Neuromancer (SqueakyChu's Bookray)
23 journalers for this copy...
My husband got this book from a friend's father in Kensington, Maryland. It's an older Ace paperback published in 1984, intact, but the edges are starting to yellow from age.
This book is a classic, having been named Book of the Year and having won the Hugo, Nebula and Philip K. Dick Awards.
The problem? I am seriously *not* into science fiction and would willingly put it into the hands of those who want to read it. Otherwise, it'll just languish on my bookshelf. I don't want to wild release it.
Perhaps it's destiny is to travel worldwide. I'm going to try setting it free on an bookray. PM me with mailing preferences if you'd like to join. This bookray will remain open. The mailing order is subject to change at any time based on geography and mailing preferences.
Begin International Bookray (12/4/04)
SqueakyChu (Maryland) done
Icekween01 (Missouri) done
harryslibrarian (Michigan) done
caligula03 (California) done
Auglaise (Wales) done
Drusillamac (Scotland) done
catsalive (Australia) done -- 1 year of travel
jubby (Australia) done
Redbank (Australia) done
cosmicflurk (California) done -- stop # 10
sistert (Maryland) done
kizmiaz (Portugal) done
butterfly-noir (Portugal) done
Necroscope (UK) done -- 2 years of travel
mikime (Italy) done
ajdica (Slovenia) done -- 3 years of travel
kiyoitsukikage (Poland) done
hippolein (Finland) done
KiwiinEngland (Ireland) done -- 4 years of travel
perfect-circle (UK) done -- stop # 20
LittleWhiteBird (California, USA) done
deadsteen (New York, USA) done
Oedde (Germany) done -- 5 years of travel
End International Bookray (01/11/10)
This bookray was ended with my permission due to the poor condition of the book. It travelled far and wide with 23 stops for about 5 years, incuding stops to 9 countries (counting UK as one country), and 5 states within the USA. Thanks, everyone for your participation! ~ Squeakychu
The following will be notified that this bookray has ended:
BellaMack (Australia)
Melanie2474 (Australia)
GateGypsy (Canada)
The book is now en route to Icekween01 in Missouri. Enjoy!
received today, thanks! Will read it and send it on! Stay tuned for my thoughts on the book after I've read it.
Happy Bookcrossing!!!!
while I found the attention to detail and writing to be superb, I still got lost in the foreign-ness of some of the dialogue due to it's futuristic and science fiction nature. I'm not usually a big science fiction reader but I own a movie that was made by the author called "these maps have no territories" and it was very interesting so I wanted to read this book. A very well written, VERY descriptive book, sometimes so that it weighs you down with it's wordiness, and in my opinion, only for those who are heavily into science fiction. Otherwise the language in it can get frustrating and confusing.
Journal Entry
5 by
icekween01 at
-- By Post Or By Hand - i.e. Ring, Trade, RABCK, Meet in St. Louis, Missouri USA on Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Released on
Tuesday, December 14, 2004 at about 11:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at
Mailed to fellow Bookcrosser in St. Louis, Missouri USA.
RELEASE NOTES:
sent to the next bookcrosser on the ray list: harryslibrarian
ENJOY!!
Received in the mail from icekween01.
I am REALLY sorry to all of those on this bookray--I received the book, and then it got shoved to the back of my bookshelf by accident and I forgot about it. It was an exciting read, although ultimately seemed far more surface than substance. These days it comes off as a sort of "alternate reality", a world that diverged from our own in the early eighties. There are some elements in this that make me think the author should sue the creators of "The Matrix" for plagarism, but it was definitely interesting to see the beginnings of that "cyberpunk" genre.
Book has arrived. Thank you.
I do have acknowledge the book's influence on other writers but I just can't finish it. The writing is terrible. There are too many sentence fragments, cliches, and other errors -- so many so that I'm spending all of my time distracted by the errata that I can't follow the story.
Released 18 yrs ago (6/7/2005 UTC) at
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Mailing to Izys in France.
I just realized that I've never heard back from Izys with an address so I will contact Auglaise.
I have Auglaise's address. Will mail it there next week.
I'm so sorry that I've had this for so long! It's headed off to Scotland today though, and hopefully the rest of it's journey will be a little faster. ^_^
Yay, the book has finally arrived here with me. I've got another book in front of this so it's position number 2 on Mount TBR :-)
EDIT 10/10/2005: I'm afraid this book didn't pass my fifty page rule. I just can't seem to get into it at the moment so I'm PMing the next person on the list.
EDIT: 21/10/2005: I have just read the following post on the message board about JeSuisBelle: http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/20/2870918
Due to that I'm going to PM the next person on the list and get this book moving.
I sent this book off to catsalive via surface mail today. I hope she enjoys the book more than I did.
Book received. Thanks, Drusillamac.
