jordanabina
In my quest to read all of the greatest science fiction books in the world I have undoubtedly read one that belongs in my top 5. My personal criteria, being as unprofessional as it may be, is quite simple. The book needs to take me someplace I wouldn’t be able to go on my own. Whether it be to another planet like Arrakis from Frank Herberts’ Dune, or having to imagine the reality of visiting aliens like those in H.G. Well’s The War of the Worlds, I simply want to go somewhere I couldn’t go on my own. After that I want to get to know a character that isn’t human, or isn’t quite human. Nueromancerby William Gibson gives you all of that and more.
“The sky above the port was the color of television, turned to a dead channel.”
As you link up with the protagonist Case, you enter into a dystopian future where everything is digital and wealth isn’t determined only by cash. Case, a washed up and injured hacker finds his way back into trouble as he is offered a chance at healing for his body, but only by accomplishing some impossible tasks for some impossible people.
This book is for the adult reader, and has some serious intense scenes. My favorite in particular is a scene in which Case and a team of people pull off creating a riot inside a sky rise building that sends people into a complete chaos. The jump between digital characters and human characters can get confusing, but you can pick it up really quick.
It dawned on me that this book being written in 1984, two years before I was born, has without doubt made an impact of the sci-fi community., With words like cyberspace, matrix, and construct, Nueromancerhas paved the way for others to follow. The word cyberpunkmight as well have come from Gibson.
Molly, aka Razorgirl, is the coolest creation in Nueromanceras a sort of free spirited street samurai assassin. If you look deep enough on the internet, there is a small cult following behind her and other characters in this book. The way Gibson decides to present artificial intelligence was awesome. Not necessarily good but nor bad either, just working towards their own existence.
I hope to read the rest of William Gilbert’s books that go along with Nueromancer. Best book cover I’ve seen in a long time too.
