I couldn't tell what the overall plot was. I could tell what was going on with each situation but I was confused as to what the whole story was actually about. This helped.
I think that’s one of the flaws of this book, it isn’t so clear what is going on. I found that this time reading it, maybe cause I got through it slowly and forgot as I was reading.
Holy cow - i thought maybe it was just me. I thought maybe i had spread out my reading too much - i often read books in just a couple of sittings, but this one was spread out over a longer period. This applies to all three books in the series - each individual scene was totally understandable, and the overall plot just never completely solidified for me. I could never quite understand the overarching motivations for anything.
Finally someone who delivers on his promise to tell the plot. Thanks dude. So many videos promising the plot and just going on things on how the book is iconic, emblematic, and other crap like that. Upvote.
Thank you for the summary! I had a problem with how the book ended abruptly and the context you provided helped with that. I do think the story was just a time in point of a conscious in the middle of everything; therefore it being boring, possible lack of plot, etc. But I tend to like these types of stories. 😀
I've just read this after playing cyberpunk. Lots of themes shared. Feel like Gibson didn't really explore the purpose of the AI. However, for the time it was written, seems pretty awesome tbf. Regarding real world parallels, there's metaverve, neurolink and the WEF talking about everyone having implants... so there's that. We've got a real life techno-dystopia to look forward to. 😆
Id say the book wasn’t that great, but it was way ahead of its time and lots of the ideas and themes are basically staples of the genre now. As for the techno-dystopia, you’re right, we are living it right now.
Was a great summary actually. I enjoyed the book immensely. But mostly I think for the style, some of the ideas etc and of course the fact that I could recognize so much in this book that other stuff had copied. Which have become staples of Cyberpunk etc. Like the dolls who have the chip.
William Gibson. Considered one of the earliest and best-known works in the cyberpunk genre, it is the only novel to win the Nebula Award, the Philip K. Dick Award, and the Hugo Award.[1] It was Gibson's debut novel and the beginning of the Sprawl trilogy. (Blade runner was released as this was being written!)
I tried to take on Neuromancer book in audio book form yet found it difficult to digest. glad I am not the only one who had this feeling. this video was most helpful.
very well done summary and review! i finally understand what was going on lmao. this book was my first deep dive into sci-fi and it was pretty neat! although i don’t think i’ve ever struggled so much with keeping track of a book until i read this. it felt very slow at times, and i think a lot of other literature out there has honed in with more clarity and success on similar themes depicted in the book. despite that though, it was a pretty fun read.
Glad to help and glad to hear you enjoyed the book. I kind of like sci-fi cause it’s more complicated and forces you to think, that’s the allure sometimes at least.
Neuromancer released in 1984 wasn’t as prescedent as Blade Runner in its film release from 1982 or the film Tron 2 years prior from the latter. A heist series with layers of technology and humanist themes, the series initiates the concepts of technarcy, the internet, false identities and ethereal “cyberspace” before virtual reality would be a term after 1990. Neuromancer would been ideal were it directed by Ridley Scott or David Cronenberg in the 1980’s precedence on futurism.
Hit all the major points I think. The book can be confusing as to “Why are the characters at this place?” and “Why are they trying to do this?”. You did a good job laying it all out while also giving your POV of how it compares to other Sci-if books that came out afterwards. If you can get through the slow build up of Count Zero, I think you are rewarded with a good tie into Neuromancer, with a cameo and mentioning of events that happened in this book. I also like how Count Zero touches on how humans start to worship these AIs like they are gods now. But that I guess is better left to a different video.
I think I would rather read a spy novel or a caper to understand what brings a team together and some of the choices that double spies make before I read this because I was still struggling to understand some plot points so that’s why I’m here to read reviews or thoughts on itbut I’m aware of James Bond novels and World War II type spy fiction and even some good Star Wars novels like scoundrels. My opinion were easier to understand. I chose to read the audiobook because I was struggling to understand some ideas. Your comments did help.