No, I just couldn't get into this one. I follow the 50 page rule too but I couldn't get that far. I've PMd jubby & hopefully she will appreciate this book more than I have. Thanks SqueakyChu.
Posted to jubby 25/1/6.
Received the in post a couple of days ago (sorry for not journalling sooner), and I have begun reading.
Thank you.
Have received the book and will start reading it in a day or two.
This book has arrived in San Diego, California. I had recently obtained
another copy but lent it to a friend (a self-confessed slow reader) before I had a chance to read it, so this is perfect timing.
Thank you for sharing this book.
I guess that's meant to be Molly on the cover.
In discussing our shared reading, my friend expressed confusion with the book. He said that the viewpoint tended to jump around with (his example) the main character first in a bar, then walking down the street, then back in the bar, then in a hotel. I didn't feel this so much. He also expressed some boredom with the characters, but I found that it did get more interesting once they returned to the Sprawl.
I must say that I did enjoy the futuristic speech patterns. Someone once said, and I agree, that when one reads mediocre scence fiction, fantasy, or historicals, the characters tend to talk and act like modern-day Americans. It takes a bit more effort to really think about what people of another era would be like rather than just playing dress-up. Yeah, a lot of what I read may all sound really cliche now, even retro-futuristic, but remember that this is probably where everyone else ripped these ideas from.
The book was starting to fall apart so I patched it up a bit. A little glue, a little tape, and it'll make it easily to the end of the ray.
Released 18 yrs ago (3/14/2006 UTC) at
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On its way to sistert in Maryland.
Arrived back in Maryland (LOL) safe and sound. Will be read and then send it on its way to Europe, Portugal to be exact.
I tried, I really did. I even got farther than the 50-page rule I tried so hard, but I just couldn't get into this one. Mostly I think because cyberpunk style sci-fi does nothing for me. Ah well, I've contacted kizmiaz and await an address to send this one to. I'm not rating the book because it wouldn't be fair.
Journal Entry
25 by
sistert at
BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, May 25, 2006
Released 17 yrs ago (5/25/2006 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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On its way to kizmiaz.
Just got it, still have a couple of books on my hands but I'll try to read this as soon as I can.
I'm still reading it, sorry but vacation got in the way of my reading.
I'll finish it soon and let you know all about it.
--> 25.09.2006
This a strange book. It takes a bit to get used to the language and the constant travelling to and from the matrix, but once you get into it, it works fine.
Reading it I could not help but associate it with Philip K. Dick’s
Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? aka Blade Runner, with the same kind of half wrecked, addicted society but bringing some new and important ideas to the concept of Sci-Fi.
I enjoyed it, but it's not easy to grasp the whole idea of the book.
Will send it on today (28.09.2006).
arrived today.
cant waite to read it, but it the number of rings on my tbr pille it will take a while.
received with thanks.....
Excellent - look forward to reading it, after climbing my mountainous toobie pile
Although this is an award winning novel, I found it extremely hard going. It was difficult to follow, as Mr Gibson leaves you to find out what many of the technical terms mean, and the way he writes everday occurances into technical phrases. The lead character of molly and case, were interesting, although I would have liked a better development of their relationship. All in all a complex study in futuristic cyberspace. Interesting to read but extremely hard to follow. I'm still not sure what the story was about.
I give it a 7 out of 10 due to the characterisation of Case, Molly and Maclean. The rastfarian was a great character, and I enjoyed his entry into the novel after about 160 pages.
I would not recommend this book, unless you have read some of Willaim Gibsons other works and enjoyed them.
I received it yesterday, I'll read it after another bookring that's been here since last week. I'm looking forward to it!
Wow! What an incredible, mind-blowing novel! I haven't read such a pure, brilliant piece of Sci-Fi in ages! Just a few of Philip K. Dick's novels are up to it! It does take quite some imagination to follow it through, along its invented technology, extreme cybernetics, re-mixed socio-geography and futuristic drugs, but the journey is totally worthwhile and exciting! It made me change my mind about the MATRIX movie trilogy and such: nothing that new and groundbreaking in them, Gibson said it all before! ;)
Thanks a lot for letting me read it. I enjoyed it so much, till its very last page! Now it will soon be off to next person!
Journal Entry
33 by
ajdica on Sunday, March 4, 2007
The book arrived yesterday (thank you mikime!). I've heard so much about Neuromancer that I'm really looking forward to reading it. I hope to finish it by the end of March.
Journal Entry
34 by
ajdica on Saturday, December 1, 2007
I've had this book way too long. I'm very sorry I made you all wait. A big thank you to SqueakyChu for being so understanding.
It IS a tough read but I'd really like to see it through, especially since I've come this far (got stuck with only about 50 pages left). I've set myself a deadline - I will PM the next person on the list for their address and send it off before Christmas. Promise. I hope I will finish it by then. Thanks again for your patience.
