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davonnerochelle11's review against another edition
3.0
Arguably the beginning of Science Fiction, this book was incredible. Written in 1984, a time before the Internet was a widely used information technology tool, this book clearly shows you where the genre started. Almost every science fiction movie you could possibly think of has taken away some element of this book.
I gave this book 3 stars because a) I'm not really a fan of science fiction (so the slope was already uphill from there; b) because I am not a fan of science fiction I felt there were a few things that I was missing. The best way to describe what I mean is if you had a conversation with an expert and they spoke to you as if you were an expert of their field as well. Nothing was explained and there were concepts included the author assumed you were familiar with. I had to Google a few things for clarity, which again, adds to the significance of this book. How the hell did anyone read this book without the Internet as a tool??? Crazy. c) Thirdly this book is very dense and part of a three book series. There were a lot of cliffhangers and loose ends that did not make sense. I'm sure they are addressed in the other books.
I recommend this book for die-hard science fiction fans and people who are curious how the genre came to be. This book was given to me as a gift so I gave it a chance. Definitely an interesting concept.
I gave this book 3 stars because a) I'm not really a fan of science fiction (so the slope was already uphill from there; b) because I am not a fan of science fiction I felt there were a few things that I was missing. The best way to describe what I mean is if you had a conversation with an expert and they spoke to you as if you were an expert of their field as well. Nothing was explained and there were concepts included the author assumed you were familiar with. I had to Google a few things for clarity, which again, adds to the significance of this book. How the hell did anyone read this book without the Internet as a tool??? Crazy. c) Thirdly this book is very dense and part of a three book series. There were a lot of cliffhangers and loose ends that did not make sense. I'm sure they are addressed in the other books.
I recommend this book for die-hard science fiction fans and people who are curious how the genre came to be. This book was given to me as a gift so I gave it a chance. Definitely an interesting concept.
mattingtonbear's review against another edition
4.0
this was pretty awesome, a mish mash of ideas and genres that somehow works. I love 80s sci-fi that envisions a future that's almost right but not quite and this book has that covered along w/ a fairly gritty, noir-esque setting that shifts into a globetrotting spy like thriller. yeah, there's some pretty cool unforgettable stuff in here (once we leave earth it's all pretty out there awesome). and the whole thing is so beautifully paced that you barely care that the protagonist is kind of dull and ill defined. I also found myself lost in a sea of names and concepts that didn't make sense to me on a certain level but b/c the way this thing was paced and constructed I never really cared or looked back. this book is a pretty wild ride and Gibson is definitely someone I'm gonna look into more, his sensibilities and writing style suit work for me.
juushika's review against another edition
3.0
A burned-out hacker is given a risky second chance when he's hired by a rogue AI. This is a grim, bazaar-style cyberpunk, wandering past a dozen technological inventions and locations; it revels in and cements cyberpunk's aesthetic, but these bits of worldbuilding rarely reappear and only occasionally influence plot. A few do, and those are interesting--namely, the nature of the AI and the Villa Straylight--but the overall effect is tiresome. As is the uninspired protagonist, and the plot which begins with a disconnected travelogue and ends with an straightforward climax. I can appreciate Neuromancer as a historical artifact, but this doesn't offer what I love about -punk genres (I like some idealization to balance the anxiety) and the rest of the narrative fails to impress.
belvette's review against another edition
1.0
DNF at around 100 pages. I'm sure the book was quite something when it was released in the 80s, but it's just not for me. The writing style is messy and filled with lots of sci-fi tech jargon, the characters I honestly don't care about.
I can appreciate a good story that throws you straight into the plot without much setup or explanation beforehand, but I just don't think it works here.
