Have you read other Stephenson? It’s a great book but I think he’s done better work since.

That’s a really fun read in the series. Book 5 bogs down a bit, 6 picks up again, but 7 and 8 are absolutely fantastic and worth the continuity. 9 feels a little hasty but it’s a fitting end.

Is there a series that does 🪐 and 🌶️ together uncompromisingly well?

I love Stephenson’s Seveneves. Not as Lovecraftian but it’s excellent hard sci-fi.