I have the original tapes where William Gibson did the reading. I have 3 different book types from the years gone by. And the latest version on audio with a new narrator that leaves us wanting for ol' Bill. I love this book, it changed the way my brain worked. Then The Matrix happened. I was all in.
@@abraintrust I discovered it a few years later in the late 80's or maybe early 90's can't remember. But back then I was a library rat eating up all the sci-fi from the ages. I would take home 4 or 5 at a time. I just discovered it, thrilling at the time. Then audio tapes were coming out and I saw Neuromancer there. I stole the tapes from the library because I HAD to. no shame. They were mine. :)
Thanks man! I didnt even know the reader was given all that info - i did assume you should feel lost going from setting to setting like case would have felt :D
@@abraintrust exactly! Since I have now have the feeling about the second book in the SPRAWL-Trilogy as well - would you mind to do a summary of Bio Chips/Count Zero as well? I would appreciate it lots!
Neuromancer and cyberpunk genre paints an interesting picture of reality, it's especially interesting that it's semi speculative in that shit like this could/might exist in the future
You can see a lot of the world building that Gibson was doing in his short stories. E.g. In the brilliant short story dogfight (which is also one of the first depictions of a type of organized esports in sci fi) there is a girl that has the same powers as Riviera. She's a pretty student. The main character of that story is also a fantastic example of how cyberpunk protagonists are often low life's. Which is also why so many of them have drug issues. (I can say that as a stoner) Cyberpunk 2077 / and I imagine the TTG copied a ton from Neuromancer and Gibson in general. Like the story of Evelyn Parker in 2077 with the dollhouse and the snuff it's all almost identical to Molly's backstory. The dollhouse/chip etc are straight lifted from Neuromancer. Ps. He addicts Linda Lee to drugs and then dumps her, she becomes a working girl. Over the story he starts to realize he loves her deeply, but that might also have been the manipulation of Wintermute (who also killed Linda Lee). Eventually Neuromancer that is trying to use Linda's construct to keep him in Cyberspace so he won't merge him and Wintermute.
Nice breakdown, sounds like you know a lot about the genre and this novel in particular. Thanks for the explanation, I didn’t pick up on Chase getting Linda addicted.
Dog fight is a good one..I like the end, when he realizes no one there cares about him & he ruined his only friendship. In CP, during the mission "I fought the law" the story that unfolds hints at a Rouge AI manipulating a political figure through brainwashing. It's very similar to the way Armitage is created in Neuromancer. I also like the little things like the monowire which is similar to the weapon used in the film Jonny Mnemonic. Anyway, I love the sprawl trilogy, & burning chrome. Favorite books for almost 20 years.
Yes I loved that ending too! I loved how it was obvious from the very start that the protagonist was a POS .. the ending was perfect for that story. I think dogfight and hinterlands were the best stories in the book, but I loved them all, liking the one about the photographer the least. I couldn't finish reading your comment because I haven't read count zero yet (coincidentally started reading it a day or two ago but a lot came in between and I'm still at the first few chapters) That said, he uses a bunch of ideas from Burning chrome in countzero like he did in Neuromancer. Esp the theme of Dudes desperately falling in love with girl's only for the girls to betray them. This happens in like 4 stories in burning chrome. And it's the first thing that happens in Count Zero. Which I mean, is I guess a pretty universal experience for men to see more in women than the women see in them, easily being manipulated and overlooking all the red flags. And it fits perfectly in the cyberpunk theme of everyone being out for themselves.
