Interface (Paperback)

~ (Author), J. Frederick George (Author) "WILLIAM ANTHONY Cozzano's office was a scandal..." (more)
Key Phrases: Mary Catherine, Lady Wilburdon, Earl Strong (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

'A Manchurian Candidate for the computer age' Seattle Weekly --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

From his triumphant debut with Snow Crash to the stunning success of his latest novel, Quicksilver, Neal Stephenson has quickly become the voice of a generation. In this now-classic thriller, he and fellow author J. Frederick George tell a shocking tale with an all-too plausible premise.

There's no way William A. Cozzano can lose the upcoming presidential election. He's a likable midwestern governor with one insidious advantage—an advantage provided by a shadowy group of backers. A biochip implanted in his head hardwires him to a computerized polling system. The mood of the electorate is channeled directly into his brain. Forget issues. Forget policy. Cozzano is more than the perfect candidate. He's a special effect.

“Complex, entertaining, frequently funny."—Publishers Weekly

“Qualifies as the sleeper of the year, the rare kind of science-fiction thriller that evokes genuine laughter while simultaneously keeping the level of suspense cranked to the max."— San Diego Union-Tribune
“A Manchurian Candidate for the computer age.” —Seattle Weekly

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Product Details

• Paperback: 640 pages
• Publisher: Spectra (May 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553383434
• ISBN-13: 978-0553383430
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #192,033 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Stephenson Lite, June 30, 2005

By	Ryan Silberstein - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is not Stephenson at his best (Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon). The book has a slow buildup to the premise described on the back cover, and then rips through most of the good stuff in the last 150 pages. The story takes place in the 1996 election (I'm assuming, as the book was written in 1994). Besides the wiplash ending, there are some other major problems with the book.

The characters are very two dimensional, adhearing to besic archetypes. There is no real protaganist. None of the charcters are developed enough for the reader to even care about them.

The plot is implausible, not from a technological standpoint, but from a political one. It takes a leap of suspension of disbelief to think that Cozzano (the hero?) makes it as far as he does.

The story skips major events in the srory, such as Election Day!

Don't get me wrong, this is an entertaining story, but nowhere near as deep as the Stephenson we know and love.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good thriller, bad Neal Stephenson, October 28, 2005

By	"Unnecessary" Quotes "handstand artist" - See all my reviews

This is a great summer read, which you should be able to knock off in about a week, but this may be the worst Stephenson novel. (Which means it's a good novel, but just not up to the standards usually set by this author.)

This novel has the worst character development of any Stephenson novel that I have ever read. (That includes everything, chronologically, from Zodiac through the Baroque Cycle.) Rather than an interesting critique of the American political process, which is what Stephenson apparently set out to create, Mr. Stephenson has created a passion play in which the characters are superficially developed and somewhat cliched.

The central theme of political hacks hijacking American democracy is interesting enough -- especially considering that this novel was written in the pre-Rovian era -- but this novel uterly lacks the exhaustive research, meticulous prose, and well-rounded characters that make Stephenson one of the greatest modern authors.

When compared to the rest of Stephenson's work, this one is just shy of three stars. When compared with everything else being written in this genre, it gets four and a half. Buy it, read it, but don't expect vintage Stephenson. All in all, what you get here is a very good story that fails to meet the very high expectations set by this author.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Even So-So Stephenson is Worth Seeking Out, September 27, 2006

By	J. Brian Watkins (San Dimas, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Interface is a neat little conspiracy tale dealing with the attempt by an organization with virtually unlimited resources to take effective control of the United States. It is, apparently, a republished edition of a very early Stephenson novel and exhibits Stephenson's wonderful gift for drawing vivid characters by way of providing an exceptionally detailed background. Average Stephenson far surpasses the best works of most other authors. Having just finished his over 3,000 page opus set in the Baroque era, I can state without qualification that he really is that good.

One of my favorite characteristics of a Stephenson novel is his uncanny ability to ride right on the line of willing suspension of disbelief. Perhaps because his characters are so excellently drawn the reader is willing to accept that, for example, neurosurgical science advances fifty years in a week or that a candidate could get away with turning a debate into a campaign advertisement. We aren't just introduced to the protagonist, we are introduced to his great-grandparents and given a complete family history. The introduction of our evil (well, not really evil, but that is his role) genius character takes place only after Stephenson knowledgably describes the character's monster pick-up truck and its effect upon the locals. So, yes, the book is full of rather contrived situations and characters--but they are so exquisitely contrived that you can't put the book down. These are characters you come to understand and care about--you find yourself hoping that they succeed.

Finally, Stephenson has some interesting things to say about our world. He understands at a very deep level how we are drowning in BS and trading reality for pleasant fictions that help us get along in an overly complex society that is no longer interested in where it is going or how it got there.