Stephenson's book Anathem has been hailed as a political thriller, a science fiction masterpiece, and a philosophical discourse. Encompassing all realms of a fictional society, the novel almost unconsciously describes the best and worst aspects of human nature. The men who inhabit the planet of Arbre find themselves being invaded by an alien race. In their subsequent attempts to navigate the invasion with the fewest local casualties, they discover the downfalls and strengths of their own society.
In Anathem the rebels are glorified, but they aren't the typical incarnation of rebellion. The men who end up saving the day here are scientists and philosophers. The avout is a sect of the society which strictly devotes itself to intellectual pursuits. Though not strictly speaking religious men, the avout are like monks who spend their days in isolation and introspection. They are contrasted by the Sæcular Powers, men who prefer brawn to brains and seek power above truth. Because of the diversion between the members of the local society, the aliens have more of a chance to succeed and take over Arbre than if the locals were unified. In the end, however, the rebels among the avout discover valuable information about the aliens which enable their kinsmen to come to peace with their invaders. The traits which prove virtuous and noble in the story are dedication to truth, peace, and rationality.
The novel has an interesting focus on introspection. Since the avout live in concents, essentially like monks in monasteries, they engage in religious practice. They are not religious men, nor do they conform to any particular sect of religious beliefs, but they do pursue internal contemplation and isolate themselves from the rest of society in order to do so. Through solitude and discipline they seek truth. In a sense these men are all Buddhists, without the title. Their rigorous practices of meditation and study are what lead to a more productive and peaceful society. Unfortunately their efforts are hampered by the heavy regulations of the Sæcular Powers. After the aliens settle for peace with the locals, they enact laws which more evenly balance the power of society between the religious and the secular, hopefully to enable future generations to accomplish bigger and better things.