@3choblast3r4 Sorry, I deleted spoilers. Count Zero is a good read..I've probably re-read that one the most. Out of the short stories, I really like burning chrome. Also new rose hotel...which I just found out they made a movie from in the 90's. That's now 2 Gibson movies that I know of. I never really noticed the betrayal thing. In Neuromancer, Linda Lee steals from Case. Although she lies & steal from him, it's implied that she really just wanted his attention. He got her hooked on drugs, then sort of bailed. He began treating her as a nuisance rather than a lover. I think case betrayed her in a way. Which is why he wasn't upset to find she scammed him...and why he's so guilty about her death after. I think a lot of characters are morally gray. My interpretation is that everyone has a similar mindset...to just look out for themselves. And that's what I love about a lot of the characters. It really shows the dystopia of the society they're all living in. Enjoy Count Zero, it really pulls you in ✌🏼
@@willblast5684 haha not a problem at all mate, luckily I was able to stop reading before anything major was spoiled :) Besides I'm glad for once someone actually understood the things and themes of Neuromancer. Most people seem to have a hard time with this book. Yeah Linda definitely didn't betray Case, she did it for attention as you've mentioned, if I remember correctly she was also manipulated by Wintermute to steal the ram. And Wintermute paid Julius's men to take out Linda Lee because it severed Case's final tie and would make it easier for him to accept Armitage's offer. I was talking about how in Count Zero Turner's girl in Mexico turns out to be a corpo psychologist / .. other services. And he talks about how it's different with this girl. How he really likes her and how special she is to him, how different she is from the other girls he woke up next too.. only to find out she's a corpo shrink when Conner tells him. Also, new rose hotel and burning chrome both have girls betray the guys in the story. In new rose hotel if I remember correctly the narrator is literally retelling how he fell in love with the girl and how she betrayed him and how she's gone, his other partner was killed and the corpos are hunting for him, he's hiding in new rose hotel. Although I might be confusing my stories lol.. ps. I think the fact that Case gets sober (is forced) and that he can enter cyberspace again is what makes him realize how much he cared for Linda Lee. He was so obsessed with finding a cure for his condition that nothing else mattered to him that with the drugs, the depression that obsessive search for a cure obscured his feelings for Linda Lee. And when we get obsessed or addicted we can be quick to hurt or dismiss those we love. Take them for granted. When he finally got his ability back to enter cyberspace which ended that search and obsession, and he was forced into sobriety (at least for a while) he could finally feel again and realized how much he cared for Linda and then came the guilt. Anyway, I'm about to continue reading Count Zero. Thanks for the comments mate.
Thanks a lot for the breakdown cause sometimes you may miss the simplicity of the plot among the complexity that Gibson adds to every page. I’d say that that’s also a good strong suit of the book. How modern it feels in its descriptions and the technology that pops up. It really leans in its weirdness and the way things are explained visually that intrigued me to understand it. Something like some hard video games that don’t hold your hand (darksouls) for their lore
@@abraintrust I did yeah, I bought it 2 years ago after watching Bladerunner but stoped reading half way and picked it up from the start multiple times. It was so hard to read for me. But after a lot more of entertainment consumption I just managed to finish it today
@@stephengiann1717 Nice work, yeah when I first read it 15 or more years ago I couldn't put it down, when I read it more recently it was hard to get through.
6:43 I read this last month for the first time but didn’t finish, I also found it too slow and confusing. I felt kind of guilty for giving up on this classic, but this video made me feel ok about that.
I love the Cyberpunk genre and heard this was a classic. I made it halfway through and I just couldn't finish it. Maybe I would appreciate it more if I read it when it was new. I found it to be confusing and boring in a lot of parts, without any real understanding as to where the story was going.
Check out my most popular videos, those would be some books I’ve liked, but to be honest, these days I’m reading Japanese manga, so that’s why I’ve not made new videos, cause I’m reading Japanese instead
I’d say PKD is a much better story teller, though not exactly the same genre. But even zero history by William Gibson was good. My point was more that cyberpunk is so ubiquitous these days that nuromancer doesn’t stand out.
I'll be honest and admit I didn't really care for the book. Just finished reading it and thought maybe I missed something. Was really hoping for some deep lost meaning, which brought me here for a recap/another perspective. I suppose "it is what it is". Thanks for the overview! I think, just maybe, it didn't age well.
I liked this book a lot when I read it 10 years ago, but reading this year, it wasn’t what I remembered. It is genera defining, but the genera was moved on and created much better stories. In the 90’s this books was amazing, now it is not.
