New William Gibson novel - Spook Country

LaughingVulcan · 08-08-2007, 10:57 PM

William Gibson, author of "Neuromancer," "Virtual Light," "Pattern Recognition," and one of the fathers of the Cyberpunk genre is back with "Spook Country."

It just came out, like today.

And it's on Connect, also.

:

Now I know where $20.76 of my most recent Connect credit is going. (Current Amazon price: $15.57 and retail according to Amazon: $25.95.) Correction: Where $20.76 went, as I just purchased it and am about to download it on my Reader.

Pardon for not giving an in-depth plot review - I've very intentionally been keeping away from anything in the slightest spoilerable about this. William Gibson to me is what J.K. is for many other millions.

OK, off to

it.

Leaping Gnome · 08-09-2007, 12:38 AM

Let us know how it is. For me personally I enjoyed his earlier works more than his recent stuff but I still read every one of his books.

splat · 08-09-2007, 04:36 AM

I had been really looking forward to this but once again those who want ebooks get shafted.

$15.57 on Amazon
$20.76 on Connect
$25.95 on Mobipocket

It's enough to make me want to go back to pbooks

wallcraft · 08-09-2007, 09:21 AM

The MobiPocket site is often the most expensive.

$20.76 for MobiPocket format at booksonboard.

Hadrien · 08-09-2007, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splat

I had been really looking forward to this but once again those who want ebooks get shafted.

$15.57 on Amazon
$20.76 on Connect
$25.95 on Mobipocket

It's enough to make me want to go back to pbooks

Now that Mobipocket is owned by Amazon, I really hope that as soon as Amazon llaunches its e-reader, the Amazon/Mobipocket price will be the same. On a book, a 10$ difference is a lot of cash...

LaughingVulcan · 08-09-2007, 07:35 PM

Some reflections off the first seven plus chapters (112 of 845 pages on the Medium size...) One smallish semi-spoiler included:

* It's written in the usual style of Gibson: Short and staccato chapters interlaced with longer (yet still comparatively small) chapters. You just have to flow with the novel for a bit, getting used to the characters and situations depicted, just stringing along while figuring out where Gibson is going.

Also, main characters are introduced individually in the first few chapters. You'll probably have to read the novel through more than once (my usual for Gibson is that on the third read I really start appreciating the deeper themes.)

* In the first six chapters I thought this might be a stand-alone novel. It's in Chapter 7 that we get a reference to Pattern Recognition.

SPOILER WARNING (forgot that this board doesn't have spoiler codes!):

It turns out that one of the characters has been contracted to write an article for what is (apparently) a magazine owned by Hubertus Bigend, owner of Blue Ant in PR.

END OF SPOILER

While Gibson does write stand-alone stories (The Difference Engine with Bruce Sterling, the collected novellas of Burning Chrome,) he is more famous for his trilogies. The "Neuromancer" series (Neuromancer, Count Zero, and Mona Lisa Overdrive,) and the "Bridge" series (Virtual Light, Idoru, and All Tomorrow's Parties.)
Like his other trilogies, these novels are entirely readable separately, but there are added dimensions to reading the series. So, if you liked Pattern Recognition, there is hope to like this one.

* As above, I found it hard to get into the rhythm of the novel - it finally started to flow in late Chapter 5. With Gibson's shorter style, though, this is in the first sixteenth or so of the book. This is normal for me with Gibson stories.

* As an (at least potential) continuation of Pattern Recognition, this novel is not set in some alternate past, future, or even present. Instead, everything in it so far is entirely possible today, if on the fringe of technology and relationships. Gibson has always included elements of today's bleeding edge technologies and events, this series simply omits what's not possible today. This series is hard therefore to define as science fiction - there isn't a futuristic or alternate element here. It's questionable if this fits a "Cyberpunk" definition or not, even though it's utterly in Gibson's style of writing. Perhaps, just as Gibson was at the forefront of "Cyberpunk," he's now at the forefront of an entirely new school or writing yet-to-be-defined.

