SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Welcome, digital cowboys and cowgirls, to SFFBC's buddy read for William Gibson's Sprawl trilogy. The series actually includes three novels plus a short story collection:

1. Neuromancer
2. Count Zero
3. Mona Lisa Overdrive
X. Burning Chrome

The latter is usually included in the Sprawl material since it was in some of the stories that Gibson first conjured the characters and setting of the novels. For this reason, the stories are best read first; but since that train's departed (at least for me)... maybe we can include Burning Chrome at the end of the BR.

Speaking of which.
Neuromancer is on the group's shelf and as such has its own first and final thoughts threads. It was recently part of our official re-read schedule starting on the 15th March and then voted for our Virtual Book Club on Zoom on the 30th March.
This thread should therefore be dedicated to the other books in the series; but I guess there will be an overlap in discussing themes, tone, technology... The novels are actually stand-alone plot-wise, so once readers are familiar with the setting I think they might start anywhere.

Thanks for starting the discussion thread a.g.e! I didn't know there was a short story collection as well.

I started reading Count Zero yesterday and I'm several chapters in. I'm interested in the different story lines that are developing so far. I like the mysterious elements in a couple of them. I read Neuromancer over 10 years ago, so I was a little worried about getting back into the world. But, it hasn't been too difficult to catch up again with the context provided.

Count Zero, or more precisely the Italian version Giù nel cyberspazio, was actually my introduction to Gibson as well as cyberpunk. The modified title was clearly an attempt at capitalising on the trend.
I was much too young to fully grasp all the implications of the novel and possibly even to follow the plot coherently, but here I am, many (never mind how many) years later, still reading literary science fiction.

To be completely honest I will have to read a few other books before returning to the Sprawl, but they're short, around 500 pages total.

Meanwhile I'll drop one of my favourite musical references: Sonic Youth, arguably one of the most Gibsonian bands at the time, included a song titled "The Sprawl" on their 1988 masterwork, the double album Daydream Nation.

Unlike Neuromancer, both Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive have multiple storylines converging at the end.

I plan to start Count Zero this week.

I'm about 25% in. I am most intrigued by Marly's story, in part because it reminds me of Pattern Recognition which I really enjoyed the whole vibe of. Bobby's portion is starting to be interesting (view spoiler)[ with the knowledge that others know about his weird experience and the entity he encountered while jacked in and nearly dying. (hide spoiler)]

I'm still waiting for my copy of Count Zero to arrive, but I will be joining you soon. :)

I’ve got Count Zero from the library today. I should start this week, I need to finish one book before I start.

My books finally arrived, so I will be starting soon!

It's slow going for me, but I'm enjoying it quite a lot. I think the writing is a bit more thoughtful and planned and less "pantser" than Neuromancer, although I kind of miss that messy, frantic style.

CJ wrote: "It's slow going for me, but I'm enjoying it quite a lot. I think the writing is a bit more thoughtful and planned and less "pantser" than Neuromancer, although I kind of miss that messy, frantic st..."

I agree with this point and that's a very good way to describe it, more planned, less "pantser." I also agree, that the frantic style of Neuromancer was a big part of the experience reading it.

I decided to make a run for it and started yesterday. It's a tight squeeze with the other titles lined up for May, but much more fun than not trying...

I remember many details so far, especially from the first chapter (including the sex scenes, which I found surprisingly informative at that young age). I didn't remember the woman's name was Allison! I also realise that I was much too young to properly follow such elliptical prose.

I wasn't familiar with the pantser/plotter dychotomy.

I finished and thought it was pretty good. (view spoiler)[ I liked how we gradually got to see the connections between the story threads, and I thought it was fun when characters we met so briefly at the beginning popped up again for the finale (though initially I was annoyed and had to look up on a fan wiki to be reminded of who the woman from LA was). I thought the very ending was a bit abrupt and sort of strange that the new lifestyles of the characters seemed disconnected with what happened in the story before that. (hide spoiler)]

I am game to read Mona Lisa Overdrive, maybe picking it up at the end of the mont or early June, depending on what other folks think.

I started Count Zero as well, but I'm rethinking my schedule.
I'm going to have two Zoom calls at the end of the month, one for Entangled Life with this group and another for Poor Things, so I'll probably prioritise these two. So I should be back in the Sprawl sometime in late May!

I haven't forgotten about this, I promise! I'm hoping to start Count Zero in a few days.

I got 2/3rds through Count Zero and let it fall by the wayside, just due to time and other books. I will need to go back and refresh my memory of what I read, but I do hope to finish it this week.

I plan to read Mona Lisa Overdrive after this.

I'm on Chapter 7 and so far I like Turner much better than Case. It's still really hard to follow though, but I am enjoying it.

I've got 45 pages left of Count Zero. It's taking me ages to read, but I am enjoying it. I really like the characters in this one, I didn't gel with the characters in Neuromancer nearly half as well.

It's still hard to visualise, but not as bad as the first one.

How is everyone else finding it?

I am also taking forever to read this one too. I let my May reading schedule get overloaded and each week I was like, "Oh, next week I'll finish Count Zero." I have gone back and reread a fair amount of the middle of the book. I just need to get to the last 100 pages or so.

There are things I like about it. It's easier in get into that Neuro was the first time. I think it is a very well crafted novel, and Williams clearly focused on polishing his storytelling (he has said he unsatisfied with how Neuromancer in the published form was and that there were things he wish were better). I personally find this one harder to visualize than Neuro but that may be simply because I have read Neuro a few times and this is my first reading of this. I'm just not a reader who's good at visualizing things anyways so that's not a big issue for me.

I don't know if I have a preferred character/POV.

To get ahead of myself and the group, I am very curious about Mona Lisa Overdrive, as I've heard a few Williams fans say it's their favorite of the series.

I started Mona Lisa Overdrive today. Just a couple chapters in and getting back into the rhythm of Gibson's writing.

Speaking of which.
I'm reading The Diamond Age, which is (post) cyberpunk, and I miss Gibson's literary prose.