Red it bc of its hype and was quite disappointed. Way way waaaay to slow, dialog was quite non existent, and the descriptions of what and who looked/felt were quite cimplex and random. It could be me as well not getting all of it in. Ive git the old stubby book from 1983, and at times Ive had to double check if there are pages missing since the screen transition was a bit harsh. Still I suppose its not bad for its age, but I found it a bit booring to be honest.
Great book but Gibson needs to slow down. There where several times throughout the book that I had to reread up to 15 times to understand what the hell was going on.
I agree, it’s kind of hard to follow at times, I thought that was happening for me cause I was reading before bed and falling asleep, but if you had the same experience.
True, does have that kind of giving up sense, I remember reading that he would edit from the start day after day, so maybe the starts got the most effort and attention and the end got less.
Book was soso, I didn't enjoy the characters much. The book moved along at a steady pace but nothing to memorable seemed to happen. The writer didn't build up much tension.
wait 2021? real meat is scarce? i think the artificial meat is still in the labs and not really in super markets still. I guess you are from a further future.
@@abraintrust but still, the video poses as the practice has been common place for quite some time and such is not the case till 2022. And as far as I know human beings, as long as there are cows and chicken to eat, cultured meat is going to remain a novelty.
@@abraintrust nah bro. It's the first sentence of Neuromancer "The sky above the port was the color of television, *tuned* to a dead channel" In the video you quoted this line but hou said "turned" instead of tuned
I’m kind of a believer in not getting mad at people who spell words wrong, as someone with dyslexia I’ve always been criticized for my spelling, but there was nothing I could do about it.
I couldn't tell what the overall plot was. I could tell what was going on with each situation but I was confused as to what the whole story was actually about. This helped.
I think that’s one of the flaws of this book, it isn’t so clear what is going on. I found that this time reading it, maybe cause I got through it slowly and forgot as I was reading.
Me too man, that's why I searched for this video.
Omg
I finished it today and came away confused lol
Now I know it isn't me being stupid
Holy cow - i thought maybe it was just me. I thought maybe i had spread out my reading too much - i often read books in just a couple of sittings, but this one was spread out over a longer period. This applies to all three books in the series - each individual scene was totally understandable, and the overall plot just never completely solidified for me. I could never quite understand the overarching motivations for anything.
We have to do an essay on this book, I read it, and still don’t know what’s going on. This summary helped
Finally someone who delivers on his promise to tell the plot. Thanks dude. So many videos promising the plot and just going on things on how the book is iconic, emblematic, and other crap like that. Upvote.
Thanks, it’s time consuming to cover the plot, so I imagine people want to make easier option based videos.
Neuromancer is the kind of book you need a summary before and after reading. :-)
And while you are reading it too.
Thank you for the summary!
I had a problem with how the book ended abruptly and the context you provided helped with that.
I do think the story was just a time in point of a conscious in the middle of everything; therefore it being boring, possible lack of plot, etc. But I tend to like these types of stories. 😀
Yeah, good genre, this is the first one, so most stuff is a derivative of it.
Recently read it, and found it a bit confusing at times. This summary helps a lot, and I liked your thoughts at the end.
Thanks, I’m glad it helped.
I've just read this after playing cyberpunk. Lots of themes shared. Feel like Gibson didn't really explore the purpose of the AI. However, for the time it was written, seems pretty awesome tbf. Regarding real world parallels, there's metaverve, neurolink and the WEF talking about everyone having implants... so there's that. We've got a real life techno-dystopia to look forward to. 😆
Id say the book wasn’t that great, but it was way ahead of its time and lots of the ideas and themes are basically staples of the genre now. As for the techno-dystopia, you’re right, we are living it right now.
@@abraintrust The book is like the game: the ideas are great, the delivery poor.
Was a great summary actually. I enjoyed the book immensely. But mostly I think for the style, some of the ideas etc and of course the fact that I could recognize so much in this book that other stuff had copied. Which have become staples of Cyberpunk etc. Like the dolls who have the chip.
