Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Neuromancer

I just finished reading Neuromancer by William Gibson.
I hadn't read this for years and yes, it's still awesome. It's hard to believe it was written in 1984. The descriptions of the Matrix, the shared virtual space, with the bright lights of the mega corporations and AIs with their defensive firewalls and ice still feel futuristic and possible. There's a whole range of really cool tech on display, like nerve splicing, physical appearance and performance upgrades, derm patches for drug delivery, obviously the Matrix and AI, an uploaded mind, a rotating space habitat and being able to ride on the back of anothers sensory input via the Matrix.
It's not just all the really cool tech either, the language used is mind blowing in many parts. I love the descriptions of the recreational drugs kicking in for the protagonist, Case, and also the virtual runs against the defensive ice of an AI, where his mouth was "filled with an aching taste of blue" for example.
You really should read this if you haven't already.