Neuromancer by William Gibson Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Neuromancer
Book Review: The Matrix on the set of Bladerunner
Summary: 3 Stars
This book is part of my effort to read all joint Hugo/Nebula Award winners. In addition to those two awards, this novel also won the Philip K. Dick award in 1985. As you might imagine, this work of science fiction is viewed by many as one of the most ground breaking works ever published in the genre. I can't argue with that assessment.
It is absolutely mind blowing that this book was written in December, 1983. Focusing largely on virtual reality, this is the source of the now common terms "cyberspace" and "matrix". Put yourself back in 1983. Computer programming was being done with punch cards. The internet was nothing more than a gleam in Al Gore's eye. In fact, in an afterward penned by one of Gibson's contemporaries, it is argued that not only did Gibson foretell the development of virtual reality and cyberspace, by publication of this novel, he essentially created them.
That having been said, I must admit to having a difficult time following the characters and storyline of this complicated work. Like many of Philip Dick's later works, it is not an easy read. In addition, what was revolutionary and fresh in 1983, has become somewhat old hat in the 21st century.
The story revolves around a cyberspace cowboy who is recruited for the purpose of freeing an artificial intelligence from its human imposed restrictions. The backdrop is urban, drug infested and gritty. Much of the action takes place in virtual reality. Visualize The Matrix on the set of Bladerunner and you get the picture. Again, jaw dropping for 1983; par for the course in 2009. For that reason, it is well deserving of the awards it has received and the status it enjoys among the science fiction community. However, as a current reading experience, the complexity of the work, coupled with technological advancements since its publication makes this a three star reading experience for me.
Book Review: The Original Cyberpunk
Summary: 4 Stars
First off, I have to say that I was introduced to this novel by seeing, loving and researching The Matrix. I believe that the movie was just absolutely fantastic and amazing and any other adjective that I can think of (Just not at the moment). So, I picked up this book from the library to see what it was all about.
It was pretty good basically sums it up. It had innovative settings and ideas and was generally awesome all around, but I just didn't like how sometimes certain technologies were never explained or were only barely mentioned. That's fine if it is just mentioned in passing, but when you linger on them and detail them without saying what they actually do, that kind of frustrated me.
Other than that, this book was what I like to call perfect. Everything about it was expertly crafted and written, and I highly recommend it to people interested in cyperbunk or just basic science fiction.
Book Review: The Sex Pistols for the sci-fi and online world
Summary: 4 Stars
Like any book, Neuromancer is not without its flaws; but without its groundbreaking influence, the term "cyberspace" wouldn't exist and the word "punk" would only be associated with drooling, malcontent rockers like Sid Vicious.
Actually, I can't help but compare author William Gibson to H. G. Wells. As science fiction writers, they both knew nothing about the science behind the subject matter they wrote. When you read Wells's work, it's almost comical in its out-of-date simplicity, but that's only if you can't leave the 21st century and go back to the dawn of the 20th century. You have to apply the same open-mindedness with how Gibson describes the Internet, being that Neuromancer was originally published almost a quarter of a century ago.
And while Wells is clearly a romantic science fiction writer, I have to say Gibson is a gothic science fiction writer. Neuronmancer looks at science with a dark heart. The characters are thieves, drug runners or hired thugs; the protagonist, Case, is a "computer cowboy," a hacker hired by an ominous employer. A scary yet sexy book about a dystopian world, Neuromancer isn't for the squeamish, but it's definitely recommended for anyone who's open to tackle it.
So, jack in, and experience the World Wide Web before it existed. Taste the grime and grit of Neuromancer. It's the Sex Pistols for the sci-fi and online world.
Book Review: There is only one equal to Verne
Summary: 5 Stars
and his name is William Gibson.
Maybe the style of writing is not perfect, but content is what matters. I am reading it for fifth or so time and it is different then when I read it at age of nineteen.
Just get it, and trust me, nobody remained indifferent.
Book Review: Total and Utter GARBAGE
Summary: 1 Stars
I first tried Neuromancer back when I was a Sophomore in college as it was required reading for an English class I was taking. I got about 35 pages into it and gave up, not understanding the writing, the story, or hardly anything. And still, I feel the EXACT same way after FINISHING it. There are 3 main reasons I absolutely hated this book.
1.Neuromancer was slow (even though it is only 271 pages it feels 10 times as long)
2. It is far too descriptive Can someone please translate this next passage for me? "His mouth filled with the aching taste of blue. His eyes eggs of unstable crystal, vibrating with a frequency whose name was rain and the sound of trains, suddenly sprouting a humming forest of hair fine glass spires"
3. The story line SUCKED, making little to no sense throughout the entire book. I Still can't figure out how Case could hack into computer networks, read viruses, talk to brain dead "constructs", travel to some exotic super posh space station, let an intelligent computer system boss him around, and jump into another human being.
I think Neuromancer proves (to me at least) that even though a book can win many awards (in this case the Hugo, Nebula, and Philip K. Dick awards) the book can be total garbage.