Neuromancer (Sprawl #1) in The Sword and Laser

Jan 21, 2008 Sandi rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2008, sci-fi

For well over 20 years, I have seen copies of William Gibson’s “Neuromancer” on the Sci-Fi/Fantasy shelves of nearly every bookstore I have gone into. I recently decided to pick up a copy and read it. I figured a book that’s been continuously in print for over twenty years and is considered a ground-breaking work in Science Fiction had to be good. I figured wrong.

“Neuromancer” is a very convoluted novel. It jumps from local to local and situation to situation in a very jerky way. To add to the ...more

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Apr 20, 2019 Silvana rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, z-sff-2019-reading-challenge, reading-with-friends, z-sl-laser-challenge-2019, kindle-google, mine-mine-mine, dick-lit

*Silvana jacked in*

3.5 stars rounded down. I am glad I decided to reread this book. The first time, four years ago, I could not get into it at all, having never read any cyberpunk novels before and my only experience was The Matrix movies. This time, with more novels and shows under my belt, I felt more confident and finally finished it, hurray!

Gibson once said:

"Modern Japan simply was cyberpunk. The Japanese themselves knew it and delighted in it. I remember my first glimpse of Shibuya, when on

*Silvana jacked in*

3.5 stars rounded down. I am glad I decided to reread this book. The first time, four years ago, I could not get into it at all, having never read any cyberpunk novels before and my only experience was The Matrix movies. This time, with more novels and shows under my belt, I felt more confident and finally finished it, hurray!

Gibson once said:

"Modern Japan simply was cyberpunk. The Japanese themselves knew it and delighted in it. I remember my first glimpse of Shibuya, when one of the young Tokyo journalists who had taken me there, his face drenched with the light of a thousand media-suns - all that towering, animated crawl of commercial information - said, ‘You see? You see? It is Blade Runner town.' And it was. It so evidently was."

It is so atmospheric. I love how Gibson described the Asian-influenced world, tech and culture. Gibson and PKD loved their Japanese inspired, splashy neon-filled cityscape, now a staple in any noir/cyberpunk stuff. Of course, reading this in Kindle is recommended, as you could also directly find the definition of the many Japanese words used quite frequently in the novel.

The worldbuilding is definitely the strongest point, followed by the cyberspace tech itself. I enjoyed the parts when Case, the MC, was immersed in it, interacting with the ROM and AIs. I don't think it's dated; it's fun to compare Case's cyberspace jaunts with recent pop culture items such as Ready Player One, or Altered Carbon.

The writing itself could be really good, but also jumpy at times. I had to admit I kinda got lost at the last 25% of the book, with additions of new characters and vague motivations, which had not convinced me until now whether I liked the plot or not.

Anywho, those who want to read such an archetypal, seminal work of cyberpunk (or SF in general) need to read this, especially anyone who's fascinated with the idea that human minds could (and would?) be digitized, mechanized, transported, freed from our meaty prison, in that 'consensual hallucination experienced daily by billions of operators' we call the cyberspace.

*Silvana flipped* ...more

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Feb 03, 2019 Leesa rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, audiobook, 20xx_s-l_team_tom, 2019

This one took me a while to finish. I am still not sure what the story is about. It's probably too "capital L" Literary for me. I might revisit this book later, though, because I loved the world. Having played Shadowrun tabletop RPG and a little of the computer game (Kickstarter), I could see where SR creators got their inspiration. ...more

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Aug 24, 2010 Ed rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sf-fantasy, quendi

Although this is Gibson's first novel (and it definitely shows at times), it still holds up remarkably well 25 years after publication. Besides being the milestone novel that practically created the whole cyberpunk subgenre that dominated SF in the late '80s and early '90s, the story is still gripping, edge-of-your-seat reading. Gibson's main weakness here is characterization. That his characters are so cool almost makes up for their near one-dimensionality and poorly established motivations. Hi ...more

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Mar 23, 2008 Brian rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-crime

Quite simply an amazing book. I first read this book in high school and at the time did not appreciate the incredible writing - I was more caught up in the "Blade Runner" vibe. I re-read this book a couple of years ago and gained a new appreciation of what Gibson accomplished with this book. The opening section of the book is as breathe taking beginning as you'll find in literature. The rest of the book is paced by a lyrical and evocative language that sets a mark that most science fiction write ...more

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Apr 13, 2011 David rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Read again for the umpeenth time and it is still a marvellous story that grips me throughout even though I know what is coming. I remember reading it as a child when it came out and imagining living in such a world and now I do and I love it.

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