* So far, it's an enjoyable read, especially if you're as into Gibson as I am.

splat · 08-14-2007, 03:38 PM

Much to my surprise, Fictionwise have Spook Country with 100% rebate at the moment. Any one who had been holding off should grab it now

Alexander Turcic · 08-16-2007, 09:07 AM

I love Gibson books! Thanks for the heads-up, Leaping Gnome, I would've probably missed it

JSWolf · 08-16-2007, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hadrien

Now that Mobipocket is owned by Amazon, I really hope that as soon as Amazon llaunches its e-reader, the Amazon/Mobipocket price will be the same. On a book, a 10$ difference is a lot of cash...

Unless the prices are LOWER, they won't sell well.

JSWolf · 08-16-2007, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splat

Much to my surprise, Fictionwise have Spook Country with 100% rebate at the moment. Any one who had been holding off should grab it now

100% Micropay Rebate. Meaning you buy the book, and then you get the money back into your micropay account which can then be used to purchase other ebooks from Fictionwise.

LaughingVulcan · 08-16-2007, 10:48 PM

BTW, I finished it a couple of days ago.

My comments above are all pretty much remained true through the remainder of the book. The characters and plot keep on melding through the end of the book, and become much easier after you get the cadence of the book. I think it's a worthy successor to Pattern Recognition.

My personal rating list (for anyone who wants to compare how I'd stack up Gibson books):

7. Mona Lisa Overdrive
6. All Tomorrow's Parties
5. Idoru
4. The Difference Engine
3. (tie) Burning Chrome
3. Pattern Recognition
2. (tie) Neuromancer
2. Count Zero
1. Virtual Light

Edit to add: I don't know what this one will be named, but I do hope there's a third book to make this one a trilogy also.

2nd Edit to add: After reading jmorton's post below (and I agree fully with it...) I'd place Spook Country at about 3.5 on the above list.

jmorton · 08-24-2007, 05:23 PM

I just finished Spook Country. I enjoyed it, but if someone were choosing between this book and Pattern Recognition, I'd recommend the latter. If you haven't read any Gibson, then go with Neuromancer first. This is not a good place to start with him. On the BoingBoing.net podcast, Cory Doctorow referred to Spook Country (and I think he was including Pattern Recognition in this) as "radical speculative presentism." I do like the sound of that. As with other novels by Gibson, the novel starts with several seemingly unrelated characters doing seemingly unrelated things. It takes a while for the various threads to coalesce into one story. A second reading is probably worthwhile.

Jim

08-08-2007, 10:57 PM	#1
LaughingVulcan Technophile Posts: 204 Karma: 617 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Land of Lincoln Device: PRS-650 Sony, Nook Simpletouch, more legacy gear than I can remember	New William Gibson novel - Spook Country William Gibson, author of "Neuromancer," "Virtual Light," "Pattern Recognition," and one of the fathers of the Cyberpunk genre is back with "Spook Country." It just came out, like today. And it's on Connect, also. : Now I know where $20.76 of my most recent Connect credit is going. (Current Amazon price: $15.57 and retail according to Amazon: $25.95.) Correction: Where $20.76 went, as I just purchased it and am about to download it on my Reader. Pardon for not giving an in-depth plot review - I've very intentionally been keeping away from anything in the slightest spoilerable about this. William Gibson to me is what J.K. is for many other millions. OK, off to it.