True, when it first came out, it would have been original, but at this point it is almost a cliché
William Gibson. Considered one of the earliest and best-known works in the cyberpunk genre, it is the only novel to win the Nebula Award, the Philip K. Dick Award, and the Hugo Award.[1] It was Gibson's debut novel and the beginning of the Sprawl trilogy. (Blade runner was released as this was being written!)
Which novel was it?
Best summary of Neuromancer. Thanks.
Thanks thats an amazing thing to hear.
I tried to take on Neuromancer book in audio book form yet found it difficult to digest. glad I am not the only one who had this feeling. this video was most helpful.
Glad to help, but yeah, confusing books.
English is not my first language, so it was extra confusing. But there’s a charm to his writing that compelled me to read it two times
Needed this. Thank you 👌
Glad it helped
very well done summary and review! i finally understand what was going on lmao. this book was my first deep dive into sci-fi and it was pretty neat! although i don’t think i’ve ever struggled so much with keeping track of a book until i read this. it felt very slow at times, and i think a lot of other literature out there has honed in with more clarity and success on similar themes depicted in the book. despite that though, it was a pretty fun read.
Glad to help and glad to hear you enjoyed the book. I kind of like sci-fi cause it’s more complicated and forces you to think, that’s the allure sometimes at least.
Neuromancer released in 1984 wasn’t as prescedent as Blade Runner in its film release from 1982 or the film Tron 2 years prior from the latter.
A heist series with layers of technology and humanist themes, the series initiates the concepts of technarcy, the internet, false identities and ethereal “cyberspace” before virtual reality would be a term after 1990.
Neuromancer would been ideal were it directed by Ridley Scott or David Cronenberg in the 1980’s precedence on futurism.
PKD is another great from this time.
Hit all the major points I think. The book can be confusing as to “Why are the characters at this place?” and “Why are they trying to do this?”. You did a good job laying it all out while also giving your POV of how it compares to other Sci-if books that came out afterwards. If you can get through the slow build up of Count Zero, I think you are rewarded with a good tie into Neuromancer, with a cameo and mentioning of events that happened in this book. I also like how Count Zero touches on how humans start to worship these AIs like they are gods now. But that I guess is better left to a different video.
Thanks for this comment, I’ve not heard of count zero, but will put it on my list if I get back into reading English books.
@@abraintrust Of course! Count Zero would be the 2nd book by Gibson in the Sprawl Trilogy with Mona Lisa Overdrive being the last.
I think I would rather read a spy novel or a caper to understand what brings a team together and some of the choices that double spies make before I read this because I was still struggling to understand some plot points so that’s why I’m here to read reviews or thoughts on itbut I’m aware of James Bond novels and World War II type spy fiction and even some good Star Wars novels like scoundrels. My opinion were easier to understand. I chose to read the audiobook because I was struggling to understand some ideas. Your comments did help.
It is a confusing book for sure, and it was his first novel, so it may just not be that good.
I have the original tapes where William Gibson did the reading. I have 3 different book types from the years gone by. And the latest version on audio with a new narrator that leaves us wanting for ol' Bill. I love this book, it changed the way my brain worked. Then The Matrix happened. I was all in.
Nice, I’m glad your enjoyed this, did you get it new, like when it first came out?
@@abraintrust I discovered it a few years later in the late 80's or maybe early 90's can't remember. But back then I was a library rat eating up all the sci-fi from the ages. I would take home 4 or 5 at a time. I just discovered it, thrilling at the time. Then audio tapes were coming out and I saw Neuromancer there. I stole the tapes from the library because I HAD to. no shame. They were mine. :)
Thanks man! I didnt even know the reader was given all that info - i did assume you should feel lost going from setting to setting like case would have felt :D
Could be part of the style of the book to cause confusion, could be part of the story.
@@abraintrust exactly! Since I have now have the feeling about the second book in the SPRAWL-Trilogy as well - would you mind to do a summary of Bio Chips/Count Zero as well? I would appreciate it lots!
Yooo would you know another story like this? @@abraintrust
I started the second book and wanted a quick summary, as some time past when I read the first book.
