Most helpful customer reviews
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Here comes the new boss, same as the old boss, Sep 14 2008
I really used to enjoy Gibson, but my enthusiasm has dimmed as time has gone by. Things have hit a new low with Pattern Recognition. The fundamentals of the plot are basically recycled concepts from Count Zero, which was a much better book anyway. Gibson appears to be desperately trying to hold on to some kind of pop-culture visionary status, but he uses an old formula of throwing everything he might have read about in a few avant-garde magazines at the wall, seeing what sticks, and claiming it as his own.
I keep reading good (or at least better) press about Gibson recently, but based on this book I have to imagine that this is being written by people who have never read the old Gibson, and fail to realize that they are being served re-refried beans. I love reading, but this was a waste of time.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Great, action-filled plot. Perfect for first time readers of Gibson., Oct 9 2006
What images would we choose to define our lives? Or a moment in our life? A couple embracing? A bird flying? An empty plastic bag floating on the wind, just grazing the ground? Two twin towers engulfed in flame and smoke?
As the only Gibson book that I've come across to take place unmistakably now, Gibson works his usual ubersleek cyberpunk magic, however in a somewhat tempered manner. Missing is the plethora of technobabble, the drug abusing protagonists, the violent sexual encounters. Although often dripping with amusing similes, this is a sleek and polished piece of intellectual science fiction.
Has Gibson (gulp), gone. . . . normal??
Maybe as normal as is possible, for him.
The story focuses around Cayce Pollard, whose works as a somewhat freelance marketing consultant. With her hyperactive intuition and psychological allergy to logos and name brands, she is able to immediately tell a marketing firm how the public will react to their new logos, brand marketing, etc. In her spare time, Cayce, along with thousands of other webjunkies, follow something simply called "the footage", snippets of video anonymously posted on the internet, in no discernable order. Online discussions abound on who is the maker of The Footage? What does it mean? Is each piece a separate creation, or do they all go together in some meaningful way? And what the heck does it all mean?
Life is relatively normal for Cayce, until a client hires her, under the table, to find the maker of The Footage. How to track down the creator of something that is anonymously posted on the internet, and spread via a 2003 version of YouTube or MySpace? Impossible. But given a limitless budget, Cayce and her connections learn that everyone leaves some kind of tracks, and everything fits some kind of pattern. And if there is some conspiracy, don't waste your time thinking it's all about you, even when it comes full circle.
This book isn't about plot. Sure, it's about plot, the plot is great, there's action, subterfuge, double crossing, web stalking. It's all there, and it works, very well. But Gibson has something much more subtle, much more fragile he's trying to show us. Or maybe I'm just seeing it there because I'm looking for it? No, it was there, floating just beneath the surface, waiting to be found.
Gibson veterans know how easy it is to get buried alive in what he's got going on in his head. This will be a quick and easy read for you. Gibsons virgins, don't worry, this will be an easy read for you too. In fact, this is the perfect introduction to Gibson for first time readers of his fiction. It's not that he's gone soft, or normal, it's that he's gone subtle.
The references to The Matrix and James Bond were greatly appreciated. As were the highly amusing comments on modern fashion.
4 out of 5 spaceships.
Reviewer: Andrea Johnson for Multiverse Reviews
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing wrtiting, Oct 4 2006
I couldn't pinpoint what is it I like about Gibson's books in general and this one in particular. That is until I read someone else's review saying we like it because of the writing.
While reading it I was asked how I like the book, all I could come up with was "It's good.". It's not the story - it's usually simple. It's not exactly the characters - not very distinct, likable or dis-likable. It's easy to put down - not a page turner, but while you reading you are enjoying it immensely.
Recently the association that comes to mind when thinking about his books is black and white movies. Something like Casablanca. Not that I'm a big fan. Just the ability to capture the world and life, without flash and special effects.
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