:)
Journal Entry
35 by
ajdica on Saturday, January 12, 2008
PM sent to kiyoitsukikage asking for her address. Will send it of next week (and hopefully finish the last couple of pages by then).
Reading my previous JE I realized I hadn't kept my promise. Again, I'm very sorry for the delay. My apologies to everyone I kept waiting.
EDITED to add:
It certainly was a tough read, but I'm glad I saw it through. I might have got more out of it had I read it in Slovene. The language in itself is quite difficult. Combine that with Gibson's way of writing and you have the reason why it was quite an effort for me. But it was worth it.
I will send the book to Poland tomorrow. I hope it reaches kiyoitsukikage safely.
The envelope was a bit damaged but nevertheless the book arrived safely :D Thanks!
The book is simply stunning. The language and the storytelling are superb. Thank you for sharing this book.
Journal Entry
38 by
kiyoitsukikage at
by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, February 21, 2008
Released 16 yrs ago (2/21/2008 UTC) at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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On its way to Finland!
looking forward to reading this book, always loved SF so great to see a different style of it. You can notice from the book that it has travelled LOTS of kilometers, will think about how to keep it together for the ray to get to the end...
Just finished this book, was a VERY wonderful SF-book, just what you would expect from the better books of this genre.
Can't describe the feeling when you get into the story, but it was nice to get into a GREAT ScienceFiction Book again, so long not had any to read!
will try to get a hold of the next person now!
book is leaving today for kiwiinengland (in Ireland). Hope it arrives safely and fast! Enjoy the book, I surely did!
Book has indeed arrived safely, thank you.
Huge apologies for still having this book. I don't have a reason, just an excuse that I moved apartments and the book is now in a bag.
Will locate and read and then pass on this book to continue its FIFTH year of travelling.
pm'ed perfect-circle to obtain address to send on
Journal Entry
44 by
kiwiinengland at
Dublin, Co. Dublin Ireland on Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (5/26/2009 UTC) at Dublin, Co. Dublin Ireland
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This book will be into its fifth year of travelling. Posted to Perfect-Circle to read and enjoy 9 June 2009 - a form has been put in with the Irish postal system to find out where this book is. It should have taken 3-5 days to reach the UK. grrr
The book has finally arrived with me. I am a little busy at the moment, but will get this read and passed on in the next 4 weeks.
Thank you kiwiinengland & squeakychu!
I read the whole thing, but I just couldn't get into it all. Not my cup of tea unfortunately. Will be off to the USA in the next few days.
Journal Entry
47 by
perfect-circle at
book ring/ray, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, July 2, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (7/2/2009 UTC) at book ring/ray, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
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Apologies for the delay, this was posted off to the next person today.
I received the book in the mail today.
I'll have to figure out what to do, because I'm reading a really thick book at the moment. But I'll get to this as soon as possible, I've been wanting to read it for so long.
Update 8/15/09: Good news, I finished the other book and I'm starting to read this book today.
Journal Entry
49 by
LittleWhiteBird at
To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (9/17/2009 UTC) at To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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What an unusual book. It took me a while to get into it, but as I did, I found it quite interesting.
I first learned about the book in a scientific article about hypertext that I was reading for my studies many years ago. I'm glad I was able to finally find out what it's all about.
I'm mailing the book to the next person in the ring.
Arrived safely.... have 1.5 books before this one, but I am going to be spending a good amount of time on airplanes in the weeks ahead!
This was a tough read! It took me a while to realize that the lines between reality and virtual reality are quite blurred. The story was not easy to follow. But I enjoyed it very much. I think I may have to read it again at some point. If I wasn't concentrating so much on the story and the futuristic constructs, I think I would have gotten more out of it. There are some very interesting themes and ideas running through the book. I'm glad I finally got to read it.
(The book is starting to fall apart and I did look for another copy in 4 or 5 used book stores, but could not find a replacement. Please handle with care!)
I got this in the mail yesterday. Thanks for sharing! So now the book is in Germany (Jena, Thuringia) for the first time, right? It will have to wait a little while to be read but I promise to hurry.
I'm not finished reading it but I'm going to give it up for now. It's very hard for me to get into the story, figure out what's happening, not to mention what's the broader meaning of it all.
I've talked to SqueakyChu and BellaMack (next on the list after me) and since they're okay with it, I've decided to let this book retire to my bookshelf in Kassel. It's in very poor condition - for example, if you read it outside and there's a sudden gust of wind, you'll certainly lose a whole bunch of pages. Which would ruin the book completely, of course. It has travelled really far, and there are not too many people left on the list, so I hope everyone agrees that this is the best thing to do with this book.
I might lend it to friends or other people who are interested in reading this, making sure they handle the book 'with care'. And when the time has come, I'll give it another try myself.
(edit 12 Nov 2014: By now, there are a few more cities this book has been to in Germany, just because I moved: Jena; Kassel; Troisdorf; Darmstadt.)