William Gibson's debut novel Neuromancer gained a cult-status very soon after its publishing by being one of the first novels in a new science-fiction genre called Cyberpunk. So it has become "the definitive cyberpunk book" and the most famous cyberpunk novel of all the time.
Neuromancer was book of the year 1984 in the USA, and it also gained 3 sci-fi literature awards : the Hugo, the 1984 Nebula, and the 1985 Philip K. Dick Memorial Awards.
Although Gibson used the word "cyberspace" first time in his story Burning Chrome already in 1982, in Neuromancer he presented the whole idea of a global information network called the Matrix.
Neuromancer also introduced the notion of a technology dominated dystopian society in which social decay is apparent everywhere and lasting interpersonal relationships are nonexistant. Neuromancer presents an image of the future. There is corruption everywhere and the essence of being human seems to be slipping away. In his novel Gibson portrays not only what the future of technology may hold, but some of the negative externalities that directly effect human nature and social interaction. In fact, Gibson focuses almost entirely on the ugly aspects of technology which is in contrast to his "matrix". Gibson totally neglects to represent any positive aspects of new technology. The society of Neuromancer seems to be utterly advanced in terms of technology. However, upon closer inspection this is not exactly the case. There is no evidence of successfull technology in Gibsons novel. The society of Neuromancer willingly allows itself to be directly controled by technology. They create incredible technologies and then use them for evil and material gain, rather than for their social well being.
Neuromancer shows the power of technology and how it can control society without producing positive benefits. The society presented is technologically advanced but extremely rude, materialistic, hedonistic, and self-centered. The overall view of the future is pessimistic : rise of multinational capitalistic corporations forecasting the negative effects of new technologies of everyday human life.
The book centers on Case, a former computer hacker who makes his living by breaking into security systems. Caught stealing from his employers and is rendered physically unable to withstand the rigors of access to the worldwide computer net. Unable to work, he welcomes suicidal thoughts, entering into deals that can only go bad. Willing to do anything for the chance to work again, he turns to a mysterious figure named Armitage, and by so doing begins a journey out of the gutters of 21st century Tokyo and into an ever-expanding world of multinational intrigue. Armitage pays off Case's debts, repairs his neural damage, and places him under the protection of Molly, a professional killer. As Case progresses through his assignments with Molly and a range of others enlisted by Armitage, he becomes aware of larger forces working to control his activities. Ultimately, Case realizes that it is Neuromancer, a far-reaching artificial intelligence, that he has been working for. The opus ends with Case's realization that he has been controlled by the very technology he uses.
The word "neuromancer" itself consists of 2 compounds :
The word is also a pun from the word "necromancer" : magician dealing in evil spirits and death.