Your summary, was exactly, what I needed. Thanks!
Glad it help you, it’s a good book to get started on the genre.
Good video and good review
Thanks for watching
Neuromancer and cyberpunk genre paints an interesting picture of reality, it's especially interesting that it's semi speculative in that shit like this could/might exist in the future
Some is kind of on point, other stuff is way off… but I’m still expecting steak being a rarity.
@@abraintrust "but I’m still expecting steak being a rarity'" in about 200 years i could totally see that
I used to picture Edward Norton as Case. If they would have made a film back in the day I think he would’ve been great
There has been talk of a movie, but it never seemed to happen.
You can see a lot of the world building that Gibson was doing in his short stories. E.g. In the brilliant short story dogfight (which is also one of the first depictions of a type of organized esports in sci fi) there is a girl that has the same powers as Riviera. She's a pretty student. The main character of that story is also a fantastic example of how cyberpunk protagonists are often low life's. Which is also why so many of them have drug issues. (I can say that as a stoner)
Cyberpunk 2077 / and I imagine the TTG copied a ton from Neuromancer and Gibson in general. Like the story of Evelyn Parker in 2077 with the dollhouse and the snuff it's all almost identical to Molly's backstory. The dollhouse/chip etc are straight lifted from Neuromancer.
Ps. He addicts Linda Lee to drugs and then dumps her, she becomes a working girl. Over the story he starts to realize he loves her deeply, but that might also have been the manipulation of Wintermute (who also killed Linda Lee). Eventually Neuromancer that is trying to use Linda's construct to keep him in Cyberspace so he won't merge him and Wintermute.
Nice breakdown, sounds like you know a lot about the genre and this novel in particular. Thanks for the explanation, I didn’t pick up on Chase getting Linda addicted.
Dog fight is a good one..I like the end, when he realizes no one there cares about him & he ruined his only friendship.
In CP, during the mission "I fought the law" the story that unfolds hints at a Rouge AI manipulating a political figure through brainwashing. It's very similar to the way Armitage is created in Neuromancer. I also like the little things like the monowire which is similar to the weapon used in the film Jonny Mnemonic. Anyway, I love the sprawl trilogy, & burning chrome. Favorite books for almost 20 years.
Yes I loved that ending too! I loved how it was obvious from the very start that the protagonist was a POS .. the ending was perfect for that story. I think dogfight and hinterlands were the best stories in the book, but I loved them all, liking the one about the photographer the least.
I couldn't finish reading your comment because I haven't read count zero yet (coincidentally started reading it a day or two ago but a lot came in between and I'm still at the first few chapters)
That said, he uses a bunch of ideas from Burning chrome in countzero like he did in Neuromancer. Esp the theme of Dudes desperately falling in love with girl's only for the girls to betray them. This happens in like 4 stories in burning chrome. And it's the first thing that happens in Count Zero.
Which I mean, is I guess a pretty universal experience for men to see more in women than the women see in them, easily being manipulated and overlooking all the red flags. And it fits perfectly in the cyberpunk theme of everyone being out for themselves.
@3choblast3r4 Sorry, I deleted spoilers. Count Zero is a good read..I've probably re-read that one the most. Out of the short stories, I really like burning chrome. Also new rose hotel...which I just found out they made a movie from in the 90's. That's now 2 Gibson movies that I know of. I never really noticed the betrayal thing. In Neuromancer, Linda Lee steals from Case. Although she lies & steal from him, it's implied that she really just wanted his attention. He got her hooked on drugs, then sort of bailed. He began treating her as a nuisance rather than a lover. I think case betrayed her in a way. Which is why he wasn't upset to find she scammed him...and why he's so guilty about her death after. I think a lot of characters are morally gray. My interpretation is that everyone has a similar mindset...to just look out for themselves. And that's what I love about a lot of the characters. It really shows the dystopia of the society they're all living in. Enjoy Count Zero, it really pulls you in ✌🏼
@@willblast5684 haha not a problem at all mate, luckily I was able to stop reading before anything major was spoiled :) Besides I'm glad for once someone actually understood the things and themes of Neuromancer. Most people seem to have a hard time with this book.
