salon.com
''Salon'' is an American politically progressive/ liberal news and opinion website created in 1995. It publishes articles on U.S. politics, culture, and current events.
Content and coverage
''Salon'' covers a variety of topics, including re ...
,
Andrew Leonard
Andrew Leonard (born 1962) is an American journalist who writes feature articles for ''San Francisco'' and contributes to Medium. From 1995 to 2014 he wrote for ''Salon.com''. He has also written for ''Wired''.
Career
Leonard is credited with co ...
described the book as "a page turner and a philosophical argument, an adventure novel and an extended existential meditation, a physics lesson, sermon and ripping good yarn."
Michael Dirda
Michael Dirda (born 1948) is a book critic for the ''Washington Post''. He has been a Fulbright Fellow and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1993.
Career
Having studied at Oberlin College for his undergraduate degree in 1970, Dirda took an M.A. in 1974 and ...
of ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' disagreed, remarking that "''Anathem'' will certainly be admired for its intelligence, ambition, control and ingenuity", but describing it as "fundamentally unoriginal", "grandiose, overwrought and pretty damn dull."
David Itzkoff
David L. Itzkoff (born March 2, 1976) is an American journalist and writer who is a culture reporter for ''The New York Times''. He is the author of ''Cocaine's Son'', a memoir about growing up with his drug-abusing father. Before joining the '' ...
of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' concluded that "''Anathem'' spends so much time engaged in copying, in conjuring up alternative formulations of our real-world science and religion, that it forgets to come up with much that is new or true."
The novel entered
''The New York Times'' Best Seller list for Hardcover Fiction at number one and achieved the rare distinction for a novel of being reviewed in
''Nature''.
Anathem won the
Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
The Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel is one of the annual Locus Awards presented by the science fiction and fantasy magazine ''Locus''. Awards presented in a given year are for works published in the previous calendar year. The award f ...
in 2009
and collected nominations for the
Hugo
Hugo or HUGO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Hugo'' (film), a 2011 film directed by Martin Scorsese
* Hugo Award, a science fiction and fantasy award named after Hugo Gernsback
* Hugo (franchise), a children's media franchise based on ...
,
Arthur C. Clarke, and
John W. Campbell Memorial Award
The John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, or Campbell Memorial Award, is an annual award presented by the Center for the Study of Science Fiction at the University of Kansas to the author of the best science fiction no ...
s the same year.
In 2008, the novel received a nomination for the British Science Fiction Award.
References
"But enough about you – Neal Stephenson"– initial blog entry which broke the story
*
Plot of New Neal Stephenson Novel Revealed,
io9
''io9'' is part of Gizmodo media since 2015, and it began as blog launched in 2008 by Gawker Media. The site initially focused on the subjects of science fiction, fantasy, futurism, science, technology and related areas but over the years has ...
, March 31, 2008
External links
''Anathem'' on Stephenson's website.''Anathem''at Worlds Without End
Stephenson discusses''Anathem'' at
Google
Google LLC () is an American multinational technology company focusing on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and consumer electronics. ...
, September 2008
{{Authority control
2008 American novels
Novels by Neal Stephenson
American science fiction novels
Novels about extraterrestrial life
Novels about mathematics
Novels set on fictional planets
American philosophical novels
Metaphysical fiction novels