I liked The Peripheral, and I liked the idea of Agency but the execution really doesn't do it justice.

Side note, I really hated the Peripheral TV show. They ruined the Gibson vibe and turned it into just another cheesy sci-fi show. I was hoping for something a little more sober-minded, like Severance.

I bought it on a whim after taking a break reading his books. Not great. Only finished it because I kept hoping that something would happen.

The only thing that's stuck with me is the idea that your go bag should be something you can run with.

>I've always felt the POV characters in a Gibson book are not the main drivers of the plot. They almost are always someone caught up in bigger events that operates, for the most part, in the background. Gibson's characters just try to hold on for dear life, while bigger and more powerful people pull the strings. I'm fine with that, because when he does it well, it's a great time.

Agreed. His characters often seem like passengers to the story, sat by the window watching things happen, but never in the driver's seat directing them. I don't say that as a complaint because I love his work, but it very much clashes with the dominant narrative philosophy that the protagonist should always be active and never passive.

Even in Neuromancer, Case is mostly pulled along by Molly. I'm not sure if I'm just more aware of it now, or if his later works don't hide it so well. Personally, I think Pattern Recognition was last the truly great book he wrote, but I enjoyed The Peripheral well enough.

A chucklefuck is basically a twatwaffle.

You mean like turning the Twitter mob on a trans writer and never really apologizing?

It has zero classic scifi elements in terms of any real science. It is for all intents and purposes fantasy.

I liked the series but it is overhyped. The first book is strong, second meandering, the third didn't stick the landing. Zero chance it deserved three Hugo's other than she was the it girl of the moment. If you aren't loving it cut your losses and walk away.

I also love neuromancer and some of Gibsons older books! So, I picked up zero history around 2010 when it came out and I did not like it at all.

I’ll read it if you do!

It's good. Pick it back up

I enjoyed it. Not his best, but still interesting.

I do the same! I hate spoilers.

Yeah I've seen and harm many people refer to it as sci-fi. I guess I need to finish the series and revisit my assessment.

In regards to your original question, I'm one of those people that if I'm half way in and I don't like it I'll either put it down for a long while and revisit when I'm in a different headspace and can come back to it with fresh eyes, or I'll completely dnf it. I really like this book and I see why it's so well loved, but I can also understand why it would be difficult for some to get into. You know yourself and your reading habits and interests better than anyone. Is this a book you think you might be able to get into later or is it something you think you'll have to force yourself through? If it's the latter, just dnf it. Life is too short to waste time reading things you don't like if you don't have to and there are so many other books out there that you'll enjoy more if this one isn't doing it for you.

I've always felt the POV characters in a Gibson book are not the main drivers of the plot. They almost are always someone caught up in bigger events that operates, for the most part, in the background. Gibson's characters just try to hold on for dear life, while bigger and more powerful people pull the strings. I'm fine with that, because when he does it well, it's a great time.

But I have to agree that Agency didn't pull this off very well. So much of the book is the main character traveling to someplace, then asking questions about why she had to travel to that place, then traveling to another place and asking more questions. The modern day stuff was pretty dull. I only really enjoyed the stuff in the future world, but I think that had more to do with loving the characters from The Peripheral.

Still, I'm looking forward to his last book in the series. The setting, if nothing else, should be pretty dynamic.

Bills getting old. He doesn’t have the ear for dialogue or story anymore, sadly. I love him but it’s absolutely true. He was at the core of many exciting changes in tech and culture - even Blue ant worked for its time - but don’t expect much more. He’s my favorite writer and I know any next books wouldn’t rank as good or favorites.

Read Klara and the sun. It describes my personal way of taking in the moment in fractions, though I don’t know if everyone else does this or if it’s a neurodivergent thing, as I believe that Klara’s AI is a metaphor for autistism. So such a good book.

I just read this book earlier this week and was terribly excited to learn that The Peripheral had a sequel. Then I read it and thought, wait, what was that about again? Two days later I had to think really hard to remember the main character’s name and how it ended.

I started reading it and halfway through I realized that everyone had already ruined the ending… I thought it was the premise, and when I realized it was the plot twist I had to stop reading.

I will never forgive the booktuber who spoiled the fuck out if this books because I loved Klara and the sun, but sadly I’ll never love never let me go

It's a good dystopia, I think like many literary dystopias, it has a huge influence from Brave New World. The ending is a kind of parady of Mufasa Mond in the ending of BNW, where actually nothing much is explained, and the protagonists are ignored.

I think it somewhat suffers from its simplicity of its worldbuilding and the rather tired setting of the British boarding school. The characters are excellent. Their relationships are believable and well drawn.

Funny to see this when I'm currently on a Grady Hendrix binge! Been reading Final Girl Support Group, now I'll have to check out this one sometime!

Ah, see, this is why I'm interested in the topic. It might be triggering to some and wouldn't want to judge that, but often find that those who do have experience with suicidal ideation tend to be more interested than squeamish about it, if that makes sense. Some find it helpful: the approach in some countries is more to allow than shut down discussion of it, including allowing the idea that it's a completely valid option.

Most dystopia if not all is in the realm of sci-fi. I found it as recommendation when looking for sci-fi books so, idk. Someone must’ve thought it was sci-fi. I do see in what I’ve read how it definitely aligns with some fantasy tropes though.

I actually have been wondering what exactly puts this one into sci-fi territory. I've read almost all of the first book. I've only got a few pages left and I already know all the big plot things being alluded to in the comment section here. I personally absolutely love it. But it feels more fantasy or a little dystopian to me personally. I just don't get where the sci-fi part comes into play.

I like to buy my books slowly. If only because I love to pick carefully. Different versions, different printings. Different translators.

For example, I want Les Mis. But I want the Donougher translation. In hardcover. Unfortunately that combination is very inflated in price. So I’m waiting. Half hoping for a Folio Society version. Translation can be a huge issue and many classics have many translations.

When I’m selecting books, I want the right version for me. One I’ll be proud to have. In the selection process I tend to find versions I like, those I don’t and sometimes it switches. For example I was looking for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I want the folio society version (but am unwilling to pay the hundreds it goes for these days. But I found the First Edition Library version with slipcase that I like a lot and was able to find cheap-ish.

I feel like if you just go to Amazon or b&n and add and purchase en masse you miss out on the selection process and may not get the best picks for your money.

If you’re going to just pick quickly either way, then getting them all at once sounds fun.

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