Just Finished...Pattern Recognition by William Gibson

Pattern Recognition by William Gibson has been sitting on my bookshelf for a long time.  In fact, it has never left it as it is a signed copy my mother picked up at Barnes & Noble.  However, after reading Gibson’s most famous work, Neuromancer, I decided it was time to buy it for Kindle and see if it is signature worthy.

Overall, I found the book very enjoyable.  Cayce came across as a very believable character given the slightly unbelievable situation she was thrust into.  I did find myself hoping the book would go more into her career as it doesn’t do a great job of spelling out what she does.  In fact, if I hadn’t read the book’s description online and on the back of my autographed copy, I am not sure I would have grasped what a "cool hunter" is.  However, after reading Neuromancer, that is how Gibson likes it.  He doesn’t believe in unnecessary exposition to bring the reader along, you either keep up or go read another book. 

My only real complaint about the book is that Cayce's idiosyncrasies left me a little confused about her character.  Sometimes they painted her as a moody shut in who goes to multiple therapists to deal with bill board based panic attacks.  Other times, she seems like a normal, popular person who goes out drinking with friends and dating on a regular basis.  While certain pieces of her character were well defined, I just don't feel like I knew her. 

Neuromancer is considered by most to be a masterpiece of science fiction and I would agree with that sentiment and that it is much stronger than Pattern Recognition (which borders on being science fiction).   This did not stop it from being and enjoyable mystery that feels closer to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo than Neuromancer, which is hardly a bad thing.