Review : Neuromancer by William Gibson

Book Shelf Card

Neuromancer

by William Gibson

Series

Sprawl Trilogy, Book #1

Genre

Scifi / Drama / Action

Rated

Adult

Publisher

Ace Books

Publication Date

July 1984

Pages

271

Format Read

Paperback

Source

Husbands copy

Spoiler Level

Spoiler-free public review

Ever played Cyberpunk 2077 and ran around Night City? Well in this book you are in a place pretty similar and also called Night City. There aren't BDMs but a reality you can jack into that is shared with other peoples minds like a mass hallucination. Ring any bells? Beauty is affordable, lives can be extended, and the elite rich are in cryo in a space station. This is the kind of atmosphere you'll find yourself in while reading William Gibson's Neuromancer.

Synopsis

You follow the protagonist, Case, as he deals with being a former console cowboy (computer hacker). His nervous system was crippled by his previous employer because he stole company property. This has prevented him from ever going back into the Matrix. But maybe his luck turns when a razor girl and her boss offer him a chance to fix the damage done if he does the job against an unbelievably powerful A.I.

Nerdy Take

I really enjoyed the cyberpunk setting but sometimes I got lost in the description of the surroundings so I just focused on the storyline. It was a little hard sussing out some of the terminology while reading too. And one of the character's Jamaican accent was a hard read as well.

The use of companies like Disney and Nikon as description for things was surprising. They were and are still influential brands so only a bit. I believe the story is relatable today because we are entering the age of "AI".

None of the characters were really likable. I just felt pity for them, some I even detested. But I wanted to know what was really going on so I kept reading. They all have their own unique personality that keeps the story fresh. It reminds me of some weird crew set up for a heist series on Netflix.

There were a few explicit lines that I just didn't feel like added anything to the story. Just knowing that these people have sex is sufficient in my book but I do have my theories on why it's important to know. I elaborate more in the Members Cubby content after this review.

Despite its' ups and downs, I am glad to have read Neuromancer, the book that has been inspiring cyberpunk stories and helping define the genre. I'm interested to watch Apple TV interpretation of Neuromancer when their show comes out. But I haven't decided if I'm going to read the rest of the trilogy.