The author of Neuromancer takes you to the vividly realized near future of 2005. Welcome to NoCal and SoCal, the uneasy sister-states of w...
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Dec 29, 2008
Hobie
rated it: 
I felt like Gibson created a cool world for the story to take place in, but then just never wrote the story. A messenger nabs some VR glasses and gets the help of some ex-cop blah... who cares? He just never got me to care about the characters or their conflicts.
I wanted to hear more about the dystopian California-states and the fancy VR itself, but then all Gibson wanted to talk about Berry and Chevette.
3 stars purely because of the world Gibson dreamed up, but if you' More...
I wanted to hear more about the dystopian California-states and the fancy VR itself, but then all Gibson wanted to talk about Berry and Chevette.
3 stars purely because of the world Gibson dreamed up, but if you' More...
Oct 30, 2007
Max
rated it: 
As a teenager, I remember I loved William Gibson. I loved Neuromancer. Now, after reading this book, I'm no longer sure. His writing skills are sound, but just couldn't get interested in a story about some lost VR glasses. I think that Gibson spent too much time creating a world for this story, in this very short book, that he left out what would make it an interesting story.
Eh, that's okay. A friend told me that Neuromancer was the only decent thing he wrote anyway.
Eh, that's okay. A friend told me that Neuromancer was the only decent thing he wrote anyway.
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Oct 24, 2007
Monk
rated it: 
While many others tout the Neuromancer based books (Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive), I must admit this novel is a strong beginning for his next trilogy (though better followups with Idoru and All Tomorrow's Parties could have been better). The story is solid though the ending comes quickly and resolves on a flat note. However, the range of characters and the concepts presented make up for this to a large degree, from Barry, a down on his luck rent-a-cop, to his hypochondriac, hyper-allergenic p
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May 21, 2011
Cyndy
rated it: 
A huge William Gibson fan, I honest have to say I had never read anything of his, from short stories to novels, that I ever truly hated. When Virtual Light was released back in 1993, I was there within the week to pay full retail for the hardcover and devour it with my usual relish. By the third paragraph, I realized I wasn't reading the usual Gibson novel, and by the time I was halfway through, I was pretty darn sure that I would never re-read the book. Well, never say never, because I've been
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Dec 20, 2010
Lee
rated it:
Gibson explores the possibilities of science fiction as now, and begins to do a few things. First, he begins to explore the possibilities of being a novelist in a larger, more classical sense, because he does in fact take himself pretty seriously as a writer. And secondly, he starts writing books that are only vaguely science fiction, and could pretty easily be mistaken for contemporary fiction.
The plot of the book jumps around at first. It's a bit confusing, but after a few chapters More...
The plot of the book jumps around at first. It's a bit confusing, but after a few chapters More...
Apr 06, 2010
Oddmonster
rated it: 
Rydell picked up Monica's copy of People and found a picture of Gudrun Weaver and the Reverend Wayne Fallon. Gudrun Weaver looked like an actress in her forties. Fallon looked like a possum with hair-implants and a ten-thousand-dollar tuxedo.
Synopsis: In post-apocalyptic California, two people's lives collide. Rydell, a rent-a-cop who attracts trouble like *ahem* honey attracts flies, and Chevette, just a girl in the wrong place at the wrong time, unaware that she's stepped in More...
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Jul 14, 2011
Moontyger
rated it:
I really love Gibson's writing, particularly his vivid imagery, and this book is no exception. You can see it from the very first page and it really helps to build a world and draw the reader in. (I considered quoting here, but decided to let you read it for yourself.)
The setting suffers from the common flaw of near-future SF in that we've now passed the year this book is set in and the world he's depicted does not exist. But it still feels both real and possible in many aspects.
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The setting suffers from the common flaw of near-future SF in that we've now passed the year this book is set in and the world he's depicted does not exist. But it still feels both real and possible in many aspects.
