Pattern Recognition
Book - 2003
Cayce Pollard is an expensive, spookily intuitive market-research consultant. In London on a job, she is offered a secret assignment: to investigate some intriguing snippets of video that have been appearing on the Internet. An entire subculture of people is obsessed with these bits of footage, and anybody who can create that kind of brand loyalty would be a gold mine for Cayce's client. But when her borrowed apartment is burgled and her computer hacked, she realizes there's more to this project than she had expected. Still, Cayce is her father's daughter, and the danger makes her stubborn. Win Pollard, ex-security expert, probably ex-CIA, took a taxi in the direction of the World Trade Center on September 11 one year ago, and is presumed dead. Win taught Cayce a bit about the way agents work. She is still numb at his loss, and, as much for him as for any other reason, she refuses to give up this newly weird job, which will take her to Tokyo and on to Russia. With help and betrayal from equally unlikely quarters, Cayce will follow the trail of the mysterious film to its source, and in the process will learn something about her father's life and death.
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Publisher:
New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, c2003
ISBN:
9780399149863
0399149864
9780425192931
0425192938
0399149864
9780425192931
0425192938
Characteristics:
356 p
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Add a CommentNot my favorite Gibson story but that's okay. Tension and the mystery of the footage kept me interested even though I didn't care for any of the main characters. I always enjoy his use of language and his take on humans' use of new technologies. Pts 2 and 3 of the Blue Ant series "Spook Country" and "Zero History" get better IMO.
Here's a concept within a concept, "cool-spotting," seeking trends and patterns in popular culture and technology, which is the job of the protagonist in this distant present-time tale, and some of the author's intent. We are all under the microscope for our digital habits, and Gibson's vision seems even more pertinent as the years pass since the writing.
Really interesting and engaging world of the near (now) future. Gibson is such a smart writer.
This book is as beautifully written as necromancer was insightful for its time.
I have been reading Gibson since the 80's, but I don't think I would have maked this is Sci Fi except that Gibson wrote it.
Pattern Recognition is as much about today as all good sci fi is, but its about now and set in the world of today (as opposed to some far future), This book explores the world of branding, corporate culture and the search for 'authenticity'. Its great and really offers a philosophical look at the world we live in and how that world is commodified and our ideas sold back to us.
I enjoyed this book. Don't be afraid that the ending will disappoint, because it won't.
Gibson did write a few passing to good books, long ago, but after Neuromancer, his stuff has been pure crud. Just another in that category.
Brilliant book about a woman with an unusual instinct for predicting cultural patterns and a charming distaste for the Michelin Man
Can't say enough good things about this book: great characters, great subplots, great writing... One of my favourite books of all time!
All of Gibson's books are more than a bit odd, but I had a very hard time finding the point of this one. However, the writing still makes the ride worthwhile.
If you can't get enough of Lizbeth Salander, try this book. The main character Cayce Pollard is the American twin of Salander - computer savvy, socially awkward and with a penchant for trouble. No blood here but a lot of suspenseful corporate intrigue. WeAreSpartacus/lascorpia