I have to disagree on two counts. First, Diax’s Rake is explicitly a reference to Thucydides, (or, more spoilerifically, Thucydides’ “referenced” Diax for some value of reference), so it’s not really interesting that it appeared in Anathem.
Secondly, Anathem isn’t actually aligned with LW themes at all. It might appear that way at the beginning, but Stephenson undoes all of it with the spoiler twist at the end.
Hmm.. i can’t remember the specific reference to Thucydides from the book, and I don’t have it handy right now… did the book mention him? I just found the parallel quite interesting.
Regarding the other point, I meant ‘aligned with LW themes’, that is discusses many of the same things that are discussed here—and in many cases seems to agree. Not always—but apart from the parallel universe mixups which are a bit… suspect, I got the idea that NS has been lookin at LW (well, OB) and similar sources.
I have to disagree on two counts. First, Diax’s Rake is explicitly a reference to Thucydides, (or, more spoilerifically, Thucydides’ “referenced” Diax for some value of reference), so it’s not really interesting that it appeared in Anathem.
Secondly, Anathem isn’t actually aligned with LW themes at all. It might appear that way at the beginning, but Stephenson undoes all of it with the spoiler twist at the end.
Hmm.. i can’t remember the specific reference to Thucydides from the book, and I don’t have it handy right now… did the book mention him? I just found the parallel quite interesting.
Regarding the other point, I meant ‘aligned with LW themes’, that is discusses many of the same things that are discussed here—and in many cases seems to agree. Not always—but apart from the parallel universe mixups which are a bit… suspect, I got the idea that NS has been lookin at LW (well, OB) and similar sources.