“Cyberspace. A consensual hallucination experienced daily by billions of legitimate operators, in every nation, by children being taught mathematical concepts ... A graphic representation of data abstracted from the banks of every computer in the human system. Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the nonspace of the mind, clusters and constellations of data. Like city lights, receding... (51)”

Reads an explanation from Gibson’s cyberpunk novel, Nueromancer.  Written in 1984, William Gibson gives us a novel in which he depicts a world which we have never experienced; one of cyberspace, artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and virtual reality.  Gibson takes Science Fiction and Cyberpunk literature to another level with his mind-bending novel, Neuromancer. The path Gibson takes with this novel is one that will keep you pinned to the edge of your seat, waiting with anticipation to learn what the characters next actions will be.  With Neuromancer . comes a novel depicting a world of technological greed gone terribly wrong.

The novel opens with the attention grabbing line, “The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned into a dead channel” (3).  Already, the reader is prepared to divulge into one of the most well-written cyberpunk novels of our time.  It is in the futuristic Chiba City, Japan, where Gibson introduces us to Henry Dorsett Case, known better to readers as simply “Case”.  Case is an intelligent and talented computer hacker that is severely addicted to drugs.  Employed by more intelligent, wealthier thieves, Case’s position at work entailed the difficult task of hacking into corporate systems databases.  A bad decision leads case to steal from his employer, and he is in turn punished for his actions by the use of Mycotoxin injections into his nervous system.  This disables Case from being able to enter the global computer network via brain-computer interface in Cyberspace.  Case searches relentlessly throughout the clinics of Chiba, desperate to find treatment to reverse the Mycotoxin effects.  It is not long after that we are introduced to Gibson’s next character, Molly.

             Molly is a “Razorgirl”, whom has more inhuman characteristics than not, by means of medical modification.  Sporting 4cm double-edged retractable scalpel blades which sit unnoticeably under her freshly painted burgundy nails, Molly is a site for sore eyes.  To accompany her weapon of choice, Molly also has surgically implanted “mirrors”, which appear to onlookers as metallic silver painted lenses, or glasses, aiding her in optometric enhancement.  Gibson gives Molly’s character a main part in the novel as she is recruited by Armitage, to recruit Case for his services, in exchange for the repair of his nervous system.  Although, this would not come to Case without a way to ensure his faithfulness to the team, whereas Armitage has Mycotoxin Sacs implanted into Case’s blood stream.  Should Case fulfill his duties to Armitage, the sacs would be flushed, and his nervous system back to normal.  Should Case fail or bail on Armitage, the sacs would burst and re-distribute the Mycotoxin.

Unbeknownst to Case and Molly, Armitage aims to assemble a team in order to assist him in freeing Wintermute, an Artificial Intelligence created by the powerful Tessier-Ashpool family.  Throughout most of the novel, Gibson keeps us on the edge of our seat in regards to Armitage’s plan, persuading the reader to continue on.  Armitage is a character that leaves the reader in constant wonder.  You know there is something strange about him, but it’s something you can’t quite place your finger on.  This sense of mystery entices the reader and heightens anticipation.  We follow along with Case and Molly in their journey to find out as much as they can in regards to their leader.  We learn that Case will have much more than a sexual connection to Molly but also a connection in the literal sense as well.  As Molly acts out the physical requests of Armitage by entering buildings and stealing information by hand, Case provides intrusion programs that link with Sense/Net.  Case connects to Molly through her “sensorium” via the “simstim”.  With this, Case can feel all that Molly felt, see all that Molly saw, and hear all that Molly heard.  But for Armitage, these services are not enough to complete the goal.

             In addition to gaining the help of Case and Molly, Armitage also requests the services of Peter Riviera.  Riviera, a thief and drug addict, possesses the unique ability to produce holographic images via cyber-structured implants. Appearing easy on the eyes, Riviera’s slender physique, blonde hair, and soft-spoken tone, would soon be used to Armitage’s advantage in the completion of his goal. Riviera’s character is one to be scrutinized over, never gaining the readers full trust.  Through various twists and turns in the novel, the reader will be led down a curvy path towards making the decision of whether or not Riviera can be trusted.

             It is later revealed in the novel that Armitage was coerced by the character Wintermute, to aid him in the completion of his goal; to be merged with his other Artificial Intelligence half, Neuromancer.  Wintermute, by itself, can be “compared to a man whose lobes have been severed, it is difficult to say you’re dealing with a man at all” (120).  The Artifical-Intelligence entity will serve as the man as a whole.  The confusion is then tied together in explaining that  the two were separated into halves because the construction of such a powerful Artifical Intelligence as a whole was banned by law.  Wintermute and Neuromancer are drawn together and must be combined in order to complete their mission or goal of completion.  Wintermute has created Armitage, whom we begin to find out was not really Armitage at all but a deranged Colonol Corto that faught in the Screaming Fists battle years prior.  Wintermute acts through Armitage, and has him carry out his lengthy tasks and requests.

            Nueromancer, can be said to be a quest within the corporate world, one of immense technological greed and hunger to advance within society.  Each individual character only watches out for himself, attempting to achieve their own  personal goal.  Although they work together as a team, each of them wants something different from the outcome.  Selfishness and technology within the corporate world intertwine to create a downward spiral equaling an elaborate ending.  But will they let their selfishness get in the way of achieving their main goal?  One that must be achieved in order for their personal satisfaction and gratification.  They are tied together as their lives depend on the completion of their goal.

             Join Case and Molly on their interesting journey to complete the work of an Artifical Intelligence mastermind.  Ride the rollercoaster Gibson prepares for his readers in this cyberpunk novel, Neuromancer, as he produces a seemingly endless chain of events which mysteriously leads the characters to each other.  Fight with the group in defeating the Tessier-Ashpool’s as they hold the key to unlocking Neuromancer’s existence.  Read with Gibson, as he links each of the characters together one by one, for an exciting cyberpunk climactic ending.  It is in reading this novel that we come to question and explore the future.