I can appreciate a good story that throws you straight into the plot without much setup or explanation beforehand, but I just don't think it works here.
lurath's review against another edition
3.0
The setting and atmosphere of this book carried it for me. It was a different experience to immerse myself in a world where drug use was such a given - it made me feel a little dirty myself, which was something I found worthwhile to explore. The characters themselves left no desire to keep reading - it wasn't that I disliked them, it was that I didn't care about them at all. This is definitely a plot-driven novel.
uzant's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nevets4255's review against another edition
4.0
A very interesting futuristic society with a "Matrix-like" other reality called "Cyberspace". This is the book that started the whole "Cyberpunk" genre. It's a dirty, messy Universe of criminals and hackers and government controls spanning numerous locations in our solar system. I had a bit of trouble keeping track of all the characters and their allegiances as well as when the main character flipped into CyberSpace. Was still able to follow the action, and adventures of Case and his band of misfits. Overall a good read, and one of those books that should be on your list of books to read if you are a fan of Science Fiction, particularly the Cyberpunk genre. Lots of tie ins to other Sci-Fi novels\movies\tc shows like Matrix, with access to an alternate universe that looks like our own world.
mysteriousnorse's review against another edition
5.0
2012 Review:
This is one of those novels that defined a genre. Pretty much everything that is cyberpunk is represented in this novel. Anyone who enjoyed the cyberpunk insanity that was anime in the 90s will enjoy this book. If I had read this book ten years ago, it would have gotten five stars no question (I'll call it 4.5 stars for right now). I really enjoyed it, all the way up to the end. The end which is an ending that has become quite typical of the genre, was a bit abrupt and didn't give quite as much closure as I would have liked. Most of the book has lush descriptions and interestingly human characters. I found myself drawn in by their tangible motivations and I thought the flavor of the world was fascination. The hardest part for me to believe is that the book is older than I am and was written pre-internet. Having said that, it has a remarkable sense futurism to it. I only found myself thinking it sounded a little dated maybe twice in the book (vacuum tubes and megabytes >.<). That said, it is a must read for anyone who wants to read the essentials of science fiction.
2020 Review:
I largely agree with my past review at 4.5 Stars, but I'm bumping it to five because as I get older, I appreciate an ending with more room to think. I also am more forgiving of the technological idiosyncrasies. I actually want to talk more about the Jack Womack afterward, which suggests cyberpunk isn't a "real" genre because marketing, and I think this may just be a generational thing. but everything is marketed, but that doesn't mean the contents were. There were two movies based on Gibson's work in the 90s. Does that cheapen his work? No. I also think he was unaware that while I'd agree quality cyberpunk is hard to find (Yes, I do remember Idol's Cyberpunk album), there is a lot of good cyberpunk that has come out of Japan, particularly the Ghost in the Shell film and Stand Alone Complex show. I do agree with Womack that Gibson had a major impact on how people perceive cyberspace, for better or worse. This book remains a great read and has informed much of what I love about modern SF.
This is one of those novels that defined a genre. Pretty much everything that is cyberpunk is represented in this novel. Anyone who enjoyed the cyberpunk insanity that was anime in the 90s will enjoy this book. If I had read this book ten years ago, it would have gotten five stars no question (I'll call it 4.5 stars for right now). I really enjoyed it, all the way up to the end. The end which is an ending that has become quite typical of the genre, was a bit abrupt and didn't give quite as much closure as I would have liked. Most of the book has lush descriptions and interestingly human characters. I found myself drawn in by their tangible motivations and I thought the flavor of the world was fascination. The hardest part for me to believe is that the book is older than I am and was written pre-internet. Having said that, it has a remarkable sense futurism to it. I only found myself thinking it sounded a little dated maybe twice in the book (vacuum tubes and megabytes >.<). That said, it is a must read for anyone who wants to read the essentials of science fiction.
2020 Review:
I largely agree with my past review at 4.5 Stars, but I'm bumping it to five because as I get older, I appreciate an ending with more room to think. I also am more forgiving of the technological idiosyncrasies. I actually want to talk more about the Jack Womack afterward, which suggests cyberpunk isn't a "real" genre because marketing, and I think this may just be a generational thing. but everything is marketed, but that doesn't mean the contents were. There were two movies based on Gibson's work in the 90s. Does that cheapen his work? No. I also think he was unaware that while I'd agree quality cyberpunk is hard to find (Yes, I do remember Idol's Cyberpunk album), there is a lot of good cyberpunk that has come out of Japan, particularly the Ghost in the Shell film and Stand Alone Complex show. I do agree with Womack that Gibson had a major impact on how people perceive cyberspace, for better or worse. This book remains a great read and has informed much of what I love about modern SF.