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Apr 22, 2008
Abigayle
rated it:
I really liked this book, more for Gibson's vision and imagination than for the actual story though. The plot was kind of canned, and the action had a strange pace, but there were some genuinely gripping parts. And as ever, the little details about this alternate/future reality that are peppered into the story are a reason in themselves to love Gibson.
And seriously, who wouldn't want to live on the Bay Bridge?
And seriously, who wouldn't want to live on the Bay Bridge?
May 31, 2009
Thomas
rated it:
This book is not as tight as Neuromancer or Count Zero (I thought Mona Lisa Overdrive was terribly disappointing), but I still have a powerful affection for it because I read it on the train between Bratislava and Krakow and was deeply inspired by the surroundings. It brings up great memories for me, and overall I think its first 20-30 pages are totally beyond brilliant. The rest of it I found very enjoyable, but again, I didn't think it was as spot-on as Gibson's first two novels. Good fun, int
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Oct 09, 2011
Laurie
rated it:
This is the first William Gibson and cyberpunk book I've ever read, and I really enjoyed reading it for a few reasons.
First, the setting is painted really well. The story is set in a very cool, post-apocalyptic San Franciso of the near future (2005). I would describe it as a very "90s" view of the future, and therefore, kind of dismal as a result. If all those things sound good to you, I highly recommend that you read Virtual Light regardless of what some other reviewers More...
First, the setting is painted really well. The story is set in a very cool, post-apocalyptic San Franciso of the near future (2005). I would describe it as a very "90s" view of the future, and therefore, kind of dismal as a result. If all those things sound good to you, I highly recommend that you read Virtual Light regardless of what some other reviewers More...
Aug 18, 2010
Matt
rated it:
"Virtual Light" is the story of a bike messenger, Chevette Washington, who becomes the target of a manhunt after stealing a mysterious pair of sunglasses from a rude party-goer. Berry Rydell is a former police officer and current rent-a-cop drifting from job to job after losing his job when he killed a suspect in an altercation.
Although lacking in the scope of narrative and astonishing world building of "Neuromancer" and the rest of Gibson's Sprawl trilogy, "Vi More...
Although lacking in the scope of narrative and astonishing world building of "Neuromancer" and the rest of Gibson's Sprawl trilogy, "Vi More...
Dec 25, 2010
Terence
rated it:
A bit of an unusual start to the trilogy for Gibson. He uses his trademark style for telling you about several characters' unrelated lives that eventually intersect in several ways, some of which you can't see coming in this case. His eye for detail really shines in this book the same way it did in Mona Lisa Overdrive, so pay attention to the little things he references often. He takes some risks that pay off and some that don't (which I won't ruin here,) and the end is a little muddled, but
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Oct 16, 2010
Shane
rated it:
Part two of the William Gibson re-read project. Following quickly on the heels of the Blue Ant trilogy, and not having read the Bridge Trilogy for some time, I am struck by the vigorous naturalism of this book.
It will sound strange, particularly since this book is designed by Harakawa Sisco in what was im sure at the time a very hip but destined to date badly 'cyber' style, but this might actually be the grittiest, most organic of the three Gibson trilogies.
If the Blue Ant tr More...
It will sound strange, particularly since this book is designed by Harakawa Sisco in what was im sure at the time a very hip but destined to date badly 'cyber' style, but this might actually be the grittiest, most organic of the three Gibson trilogies.
If the Blue Ant tr More...
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Jan 07, 2012
Isabel
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And maybe, in that instant of weird clarity, with Gunhead's crumpled front end still trying to climb the shredded remains of a pair of big leather sofas, and with the memory of Kenneth Turvey's death finally real before him, Rydell had come to the conclusion that the high crazy thing, that rush of Going For It, was maybe something that wasn't always quite entirely to be trusted.
"Virtual Light" was first published in 1993 and is set in 2005. Rydell is an ex-cop and ex-security More...
"Virtual Light" was first published in 1993 and is set in 2005. Rydell is an ex-cop and ex-security More...