Yeah Linda definitely didn't betray Case, she did it for attention as you've mentioned, if I remember correctly she was also manipulated by Wintermute to steal the ram. And Wintermute paid Julius's men to take out Linda Lee because it severed Case's final tie and would make it easier for him to accept Armitage's offer. I was talking about how in Count Zero Turner's girl in Mexico turns out to be a corpo psychologist / .. other services. And he talks about how it's different with this girl. How he really likes her and how special she is to him, how different she is from the other girls he woke up next too.. only to find out she's a corpo shrink when Conner tells him. Also, new rose hotel and burning chrome both have girls betray the guys in the story. In new rose hotel if I remember correctly the narrator is literally retelling how he fell in love with the girl and how she betrayed him and how she's gone, his other partner was killed and the corpos are hunting for him, he's hiding in new rose hotel. Although I might be confusing my stories lol..
ps. I think the fact that Case gets sober (is forced) and that he can enter cyberspace again is what makes him realize how much he cared for Linda Lee. He was so obsessed with finding a cure for his condition that nothing else mattered to him that with the drugs, the depression that obsessive search for a cure obscured his feelings for Linda Lee. And when we get obsessed or addicted we can be quick to hurt or dismiss those we love. Take them for granted. When he finally got his ability back to enter cyberspace which ended that search and obsession, and he was forced into sobriety (at least for a while) he could finally feel again and realized how much he cared for Linda and then came the guilt.
Anyway, I'm about to continue reading Count Zero. Thanks for the comments mate.
Thanks a lot for the breakdown cause sometimes you may miss the simplicity of the plot among the complexity that Gibson adds to every page. I’d say that that’s also a good strong suit of the book. How modern it feels in its descriptions and the technology that pops up. It really leans in its weirdness and the way things are explained visually that intrigued me to understand it. Something like some hard video games that don’t hold your hand (darksouls) for their lore
It sounds like you liked the book, did you read it recently or when it came out?
@@abraintrust I did yeah, I bought it 2 years ago after watching Bladerunner but stoped reading half way and picked it up from the start multiple times. It was so hard to read for me. But after a lot more of entertainment consumption I just managed to finish it today
@@stephengiann1717 Nice work, yeah when I first read it 15 or more years ago I couldn't put it down, when I read it more recently it was hard to get through.
I’ve tried to read it so many times but I always got lost. I actually felt like an absolute idiot for not getting it.
It’s not an easy read necessarily, there is lots going on and it doesn’t always flow… sometimes online summaries are good.
Me too
6:43 I read this last month for the first time but didn’t finish, I also found it too slow and confusing. I felt kind of guilty for giving up on this classic, but this video made me feel ok about that.
Glad it could help, and your not alone, classic doesn’t mean great/amazing/easy read.
Molly is not a cyborg she just has certain implants like many people in this dystopian future.
Seems like a cyborg to me, but I don’t know where the line is drawn in the true definition.
I love the Cyberpunk genre and heard this was a classic. I made it halfway through and I just couldn't finish it. Maybe I would appreciate it more if I read it when it was new. I found it to be confusing and boring in a lot of parts, without any real understanding as to where the story was going.
Exactly my point, at the time it created and defined cyberpunk, now it is almost cliche.
You said you enjoy other sci-fi books more than this one; Can you share your favorite(s)?
Check out my most popular videos, those would be some books I’ve liked, but to be honest, these days I’m reading Japanese manga, so that’s why I’ve not made new videos, cause I’m reading Japanese instead
Battle of the a.i. sounds like now with all these different a.i. apps.
True, though we might need to wait a little longer for the true battle to begin.
Great review!
You mentioned that you find Neuromancer a little bit boring and slow. What books in the genre would you recommend now?
I’d say PKD is a much better story teller, though not exactly the same genre. But even zero history by William Gibson was good. My point was more that cyberpunk is so ubiquitous these days that nuromancer doesn’t stand out.
