FWIW I picked up & put down Anathem a few different times before it "clicked" for me — the made up words made it hard to get into at first. But now it's one of my favorite Stephenson novels.

A less-steep place to start with him might be:

- Snowcrash

- The Diamond Age

- Seveneves

I really like Seveneves, but I do feel like it’s the beginning of a larger piece.

Agreed. I think it itself could've been split into two books, and could easily merit a sequel or two.

But I suppose wanting more is better than the opposite?