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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Like Neuromancer, the way this book is written is almost as interesting - or possibly more so - than what is actually written. The story doesn't flow as nicely as Neuromancer, and there are, in fact, three separate stories which took me quite a while to get into as they jumped around a bit. About halfway through, the pace seemed to quicken and I found myself much more interested in what was happening than the first half, but overall less interested in the story than the actual world it exists in.
I enjoy William Gibson's ability to construct a conversation between characters, and Count Zero is a good example of that. There's enough description and interesting use of language to be engaging without being over-the-top. The world is rich and alive. The concepts that are presented are interesting and force you to give them some thought.
A good sequel to Neuromancer, and quite enjoyable, but I still found the first book to be miles ahead in terms of story and characters.
I enjoy William Gibson's ability to construct a conversation between characters, and Count Zero is a good example of that. There's enough description and interesting use of language to be engaging without being over-the-top. The world is rich and alive. The concepts that are presented are interesting and force you to give them some thought.
A good sequel to Neuromancer, and quite enjoyable, but I still found the first book to be miles ahead in terms of story and characters.
Count Zero is actually a lot better than its predecessor in many ways. Gibson has a much more rock solid idea of the Cyberpunk setting that he himself founded, there's a lot less strange abstraction (even though that brought with it some very fun prose). We follow three interesting characters who each show different sides to the setting, not just with themselves, but compared to Case. The two major things that bring the book down a bit is one chapter where the action reads nearly completely unintelligibly, and a completely random comment about a minor's breasts that definitely didn't need to be there.
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Turner is mercenary hired by Hosaka to poach a bioware developer from Maas Biolabs. Bobby goes by the handle Count Zero and is hired to test out some new software for running in the matrix. Marly is an art dealer recruited to find the maker of a glass diorama by a wealthy recluse. There stories intertwine as they uncover a powerful force in the matrix a shard of a once powerful AI.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can't believe I hadn't gotten to this series earlier. I read Neuromancer in high school, loved it, and quickly forgot about the sequels. William Gibson is a genius and an artist. He writes with tension and speed. His worlds are masterpieces--every detail betrays a vast, intricate and grittily realistic future. In a word (or four): near-future cyberpunk quasi-dystopian tech-noir. It's hard to follow the cyberspace hackers, megacorporations, addicts and AIs duking it out without drawing parallels to the works this book inspired... The Matrix among them. Gibson's flawed cast of anti-heroes follows separate paths at the outset, gradually converging under the inexorable and ineffably intangible influence of an intelligence known as Legba (spoiler: Wintermute... I think.) I'm amazed at how this book peeks at the future of the human race (transhumanism and whatnot) through street talk and black ops.
I could go on. But suffice it to say that if you're sufficiently nerdy, this series will take you for a ride. I love few things better than books that keep me up at night. Mona Lisa Overdrive, here we come!
I could go on. But suffice it to say that if you're sufficiently nerdy, this series will take you for a ride. I love few things better than books that keep me up at night. Mona Lisa Overdrive, here we come!
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
A bit too bro-ey and Indiana Jones at times, but there's some great stuff happening in the second half.
I have to be very honest, maybe I had a cold reading some of it, maybe I had a lot of work going on, you get it, but by god sometimes it was hard to be interested/comprehend which of the three plot lines is happening or how the people are going from place to place, sometimes I would get really interested in a scene like the helicopter jet car chase into a gas station and then I'd blink and I don't know how it ended but we are somewhere new talking about something else.
I think it could be my fault.
As another reviewer noted, it is interesting how somewhat little the cyberpunk aspects change people's lives compared to for instance, 'Rainbows End' by Vernor Vinge, but I like this book the same because it's got style. Style carries sometimes.
Apparently the 3 sprawl books are loosely connected meaning, same world, same events happened, and they probably affect the next book but it won't be John Cyberpunk as the main character in each book.
This book is more noir than the first it feels, in some ways I felt like a noir detective piecing together the story (really just piecing together where the fuck I am).
I wanted to like this book and give it a 4 but I must be honest.
I think it could be my fault.
As another reviewer noted, it is interesting how somewhat little the cyberpunk aspects change people's lives compared to for instance, 'Rainbows End' by Vernor Vinge, but I like this book the same because it's got style. Style carries sometimes.
Apparently the 3 sprawl books are loosely connected meaning, same world, same events happened, and they probably affect the next book but it won't be John Cyberpunk as the main character in each book.
This book is more noir than the first it feels, in some ways I felt like a noir detective piecing together the story (really just piecing together where the fuck I am).
I wanted to like this book and give it a 4 but I must be honest.