You also forgot to explain that Case was an understudy for Dixie years ago.
There is a lot going on, so it’s hard to capture everything.
do you have any recommendations for similar books? I'm working through the Neuromancer trilogy and having fun with it
I like Philip k dick, snow crash is pretty cool, 3 body problem, not all cyberpunk but cool sci-fi.
I'll be honest and admit I didn't really care for the book. Just finished reading it and thought maybe I missed something. Was really hoping for some deep lost meaning, which brought me here for a recap/another perspective. I suppose "it is what it is".
Thanks for the overview!
I think, just maybe, it didn't age well.
I liked this book a lot when I read it 10 years ago, but reading this year, it wasn’t what I remembered. It is genera defining, but the genera was moved on and created much better stories. In the 90’s this books was amazing, now it is not.
Red it bc of its hype and was quite disappointed. Way way waaaay to slow, dialog was quite non existent, and the descriptions of what and who looked/felt were quite cimplex and random. It could be me as well not getting all of it in. Ive git the old stubby book from 1983, and at times Ive had to double check if there are pages missing since the screen transition was a bit harsh. Still I suppose its not bad for its age, but I found it a bit booring to be honest.
Thanks
Much appreciated.
Great book but Gibson needs to slow down. There where several times throughout the book that I had to reread up to 15 times to understand what the hell was going on.
I agree, it’s kind of hard to follow at times, I thought that was happening for me cause I was reading before bed and falling asleep, but if you had the same experience.
Thanks, I haven't been paying enough attention to the audio book and it's not as easy to scan back a few pages like a hardcopy
I’ve made a point of avoiding digital alternatives for books, must read a physical paper copy to get something out of it.
Thanks man didn't reallly get it on the first read
It’s kind of hard to follow at times, rereading it more recently I found it more difficult to follow.
This whole book felt like a bad trip
Might have been, I don’t know much about this authors personal life, but drug use is in the novel.
Thank you. I just read this for the second time and was still having trouble understanding it.
I’d agree, It is a little difficult to follow at times.
I really liked the book up until the ending it was just kind of meh to me like the writer couldn't figure out how to end it
True, does have that kind of giving up sense, I remember reading that he would edit from the start day after day, so maybe the starts got the most effort and attention and the end got less.
Book was soso, I didn't enjoy the characters much. The book moved along at a steady pace but nothing to memorable seemed to happen. The writer didn't build up much tension.
Yeah, it started cyberpunk, but it’s not a great example of the genre.
The book was boring. More focused on describing that world when nothing interesting happens
Certainly not the best in the category, but the first.
wait 2021? real meat is scarce?
i think the artificial meat is still in the labs and not really in super markets still.
I guess you are from a further future.
You are mostly right, but the narrative about meat being bad for the environment and the need to switch to alternatives is getting louder.
@@abraintrust but still, the video poses as the practice has been common place for quite some time and such is not the case till 2022.
And as far as I know human beings, as long as there are cows and chicken to eat, cultured meat is going to remain a novelty.
@@danrazART I don't want to give up eating meat, but its easy to imageine a future where it isn't a choice.
@@abraintrust if you have seen blade runner movies, that future is all non real meat.
There are almost no real animals around.
Story explained and I still dont get it. Am I thick or is it just a meh book? maybe both...
Maybe both, but I’d say the story is a bit different to follow.
Shallow
Which part?
Tuned to a dead channel not turned my friend
Are you saying my channel is dead? I’m still here, just haven’t had time to make a new videos in awhile.
@@abraintrust nah bro. It's the first sentence of Neuromancer
"The sky above the port was the color of television, *tuned* to a dead channel"
In the video you quoted this line but hou said "turned" instead of tuned
“Tuned” to a dead channel. At lest read the first line correctly…
IT'S TUNED! NOT TURNED!
I’m kind of a believer in not getting mad at people who spell words wrong, as someone with dyslexia I’ve always been criticized for my spelling, but there was nothing I could do about it.