This was my first Gibson book and although it's well written and has an interesting plot I felt like the author was on auto pilot. I normally don't read science fiction, (here I use science fiction in the sense of technology fiction) and can barely find my way around a computer, so I was expecting to be taught something about the w.w.w. that I hadn't realized. This, of course, was with my previous understanding of Gibson's work. The story uses numerous mystery plots to carry it 325 pages. Good people are bad and visa versa. Like I said, it's very well written and I didn't put it down until I finished it, but somehow I feel cheated. Oh, there is a bit about 9/11 in it that was veritas. I was down there/minutes late for work--he writes this bit to the point that I got that yucky feeling I get when I remember that sad day...

very well written - but poor subject material.

I was really looking forward to this book and couldn't be more disappointed. It was like finding your Adbusters replaced by Glamour, a dull 3-inch excavation of product placement and newbie internet culture. This book should definitely expand Gibson's fanbase and thin out his old readers.