Gibson presents a wondrous world, where people and computers slug it out in a computer-generated alternative reality called "cyberspace". This idea was certainly not new when Gibson wrote this novel, but he gave it an imaginative slant, presenting making it a menacing place were one has to tread lightly as not to be obliterated by anti-hacker programs.

So far, so good. The problem with this novel is that it is very badly written. The prose is unfocused , meandering and at times impenetrable. The book would have gained much by using a more straightforward style, which would been a better fit with the grim, dog-eat-dog atmosphere of the story itself. Then again, Gibson might have realized that the story was a tad flimsy, so maybe he tried to cover that up by injecting it with lots of made-up words.

The worst part is that I felt no connection with any of the characters whatsoever. I didn't care whether they lived or died and their insecurities just bored me. This is, in my view, the biggest sin any writer can commit, no matter how fancy the rest of the story is.

This book is part of my effort to read all joint Hugo/Nebula Award winners. In addition to those two awards, this novel also won the Philip K. Dick award in 1985. As you might imagine, this work of science fiction is viewed by many as one of the most ground breaking works ever published in the genre. I can't argue with that assessment.

It is absolutely mind blowing that this book was written in December, 1983. Focusing largely on virtual reality, this is the source of the now common terms "cyberspace" and "matrix". Put yourself back in 1983. Computer programming was being done with punch cards. The internet was nothing more than a gleam in Al Gore's eye. In fact, in an afterward penned by one of Gibson's contemporaries, it is argued that not only did Gibson foretell the development of virtual reality and cyberspace, by publication of this novel, he essentially created them.

That having been said, I must admit to having a difficult time following the characters and storyline of this complicated work. Like many of Philip Dick's later works, it is not an easy read. In addition, what was revolutionary and fresh in 1983, has become somewhat old hat in the 21st century.

The story revolves around a cyberspace cowboy who is recruited for the purpose of freeing an artificial intelligence from its human imposed restrictions. The backdrop is urban, drug infested and gritty. Much of the action takes place in virtual reality. Visualize The Matrix on the set of Bladerunner and you get the picture. Again, jaw dropping for 1983; par for the course in 2009. For that reason, it is well deserving of the awards it has received and the status it enjoys among the science fiction community. However, as a current reading experience, the complexity of the work, coupled with technological advancements since its publication makes this a three star reading experience for me.

Really liked other books by Gibson but could not bring myself to finish this one despite being stuck in an airport. Story by it self was not worth all the new and redefined language, book supports the hypothesis outlined here[...].

Neuromancer is by no means a long novel, it is under 400 pages composed of many short chapters; this does not mean it is anything like an "easy read."

Gibson consistently uses words that laymen, or persons-not-from-the-future, will not know in context. Reading this book today the reader most likely feels as if he's missed some crucial background info, possibly a predecessor to the novel that he didn't know existed, but that is not the case with Neuromancer. Throughout the book Gibson weaves his tale while not divulging every detail or aspect about it. By giving the reader a very narrow realistic view, through the eyes of the protagonist, and using technical jargon not invented yet the reader is almost coerced to put himself into the story and try to unravel what is taking place. All of this can make for a confusing read to many readers- and the brilliance of Gibson's work can easily be overlooked.

I cannot recommend this book for everyone or even avid fans of science fiction. I can only say that I view it as an important book in the history of the science fiction genre and look at it as progenitor to other great masterpieces such as Snow Crash (Bantam Spectra Book), by Neal Stephenson.

The story of Neuromancer is exciting but difficult to follow if it fails to grab your attention thoroughly. It won't be uncommon to get confused by the plot while reading Neuromancer but as long as you're attentive and keep reading any conflict should resolve itself as the story unfolds. If you're a science fiction fan looking for a challenging read and interested in a classic then you should pick up Neuromancer.

The review line pretty much says it all. I am a big fan of William Gibson, but this book didn't have the characters or the universe that connected with me. Thankfully, most of his other books are awesome.

There's a lot of reasons to read Neuromancer by William Gibson - it's a good story, the writing is generally good and at times great, and the book is responsible for all kinds of cool, current netspeak like the word "cyberspace." But the single most impressive thing about this book is how visionary it is. Written in 1983, it predicts a world with a parallel universe made up of the world's networked computers. Everyone is jacked in, and cyberpunks battle corporate security systems for access to data. That takes us to about 2005 or so. But Gibson takes it further - in Neuromancer, humans become nodes on the network, and with the right software, you can plug into other people and see what they see, feel what they feel. He also takes cosmetic surgery to the next level - humans enhance themselves not just with fake breasts and muscles, but with software, databases, computer enhanced abilities. People get new organs like changing a tire. Everyone has a port that allows them to add software to themselves, or link directly into cyberspace. The problem with reading most "visionary" books that were written a long time ago, is that much turns out to be wrong. You don't get the problem with Neuromancer - William Gibson nails much of what we are already seeing with the Internet revolution, and you get the eerie sensation reading his words from 1983, that much of what he predicts is coming....

A very messed up, over rated and confusing book.

Visionary, considering the author didn't really know anything about computers when he wrote it...

A very slow beginning but then it picks up pace and provides a good reading after that. Good ideas and interesting solutions.

A must read for the information age. Believe the hype. It's THAT good.

It is fascinating that the book that introduced the concept of "cyberspace" was written on a typewriter. An interesting, albeit disturbing, view of a technological future.

I loved this book. Draws as much from pulp crime fiction as fantasy and sci-fi. It's a fast read but it doesn't feel like fast food - i.e. it's fun, and it makes you think at the same time.

I tried getting into it but couldn't get there. Still it's a frightfully dangerous and confused world that represented.