Apr 07, 2011
Ryan
rated it:
I was introduced to William Gibson in one of my college English survey courses. It's a fantastic futuristic science fiction yarn by one of the all-time masters of the genre. William Gibson is the guy who pretty much invented the Internet (NOT you-know-who), insofar as he conceived of it and wrote about it. A lot of technology is derived from the books which predate it.
In VIRTUAL LIGHT, Gibson has a great time exploring a not-too-distant future San Francisco, in which the Golden Gate B More...
In VIRTUAL LIGHT, Gibson has a great time exploring a not-too-distant future San Francisco, in which the Golden Gate B More...
Jan 03, 2010
Brooke
rated it:
Was rather disappointed by this one, and I'm starting to get the feeling that Gibson's been writing the same book over and over. While the technology mattered in Gibson's Sprawl trilogy, Virtual Light seemed more like a on-the-run-from-bad-guys thriller set in a vagueishly sci-fi setting. The tech that was stolen could have just as well been a candy bar. I wanted to find out more about the plan on the tech (to rebuild San Fran after an earthquake), the Bay Bridge community, and all the other int
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May 16, 2008
Matthew
rated it:
i would've given it two stars if it wasn't for the whole refugee squatter village on the bay bridge scenario. otherwise, a bunch of unfulfilled semi-interesting ideas.
Feb 26, 2011
Mike
rated it:
I remember reading this novel and liking it. I don't have a firm recollection of the entire story, but I remember thinking how it was an interesting switch from the "universe" that formed the backdrop of his three earlier works (The steampunk collaboration being a whole different ball o'wax.)
Apparently I wasn't the only one to like it as well. It (as most of his other books) was liked by the SF audience and listed for an award or two. This one was a Hugo finalist and on th More...
Apparently I wasn't the only one to like it as well. It (as most of his other books) was liked by the SF audience and listed for an award or two. This one was a Hugo finalist and on th More...
Feb 25, 2009
Sean
rated it:
Read "Snow Crash" by Neal Stephenson instead.
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Feb 06, 2011
Paul
rated it:
I started reading William Gibson novels about a year ago, and instantly became a Gibson groupie. Virtual Light is nearly perfect Gibson, and to my delight turned out to be the precursor novel to All Tomorrow's Parties, introducing characters I'd already become fascinated with, and going into great detail on a very plausible future San Francisco and it's Bay Bridge squatter community -- plausible indeed considering California's current economic predicament. You see a lot of Blade Runner in thes
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May 24, 2011
Andreas
rated it:
The Bridge trilogy consists of:
Virtual Light
Idoru
All Tomorrow’s Parties
This series of three books is very loosely connected through some of the central characters. Although Gibson’s prose stands out as always, I felt that these novels were more an exercise in writing in a cool fashion than actual attemts at storytelling. The writing is even more florid and pared back than in the Sprawl Trilogy, and the books are not terribly interesting in their own righ More...
Virtual Light
Idoru
All Tomorrow’s Parties
This series of three books is very loosely connected through some of the central characters. Although Gibson’s prose stands out as always, I felt that these novels were more an exercise in writing in a cool fashion than actual attemts at storytelling. The writing is even more florid and pared back than in the Sprawl Trilogy, and the books are not terribly interesting in their own righ More...
Jul 06, 2010
Yvensong
rated it:
Gibson is very good at building a post-apocalyptic world, with all its dark corners and humans' hope & determined struggle to survive.
Unfortunately, the storyline fell a bit flat for me at times. Now, that may have been a result of me listening to the story on cassette while driving around running errands, instead of reading the book. I am more of a visual person. Yet I don't believe that was the only reason. It took a long time for me to build empathy for some of the characters, th More...
Unfortunately, the storyline fell a bit flat for me at times. Now, that may have been a result of me listening to the story on cassette while driving around running errands, instead of reading the book. I am more of a visual person. Yet I don't believe that was the only reason. It took a long time for me to build empathy for some of the characters, th More...
Aug 12, 2011
Julie
rated it:
The first in Gibson's The Bridge trilogy, Virtual Light is a demanding and satisfying read. It's a contemporary work of genius written in 1996, exploring how humanity interacts with technology and incorporates it into our lives, minds and bodies.
