CRYPTONOMICON

CRYPTONOMICON isn’t so much science fiction as scientific fiction. In two parallel plotlines, set 50 years apart, it’s the story of intelligence cryptographers cracking enemy codes during WWII and the story of late-twentieth-century entrepreneurs, computer security experts, and treasure hunters scouring the Pacific for data mines and hidden Japanese treasure. The novel’s technical and technological material presents a special challenge to a narrator: to present the science with the seriousness it deserves without lapsing into monotony. William Dufris is a master at bringing stories to life. If anything, he errs on the side of giving too much animation to the narrative sections. By contrast, his character depictions are spot-on. The characters, men and women from across the globe, are portrayed so well, and with such distinct voices, that the listener may forget that Dufris is portraying them all. S.E.S. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2010]