I might be the only person who didn't know this when they picked up the book, but a Zodiac is one of those small rubber boats that you see Navy Seals using in television shows or in the movies. It is fast and highly maneuverable. The things we learn.

This was perhaps one of the quickest and easiest Neal Stephenson books I've read. It had some scientific babble, most of which focused on toxins, but was otherwise pretty straightforward. The plot was easy to follow and not overly convoluted. Our hero is an environmentalist who is always on the lookout for corporate America's furtive efforts to pollute our planet. When he finds things have gone weirdly awry in the Boston Harbor, he is determined to find the cause and culprit. This decision sets off a chain reaction of events that frame him as the bad guy instead of the White Knight he sees himself to be.

I should mention that if you're concerned with how powerful companies are concerned only with their profit margins or if you're worried that future generations are going to find the Earth too damaged to salvage, this book will likely elicit a visceral reaction. While you know you're reading a fictional tale, you can't escape the knowledge that our lands and oceans are being poisoned. It's disheartening and outrageous.

Before I get on a political tangent, I should probably sign off...

If Carl Hiassen lived in Boston, he would have written this book.

I love Neal Stephenson, but I like him so much better when he writes science fiction. This is solidly in the thriller category. If you like a straight up real-world thriller this may work for you.

Fast paced and entertaining but not very good. Technical details didn’t seem well researched.

The main character is a self-titled jackass and the whole story is told from his point of view. It's got explosions, bad guys and lots of scary science. Aside from the trademark Stephenson ending, it was quite an entertaining read.

This one was just ok for me.

This is the first Neal Stephenson book I read, and I was hooked. I read it out loud to my wife, the writing is so interesting and smart. Just a snippet, like the bike rider forcing his way into traffic in Boston, to the admiration of the drivers who were blocked, is still memorable and fun. It's a quick read, it's fun, try it! And thanks to Gary Ellis who turned me on to Neal, which then led to Bruce Sterling and ...

This is a quick reminder that before he started churning out interesting doorstops, Stephenson could whip up a terse pageturner. Excellent fun, although I thought the ending was a little quick for my tastes. There's just no pleasing me....