Most helpful customer reviews
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A world not too far removed from present times, April 12 2002
The line between technology and humans is very slim in a future where an online hardcore of individuals who live in a virtual world invite individuals to change. Anticipate complexity, depth, and a world not too far removed from present times, where a future society becomes hooked on technology, even for its identity.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Glad this is back, Jan 29 2002
I read Synners around 1993. It was borrowed from friends of friends, and so I returned it. When I finally got around to looking for it, it was out of print. I was happily surprised to learn it was republished, so it was a good Christmas gift.Pat Cadigan weaves a multi layered mystery of when flesh meets technology and people lose themselves into their own created reality. While the main characters of Gabe, Gina, and Sam dominate the story, other characters are developed at a good level, such as Gator, Fez, Mark, and Art. They are not 2d characters. The use of everyone's viewpoints, even down to the use of language in the way they think and talk, is refreshing. She also captures via words such things as travelling through the wire and drug induced hallucinations. While this book is 10 years old and may feel a bit dated in sci-fi terms, it still feels very relevant to our society as computers and digital technology invade our lives and change the ways we communicate and relate with each other thru the wires.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
You've Gotta Read This Book!!, Nov 30 2001
Pat Cadigan's Synners is an interwoven chronicle of three main characters: Gabe, Sam, and Gina. Gabe is an advertising agent for Diversifications, Inc. and Sam, his daughter, is a hacker. Gina is a synner (creator of the near-future rock videos) whose company was bought out by Diversifications, Inc. Drugs that help with depression have been reinforced by implants provided at "feel-good clinics". Diversifications, Inc. has discovered a plan for a new implant that provides prerecorded dreams that can be accessed for entertainment. Gina's coworker, Visual Mark, has been selected as the experimental subject because of his exceptional visual imagination. Synners uses familiar Cyberpunk concepts such as global computer networks, direct computer linkups to the brain, enhanced recreational drugs, young hackers and a modified form of rock music. This story revolves around the introduction of new technology, such as implants to treat depression and brain sockets to enhance entertainment. It also revolves around what happens when new technology begins to do the unexpected. Synners is presented at a perfect pace and is told in a multi-threaded style, where the characters intertwine with each other. The character development and plot are written with elaborate detail, but the theme is very simple. This book is very entertaining, even though concentration and close attention are needed in order to understand what is happening. I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend reading it.
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