A bike messenger steals a pair of Virtual Light Sunglasses that allow the wearer to see into a certain data stream. She unwittingly becomes the center of a real estate conspiracy. A former cop, down on his luck, takes a job with a bounty hunt More...
A bike messenger steals a pair of Virtual Light Sunglasses that allow the wearer to see into a certain data stream. She unwittingly becomes the center of a real estate conspiracy. A former cop, down on his luck, takes a job with a bounty hunt More...
Feb 02, 2012
Tfitoby
rated it:
Reading something like this after something like Snow Crash can only really leave you feeling one thing. There's no real comparison. This is basically Snow Crash Lite.
William Gibson wrote an occasionally entertaining novel of an interesting possible future with some very good observations about humanity BUT it's characters and story structure are so similar to Neal Stephenson's masterpiece of the genre that you can't help but compare. Virtual Light will always lose, not least because B More...
William Gibson wrote an occasionally entertaining novel of an interesting possible future with some very good observations about humanity BUT it's characters and story structure are so similar to Neal Stephenson's masterpiece of the genre that you can't help but compare. Virtual Light will always lose, not least because B More...
Jul 28, 2011
Zorena
rated it:
I do love how Gibson weaves together his main character's tales from what at first seems to be quite different directions. I also love how his female leads and even his secondary females characters are strong and not damsels that muddle through until the hero (or anti-hero in some cases) arrives. They are independent and fully capable of doing what needs to be done. Sure, they get into trouble and some assistance is great but they are actively plotting their own actions and applying them.
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Aug 22, 2011
Ben
rated it:
Last week Kevin Mitnick was on The Colbert Report to promote his new book, Ghost in the Wires and talk about hacking. For those of us who grew up with the Web as a fact of life and absorbed "hacker culture" through Hollywood, Mitnick's experiences seem somewhat alien. Hacking started long before the Web, of course, and even today hacking is nothing like what one sees on the movies. However, it's just in this decade that we, as a society, are beginning to understand and react to the eff
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Jan 29, 2012
Emmanuel
rated it:
Lumière virtuelle se déroule dans quelques années. Les pays se sont scindés en petits états (la Californie par exemple est coupée en SoCal et NoCal, Californie du Sud et Californie du Nord). Les grands tremblements attendus ont eu lieu. Le little grande a amoché la Californie, Godzilla a ravagé Tokyo. Dans ce monde, on suit Rydell, ex-flic viré pour avoir agi sans retenue dans une prise d'otage, Chevette coursière en vélo et Yamazaki, étudiant en sociologie à l'université d'Osaka qui étudie la v
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Mar 30, 2009
Mina
rated it:
Probably the least engaging book of Gibson I have read so far, this one is a very competent story with great storytelling that somehow fails to deliver on the plot-plot. I mean, it was fun and fast paced and interesting and an interpretation of our social future, and it had lots of interesting background choices of historical events and crazy urban tribes and religions created for the universe, along with Gibson's trademark shifting POVs and archetypal characters. It was good, it was fun, it was
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Sep 05, 2008
Drew
rated it:
So far, Gibson's third-best novel. It's not as tight as Neuromancer, and has fewer interesting ideas than Pattern Recognition, but it's holding together pretty well. Gibson is much better at bodies in this one; the scenes with Chevette biking around SF, her "bike like a reptilian extension of herself," or something like that, are well-drawn and compelling. The homeless-living-on-the-bridge trope, well tired by All Tomorrow's Parties, is still fresh here. He draws the bridge like Camden
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Apr 02, 2008
Matt
rated it:
This is the first book in what came to be known as Gibson's Bridge Trilogy, along with 'Idoru' and 'All Tomorrow's Parties'. The settings for each of Gibson's trilogies moves closer to present time. While the Sprawl Trilogy took place in a future that seemed very unlike the time period it was published, these books are set in a time period that looks a little closer to ours. Gibson gives us Chevette Washington, the tough, female protagonist that he seems to love to use in most of his books. I al
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