08-09-2007, 07:35 PM	#6
LaughingVulcan Technophile Posts: 204 Karma: 617 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Land of Lincoln Device: PRS-650 Sony, Nook Simpletouch, more legacy gear than I can remember	One small spoiler in the following! Some reflections off the first seven plus chapters (112 of 845 pages on the Medium size...) One smallish semi-spoiler included: * It's written in the usual style of Gibson: Short and staccato chapters interlaced with longer (yet still comparatively small) chapters. You just have to flow with the novel for a bit, getting used to the characters and situations depicted, just stringing along while figuring out where Gibson is going. Also, main characters are introduced individually in the first few chapters. You'll probably have to read the novel through more than once (my usual for Gibson is that on the third read I really start appreciating the deeper themes.) * In the first six chapters I thought this might be a stand-alone novel. It's in Chapter 7 that we get a reference to Pattern Recognition. SPOILER WARNING (forgot that this board doesn't have spoiler codes!): It turns out that one of the characters has been contracted to write an article for what is (apparently) a magazine owned by Hubertus Bigend, owner of Blue Ant in PR. END OF SPOILER While Gibson does write stand-alone stories (The Difference Engine with Bruce Sterling, the collected novellas of Burning Chrome,) he is more famous for his trilogies. The "Neuromancer" series (Neuromancer, Count Zero, and Mona Lisa Overdrive,) and the "Bridge" series (Virtual Light, Idoru, and All Tomorrow's Parties.) Like his other trilogies, these novels are entirely readable separately, but there are added dimensions to reading the series. So, if you liked Pattern Recognition, there is hope to like this one. * As above, I found it hard to get into the rhythm of the novel - it finally started to flow in late Chapter 5. With Gibson's shorter style, though, this is in the first sixteenth or so of the book. This is normal for me with Gibson stories. * As an (at least potential) continuation of Pattern Recognition, this novel is not set in some alternate past, future, or even present. Instead, everything in it so far is entirely possible today, if on the fringe of technology and relationships. Gibson has always included elements of today's bleeding edge technologies and events, this series simply omits what's not possible today. This series is hard therefore to define as science fiction - there isn't a futuristic or alternate element here. It's questionable if this fits a "Cyberpunk" definition or not, even though it's utterly in Gibson's style of writing. Perhaps, just as Gibson was at the forefront of "Cyberpunk," he's now at the forefront of an entirely new school or writing yet-to-be-defined. * So far, it's an enjoyable read, especially if you're as into Gibson as I am. Last edited by LaughingVulcan; 08-09-2007 at 07:43 PM.

08-16-2007, 10:48 PM	#11
LaughingVulcan Technophile Posts: 204 Karma: 617 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Land of Lincoln Device: PRS-650 Sony, Nook Simpletouch, more legacy gear than I can remember	BTW, I finished it a couple of days ago. My comments above are all pretty much remained true through the remainder of the book. The characters and plot keep on melding through the end of the book, and become much easier after you get the cadence of the book. I think it's a worthy successor to Pattern Recognition. My personal rating list (for anyone who wants to compare how I'd stack up Gibson books): 7. Mona Lisa Overdrive 6. All Tomorrow's Parties 5. Idoru 4. The Difference Engine 3. (tie) Burning Chrome 3. Pattern Recognition 2. (tie) Neuromancer 2. Count Zero 1. Virtual Light Edit to add: I don't know what this one will be named, but I do hope there's a third book to make this one a trilogy also. 2nd Edit to add: After reading jmorton's post below (and I agree fully with it...) I'd place Spook Country at about 3.5 on the above list. Last edited by LaughingVulcan; 08-24-2007 at 11:27 PM.

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08-09-2007, 12:38 AM	#2
Leaping Gnome Evangelist Posts: 490 Karma: 1641 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Louisville Device: Sony Reader PRS-500	Let us know how it is. For me personally I enjoyed his earlier works more than his recent stuff but I still read every one of his books.

08-09-2007, 04:36 AM	#3
splat Zealot Posts: 106 Karma: 348 Join Date: Dec 2006	I had been really looking forward to this but once again those who want ebooks get shafted. $15.57 on Amazon $20.76 on Connect $25.95 on Mobipocket It's enough to make me want to go back to pbooks

08-09-2007, 09:21 AM	#4
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	The MobiPocket site is often the most expensive. $20.76 for MobiPocket format at booksonboard.

08-14-2007, 03:38 PM	#7
splat Zealot Posts: 106 Karma: 348 Join Date: Dec 2006	Much to my surprise, Fictionwise have Spook Country with 100% rebate at the moment. Any one who had been holding off should grab it now

08-16-2007, 09:07 AM	#8
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,163 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	I love Gibson books! Thanks for the heads-up, Leaping Gnome, I would've probably missed it

08-24-2007, 05:23 PM	#12
jmorton Connoisseur Posts: 50 Karma: 374 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: San Francisco Device: Sony Reader PRS-500	I just finished Spook Country. I enjoyed it, but if someone were choosing between this book and Pattern Recognition, I'd recommend the latter. If you haven't read any Gibson, then go with Neuromancer first. This is not a good place to start with him. On the BoingBoing.net podcast, Cory Doctorow referred to Spook Country (and I think he was including Pattern Recognition in this) as "radical speculative presentism." I do like the sound of that. As with other novels by Gibson, the novel starts with several seemingly unrelated characters doing seemingly unrelated things. It takes a while for the various threads to coalesce into one story. A second reading is probably worthwhile. Jim