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A review by grogu_djarin
Count Zero by William Gibson
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Overall Thoughts:
This was a fantastic follow-up to Neuromancer but I feel they have different strengths. Neuromancer had the stronger story, in my opinion, since it focused on one storyline as seen from the perspective of Case. Meanwhile Count Zero follows a different approach with three separate plot threads that gradually interweave and none of them individually were as compelling as Neuromancer, but together they present an equally satisfying book. Each storyline brings something different. Turner's story is more action-oriented while Marly's is more of a mystery. Bobby's story (the titular Count Zero) was the weaker one, and despite starting out strong he's on the sideline for much of the book.
This was a fantastic follow-up to Neuromancer but I feel they have different strengths. Neuromancer had the stronger story, in my opinion, since it focused on one storyline as seen from the perspective of Case. Meanwhile Count Zero follows a different approach with three separate plot threads that gradually interweave and none of them individually were as compelling as Neuromancer, but together they present an equally satisfying book. Each storyline brings something different. Turner's story is more action-oriented while Marly's is more of a mystery. Bobby's story (the titular Count Zero) was the weaker one, and despite starting out strong he's on the sideline for much of the book.
Likes:
- I liked the three plot threads between Turner, Bobby, and Marly, especially seeing how they all tied together.
- The characters were stronger and more developed in this story than Neuromancer because each has to carry their own storyline.
- The three plot threads brought stylistic changes between them which kept the story dynamic. You get a bit of everything between them.
- Gibson expands the lore in some significant ways that seem even more impactful than what already happened in Neuromancer.
- I felt like this was an easier read than Neuromancer but that might just be because I was already acclimated to the world and terminology after reading Burning Chrome and Neuromancer.
Dislikes:
- For being the titular character, Bobby's storyline was the least interesting by far and for most of it he is just along for the ride and not doing much despite the storyline starting strong.
- I didn't like the voodoo elements. While it makes sense subcultures would develop in cyberspace, this aspect seemed silly in what was otherwise a dark and gritty story and felt off in a similar way to the Rastafarians in Neuromancer.
- Similar to Neuromancer, I felt the story was weakest at its end. This time, it had a large amount of build-up between the three storylines but the resolution was more or less a deus ex machina and therefor fairly anticlimactic.
Other Notes:
- While this is a sequel to Neuromancer, it almost stands alone on its own. There's plenty of new stuff and it's set 7 years after Neuromancer and the prior book impacts the setting more than the plot. In a way it felt more connected to "New Rose Hotel" from the Burning Chrome short story collection than to Neuromancer.
- It was neat seeing Brussels appear in Marly's storyline having lived there.
Would Recommend To:
- Anyone interested in science fiction, especially the cyberpunk genre. I don't think it's necessary to have read Neuromancer first because the book reintroduces much of the plot of the first book in the setting, but it will help understand the world.
Do Not Recommend To:
- Anyone who doesn't like science fiction or the cyberpunk genre.