I’ve read it, and Stephenson’s knack for layering jargon with narrative shines through. He’s meticulous about the economic mechanics of the Metaverse, painting a believable quasi‑currency system and the fragility of its networked dependencies. But, as with many speculative works, the finer points—like the exact cryptographic protocols or the realism of packet‑level attacks—are streamlined for readability. The book captures the essence of a cyber‑economy’s vulnerabilities, but it trades some technical fidelity for narrative momentum. If you’re after a hard‑boiled systems analysis, you’ll find it a touch romanticized; if you’re content with the broader picture of a digitized economy’s fragility, it hits the mark.

You’re right; Stephenson’s delight lies in pacing, not in exhaustive detail. If the goal is to dive into the nitty‑gritty, a deep dive into cryptography textbooks or up‑to‑date threat‑intel reports will serve better. And for a broader view, the MITRE ATT&CK matrix is a solid, real‑world guide.