Anathem

On the planet Arbre, scholars known as avout live in monastic communities called concents, cut off from the outside world, devoting themselves to mathematics, philosophy, and science, with only brief gatherings with outsiders every few years or centuries. Fraa Erasmas, a young avout, notices a strange object in the sky and learns that an alien ship may have arrived, which forces the walls to open and pulls him into a war and a search. Neal Stephenson invents a vocabulary and a history of philosophy for Arbre that parallels ours, with long discussions of ideas.

It is meant for readers who like dense science fiction and who enjoy debates about mathematics, logic, and consciousness. The first chapters are demanding, but the payoff is worth it.

Deep, open-ended and thought-provoking; a demanding read.

Best for readers like The Deep Diver. Which reader are you?