Neuromancer by William Gibson (1984)
Unfathomable foresight
Book cover blurb
"The sky above the port was the colour of television, tuned to a dead channel."
William Gibson revolutionised science fiction in his 1984 debut Neuromancer. The writer who gave us the matrix and coined the term 'cyberspace' produced a first novel that won the Hugo, Nebula and Philip K. Dick Awards, and lit the fuse on the Cyberpunk movement.
More than three decades later, Gibson's text is as stylish as ever, his noir narrative still glitters like chrome in the shadows and his depictions of the rise and abuse of corporate power look more prescient every day. Part thriller, part warning, Neuromancer is a timeless classic of modern SF and one of the 20th century's most potent and compelling visions of the future.
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My Review
Throughout this entire read, or at least from very early on, I had one recurring thought punch me right in the grey matter, ‘this book is forty years old!?’ I can’t quite imagine just what those first readers in 1984 must have thought when they delved into this insanity back then.
There is so much future within these pages, Gibson’s foresight is nothing short of phenomenal. At the centre of everything is a coerced team heist story, but it is so intertwined with such outreaching ideas it’s easy to lose sight of that, as the complex world and jargon-heavy dialogue bamboozle you from sentence to sentence.
Pacing? Gods, this thing rips along with such speed, you’re constantly sprinting to keep up. Making sure you’re on your toes is one of the most frustratingly enjoyable things about Neuromancer. If Gibson had chosen to slow proceedings enough to allow us to keep up, this story would have lost so much of its impact, losing the immersion it currently demands of its reader. This perfectly mirrors the main character, Case, who is driven along by events and situations he has little control over.
I was nervous about delving into this read, allowing the book to sit on my shelf and intimidate me for many years. Ironically, to a certain extent, I’m glad I waited, since both my age and reading ability have now matured to a point where I can appreciate just what this book is doing... at least, I think I can.
If I’d read this book forty years ago. Just let me say that again, to convince myself of that reality. Forty years ago, when this book was first published, I’m sure it would have been completely beyond my comprehension. But don’t let that dissuade you or convince you to wait. This book is far more comprehensible to today’s audience, no matter your age or reading ability, than it was forty years ago. Probably, to a great extent, because of this book.
There is a fantastic little Easter egg hidden within these pages and delivered not too subtly. If you’ve read Gibson’s short story, or even seen the 1995 Keanu Reeves movie, Johnny Mnemonic, you’ll recognise those references instantly. It’s a really nice little grounding moment for the reader amongst the difficult-to-grasp elements you’re being bombarded with.
Speaking of movies, it’s obvious the Matrix movies owe a huge thank you to this book. I can only imagine how many other movies and books have leaned on Neuromancer for inspiration and influence, and it’s obvious why, this thing was light years ahead of its time.
Strangely enough, for such a technologically overloaded premise, what emerges in the end, as the story goes on and you finally absorb everything, is just how grounded in humanity it is. Human failings and the struggle to overcome and even simply survive become so predominant. Interest in the clever imagination of the writer gradually reduces as your emotional attachment to the main characters takes over your reason for reading.
My copy of this novel
Gollancz paperback edition.
Published in 2016
297 pages
ISBN 9781473217386