apophenia

[jfb]

Here's a thing about reading William Gibson's new book Pattern Recognition: I kept reading, say, a description of someone using a web browser, and thinking, "But that's what it's like browsing the web now! Surely by the future, it will be better!" And then I'd remember--even though it's a William Gibson book, it's set in the approximate present. (Maybe it's tomorrow morning. Maybe, if I read a passing reference right, it's last year.)

Anyway. Since Connie Willis published her Christmas book, I think Gibson is the only science fiction author whose every book I intend to read. I've liked all of them, and this is one of my favorites. His descriptions of London, Tokyo, and Moscow, although I can't judge their accuracy, certainly have the feel of laser precision. And I think Cayce Pollard, the protagonist, is his best character ever.

Here's the Times review.

Comments

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

Wah! I LIKED the Christmas book. I hate Christmas, even!

[jfb.livejournal.com]

Controversy! I guess it might be good--I just couldn't bring myself to read it. I liked Passage, though.

[emmacrew.livejournal.com]

There were some good bits in the set of Christmas stories. And some that made me cringe a bit.

Damn, I still haven't gotten around to reading Passage. I even bought it in hardback because I didn't want to wait for it to be out in paper, and now it's out in paper. Feh.

[bushmiller.livejournal.com]

I bought Pattern Recognition the week it came out. I even structured an independent readings course I was doing with some guys around it. We never read it, realizing that short fiction was much easier to digest on a week-to-week basis.

I WANT TO READ THIS BUT I KNOW THAT I WON'T ANY TIME SOON! WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME, ERIK!?

Ahem.

--sean