Dull, tired, middle-aged
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I'm a huge fan of Gibson's earlier works, the "Sprawl" trilogy and his short stories of that period.
Since then, however, the imaginative fire and protean energy in his work has slowly but steadily drained away.
When I saw all the rave reviews for this novel, I had mixed feelings: hopeful that they heralded a return to his previous form, but doubtful when I saw that the raves were all from critics who normally disdain science fiction.
I thought I'd give Gibson one last chance.
I couldn't get through it. The dull prose, colourless characters, and plodding plot eventually did me in. I gave up about half way through, after struggling to get even that far.
Good bye, Bill. I'll see you in -30 years, in your first books.
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When Technolgy Takes Over the Future
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This is another one of Gibson's light-hearted attempts at engaging his each of his main characters in an ambiguous search for an elusive something that only vaguely defines itself as the story unwinds. Hollis, the freelance journalist working for a European counter-culture tabloid, is searching for a scoop on an art form (Locative) that is becoming popular in southern California. For her boss, it is the pressing need to find a mysterious package whose contents will forever remain unknown. And then there is Castro, a shady character of both a KGB and CIA past, who is looking to get his hands on the same contraband as Hollis' boss. Into this wide-open expanse of a plot Gibson, in typical fashion, introduces a pile of technological gizmos to make it operate. Half way through the story, there is so much technology at work in these various missions - GPS locators, VR helmets, and telekinetic forms of transportation - that the reader might feel a little lost in the storyline. Not to worry. This state of confusion is where Gibson wants his readers to be: lost in another dimension where people travel anywhere in the fraction of normal time, see images that aren't natural to the naked eye, lose all sense of privacy, and still no nearer the truth as to who they really are in their convoluted search to extract meaning out of life. Don't read this book if you are looking for an easy-to-follow plot. It just isn't there. While Gibson uses as a very smooth Sci-Fi turn-of-phrase, the same cannot be said for his overall management of the story. A bit of a disappointment for one who remembers "Neuromancer".
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Straight Fiction
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I enjoyed Gibson's cyber works, but the last two are much finer writing.
The first ones were all in-your-face attitude. The new ones are atmosphere.
In terms of plot, Spook Country has a very fine one... almost invisible. This is not good if you are still reading Gibson anticipating sci-fi, but it plays well if you are looking for a modern, nuanced read.
John Le Carre it is not... because there is still hope within the anger.
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I was expecting more...
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Needing a break from fantasy, William Gibson's Spook Country seemed to be just what the doctor ordered. As the author of works such as Neuromancer and Pattern Recognition, I thought it would make for a wonderful reading experience.
Unfortunately, though the book is good enough, it is clearly a far cry from what one has come to expect from a writer of William Gibson's caliber. Interestingly enough, the story never quite takes off. Moreover, the ending is about as lackluster as it gets.
The main problem is that one can never really grasp what this book is all about. Short chapters allow us to maintain a level of interest, and the story and characters are intriguing enough to keep us going. Gibson sets a very good pace, making this one a thriller in terms of style.
Having said that, Spook Country lacks that edge, that little something special that sets thriller apart from other fiction subgenres. It lacks that spark that keeps us promising ourselves that this is the last chapter we're reading before our bedtime. Although there are a few cliffhangers, this one is never a particularly exciting read. Indeed, the story sort of creeps up on you, very slowly.
I found the main characters -- Hollis, Tito, and Milgrim -- to be a fascinating bunch at the beginning. And yet, their back stories turn out to be more interesting than the "real time" events.
Still, regardless of the novel's shortcomings, William Gibson succeeds in keeping us interested in what is occurring. As I mentioned, since the reader doesn't understand what is going on, curiosity makes you eager to discover what Spook Country is all about. The author's narrative is as evocative as is usually his wont, which helps the reader along. Sadly, the ending is so disappointing that it killed this one for me.
Spook Country showed signs of brilliance early on, yet the story deteriorates into something quite ordinary before Gibson brings this one to a close.
Nevertheless, it's still a good read for the morning commute or the plane. But there's no denying that Gibson has accustomed his fans to much better works over the course of his career.
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GIBSON FINALLY FINDS HIS STRIDE AGAIN
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I am a huge William Gibson fun, since my university years. I believe his SPRAWL Trilogy to be a strong English Literature Cannon candidate - and, undoubtedly, the Gospel of Science Fiction of our generation.
However, his next trilogy (Virtual Light, Idoru & All Tomorrow's Parties) took an abrupt downturn after the first book of the series. I will not go into the reasons I did not find them to work at par with his previous monumental works; after all, this is not their review.
So, I was pleasantly surprised when my loyalty (finally...) paid off! SPOOK COUNTRY is a BEAUTIFUL book!
If one is hoping to find a fast-paced SF techno-thriller or a page-turner gore-fest, well, this is not the book to pick. Try Richard Morgan instead.
Even since his more action-conscious Neuromancer, William Gibson had always been a subtle writer; his poetic words painting a stroke here and then a stroke there - until his reductionist prose reveals a magic vista of the human condition no one has put to words before.
Be patient with his books. Short chapters, phrasal fragments, unusual word-hacking and turning brand-names into verbs have always been his functional style. And, boy, does his style function!
Long after you will have finished the last page, the imagery will stay with you. Popping up unexpectantly, in the foam of your next Frappuchino; in your car GPS voice; in the site of a spyhopping orca.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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