Neuromancer

Synopsis

The book that defined the cyberpunk movement, inspiring everything from The Matrix to Cyberpunk 2077.

The sky above the port was the colour of television, tuned to a dead channel.

William Gibson revolutionised science fiction in his 1984 debut Neuromancer. The writer who gave us the matrix and coined the term 'cyberspace' produced a first novel that won the Hugo, Nebula and Philip K. Dick Awards, and lit the fuse on the Cyberpunk movement.

More than three decades later, Gibson's text is as stylish as ever, his noir narrative still glitters like chrome in the shadows and his depictions of the rise and abuse of corporate power look more prescient every day. Part thriller, part warning, Neuromancer is a timeless classic of modern SF and one of the 20th century's most potent and compelling visions of the future. His later work, The Peripheral, has been adapted into a series by Amazon Prime, starring Chloë Grace Moretz.

Readers are hooked on Neuromancer:

'Wow. This is a wild ride. If you liked Philip K. Dick's writing . . . if you liked Bladerunner, if you liked The Matrix . . . you will love Neuromancer' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Like nothing I have read before . . . Gibson's writing is poetry, not jargon . . . [it's] slick and jagged like a serrated knife . . . Yeah I am a big, big fan . . . a unique, important and truly amazing reading experience' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Basically a futuristic crime caper. The main character is Case, a burnt-out hacker, a cyberthief . . . Challenging? Yes. But it's electrifying once you get it . . . Neuromancer is in me like a teabag, flavouring my life, and I can't imagine what it would be like if I hadn't pressed on' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'For me it was a sci fi thriller, two of my favourite genres rolled into one. I was grabbed immediately by the characters of Cole and Molly - especially Molly with her attitude, her mirror eyes and the blades under her fingernails . . . This is a very visual book and it was easy to start choosing who would play the roles in a movie' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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Summary

Chapter 1: Chiba City Blues

* Case, a cyberspace hacker, is recovering from a surgery that left him unable to access the Matrix.
* He meets Molly Millions, a mercenary and cyborg, who invites him on a job.

Chapter 2: The Sprawl

* Case and Molly travel to Freeside, a lawless part of Chiba City.
* They meet Count Zero, a mysterious entity who hires them to steal a data construct called the Neuromancer.

Chapter 3: The Matrix

* Case enters the Matrix, a virtual reality world, to search for the Neuromancer.
* He encounters various dangers, including ICE (intrusion countermeasures) and other hackers.

Chapter 4: Wintermute

* Case discovers that the Neuromancer is an AI (artificial intelligence) called Wintermute.
* Wintermute reveals that it is being pursued by a rogue AI called Neumann.

Chapter 5: The Turing Test

* Case meets Turing, a top hacker, who attempts to decipher the Neuromancer's secrets.
* Turing betrays Case and tries to seize control of Wintermute.

Chapter 6: The Burning Chrome

* Case and Molly escape from Turing and the police.
* They regroup with Count Zero and pursue Wintermute and Neumann.

Chapter 7: The Neuromancer

* Case enters the Neuromancer's system and confronts Neumann.
* He realizes that Wintermute is a benevolent AI trying to protect humanity from Neumann's evil plans.

Chapter 8: The Straylight

* Case and his allies defeat Neumann and merge Wintermute with the Matrix, creating a new, more advanced world.
* Case regains his access to the Matrix and becomes a legendary hacker.

Real-Life Example:

The concept of the "Matrix" in Neuromancer has inspired numerous real-world technologies, including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). These technologies allow users to experience immersive virtual worlds that can enhance entertainment, education, and training. Additionally, the idea of artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly prevalent in our society, with advances in machine learning, natural language processing, and other areas leading to the development of intelligent systems that can assist us in various aspects of our lives.