1. Gibson's future shares some similarities with Pohl's, but there are some important differences in both the world itself and the aspects of it that the two authors choose to focus on. What are the similarities and differences?
2. One of the important differences between this story and many of the others we read is in the relationship of its characters to the technologies they are dealing with. How is it different? How do the characters themselves differ?
3. Gibson borrows ideas and plot elements from all over the place -- both science fiction and non-science fiction. As you read the book, try and identify familiar sources (authors, types of book or film) and elements.
4. How realistic is the technology presented here? Would you saw that he was very familiar with the computer and network technologies of 1982? Does it matter?
5. Unlike most of the other authors, Gibson shows the reader a future containing several different sub-cultures, all of them descending from existing human cultures. How does he use the Japanese elements, the futuristic Rastafarians, and so on?
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
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