The first time I tried reading Anathem, I couldn't get into it and put it down for a year. Then, while travelling (read: lots of time on my hands), I picked it

The first time I tried reading Anathem, I couldn't get into it and put it down for a year. Then, while travelling (read: lots of time on my hands), I picked it up again and couldn't put it down until I finished it. The richness of the world and the pacing of the plot (past page 300 or so) as the mystery is revealed is gripping. I didn't think it was an earth-shattering book, but it was certainly a great read. In the same vein, Ender's Game is just another book about a child prodigy/outcast who saves the day. It seemed far more profound when I was 13 than it did upon re-reading. Some books aren't revolutionary; they're just a good read. I haven't read Snow Crash or Diamond Age, but I'm about a quarter of the way through Cryptonomicon right now and it's starting to get good. I find Stephensen's books tend to start off slowly then quickly pick up steam.