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From: keithl@vice.UUCP (Keith Lofstrom)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Neuromancer
Message-ID: <1356@vice.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 27-Jun-84 00:14:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: vice.1356
Posted: Wed Jun 27 00:14:11 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 22-Jun-84 20:40:55 EDT
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 29

<>

Neuromancer, William Gibson, Ace Specials, $2.95 ppb.

This book seems like a three way cross between Bladerunner (the movie),
True Names by Vinge, and the Ophiuchi Hotline by Varley.  The book
follows protagonist Case from the criminal underworld of Chiba City,
Japan, to the space habitat Villa Straylight.  He is a computer "cowboy",
whose job is to crack computer systems and steal data.  The world he works
in, cyberspace, is reminiscent of the artificial world in True Names, but
a lot more deadly.  The scenery is gloomy, violent, and high-tech.  
The characters are burned out, drug-ridden, and jaded.  The computers are
Machiavellian.  Authority appears (briefly) in the form of the Turing
police, who work to destroy artificial intelligences that grow beyond
certain bounds.  The love interest is Molly, a surgically modified
mercenary, or "razorgirl".

I won't recommend this wholeheartedly, because it is rather strange,
downbeat, and doesn't have much of an ending.  BUT, the language is
good, the concepts are fascinating, and the imagery is splendid.
Very realistic extrapolation.  Worth checking out if you can handle
a little gloom.

-- 
Keith Lofstrom
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