William Gibson creates worlds that are set just a few steps into the future, and yet he presents fully imagined places that are somehow, breathtakingly different. Many of his novels are noir punk, sci-fi which tackles our fears of technology. In his novel The Peripheral (filed in Adult Fiction), a young woman named Flynne makes a living on odd jobs and video game testing.
She watches a murder while plugged in. It is, she thinks, a strange sort of murder. But whatever.
Except it turns out this video game is real, and the killers are going to find her and ensure her silence.
The Peripheral is a gripping thriller set in the near future. But the “video game” murder has occurred even further into the future. Gibson’s story jumps from one future to another, leaving readers with a deliciously complex tale that slowly comes together.
Can the good guys from each era manage to communicate? They do it with peripherals – plastic puppets that look human, and that allow your brain to pop in and out for a visit.
That still doesn’t guarantee that the murderers will be caught, or that Flynne will survive.
Gibson is one of Canada’s most famous authors, a futurist who came up with the word “cyberspace” and still writes fun, thought-provoking novels. This one is a great read for sci-fi fans.
The Lennoxville Library has lots of sci-fi, but our shelves are also filled with literary award winners, romances, children’s books, and more. Pop by and visit us!
— Eleanor Brown, November 2015
GOOD READS : Book Reviews from the Eastern Townships 