There are times when I wish Stephen King and Tom Clancy hadn't taught Stephenson how to write, but every so often this is mitigated by a wonderfully written scene. Beyond that, the maths here are good - just what is needed for Stephenson's geek/nerd constituency. It was also nice to see historical figures walk on and off stage, but there are times when I would question how realistic he was with these portrayals. On the other hand, at the very least, this took place on a parallel Earth, so all is fine there. :)