I'm finally reading William Gibson's latest novel, Pattern Recognition. First thoughts: it's a delight. I'm enjoying seeing the author move from visionary cyberpunk creation back in time to the present day, which is partially shaped by his vision. His tone has shifted, with drier descriptions and a steady, quiet wit. The plot offers no sf so far, just the internet and the post dot.bomb globalized world, with major time in London, Tokyo, and Moscow (so far). It's also, in a minor, tactful way, a 9-11 text.
While I finish the thing and compile notes, here's an obsessive site of PR annotations.
If you think that site's obsessive, the Buzz Rickson's people are making a special edition of the MA-1 just because of this novel..
Posted by: Patti | December 29, 2003 at 14:05
I'm also taking in Gibson's latest and I am finding it incredibly hard to shake the impression that the main character, Cayce, is an adolescent instead of an adult professional.
Posted by: Grant Czerepak | December 29, 2003 at 20:51
A nice companion to PR is Gibson's blog and the forums that cropped up around it. If you just examine the threads that Gibson comments on you find a nice commentary on a completed work. There is also an interesting back-and-forth where Gibson encourages editing and Monday morning quarterbacking of the novel.
Posted by: Jamie | December 30, 2003 at 10:11
I found this piece about the Curta calculators over at Boing Boing. I thought you might be interested.
Posted by: Jamie | January 03, 2004 at 15:49
Great catch, Jamie. Thanks.
Impending post on the novel, when time permits -
Posted by: Bryan | January 04, 2004 at 22:30
Another PR related site:
Could this be Cayce Pollard's crib sheet?
Posted by: Jamie | January 28, 2004 at 12:55
Good catch! a nice example of reading through logos in focus, too.
Posted by: Bryan | February 01, 2004 at 16:33
Bryan, just a note on that New Left Review article on Pattern Recognition. The article is by Fredrick Jameson and can be found HERE.
Posted by: Jamie | February 02, 2004 at 13:48
Bryan, just a note on that New Left Review article on Pattern Recognition. The article is by Fredrick Jameson and can be found HERE.
Posted by: Jamie | February 02, 2004 at 13:49
Bryan, just a note on that New Left Review article on Pattern Recognition. The article is by Fredrick Jameson and can be found HERE.
Posted by: Jamie | February 02, 2004 at 13:49
Bryan, just a note on that New Left Review article on Pattern Recognition. The article is by Fredrick Jameson and can be found HERE.
Posted by: Jamie | February 02, 2004 at 13:51