Author Spotlight: William Gibson

William Gibson is one of the most interesting authors I have ever read. His novels are considered classics of the science fiction genre, and he pioneered the subgenre of science fiction called cyberpunk. Cyberpunk is a dystopian genre which mixes computer lingo with a story, and can make for dense but rewarding reading. He is also credited with coining the word “cyberspace”. He influenced other science fiction authors like Neil Stephenson, Richard Morgan, Rudy Rucker and Cory Doctorow. If you want to get into reading William Gibson, here are some novels to start with.

Neuromancer (1984)  William Gibson’s first novel, the classic 1984 novel “Neuromancer” is considered a pioneering work of science fiction. The novel follows Henry Case, a washed up hacker, and a female cyborg named Molly Millions, who would appear in future novels by Gibson, as they confront a powerful form of artificial intelligence on a final hacking job. Dystopian, dense reading follows, as they confront the artificial intelligence trying to overtake the city. The novel is famous for both its portrayal of technology, and its opening line, which has become iconic for its portrayal of how technology intersects with the real world.

Idoru (1996) This is Gibson’s take on pop culture and technology. Idoru is about a virtual Japanese pop star who draws a group of people together including a teenage fan, a body guard, a hacker and a Otaku, which means a person who is a massive fan of anything Japanese. The book reads a bit like an anime, with its quiet images, and tons of Japanese references. It’s one of my favorite science fiction books, and the idea of something non real drawing a curious group of people together, who aren’t sure of the pop star’s nature or their own, is so interesting to read.

Pattern Recognition (2003) One of Gibson’s best books, the book was famous for being the first fictional novel to bring up September 11th. Gibson actually rewrote the book after 9/11 happened to incoporate the terrorist attacks into the story. The story is about an advertising executive named Cayce, who is assigned by a mysterious marketing firm called Blue Ant to find who is responsible for mysterious footage released on the internet. The book is a slow burn, but worth reading as Cayce digs more and more into the mysterious footage, and meets Gibson’s usual cast of characters, including an Otaku, like in “Idoru”. She is also dealing with the aftermath of her father disappearing on 9/11. Everything comes crashing down as she starts to question what is really important. 

All Tomorrow’s Parties (1993) A cyberpunk detective story that takes place mostly on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, the story concerns a hacker who is now a bodyguard, as he meets a group of weird people, as he is trying to find who committed a murder through the use of virtural reality glasses. It takes place between virtual reality, and the aftermath of an earthquake in San Francisco. It’s a weird story which includes a Japanese sociologist, Russian immigrants and other characters he meets along the way. However, it leads to one of the most shocking endings I ever read.

These are some of the most dense, interesting reads I have ever read. Gibson uses a lot of computer language in his own narrative, so there are times you might have to stop and look up computer terms yourself. However, his books are always a rewarding read, because of how interesting they are. Gibson himself has said he isn’t a big computer guy, but finds the world computers have created to be interesting enough to write about, and he shows that in his many novels.

John Grisham’s “The Judge’s List” is a Long Chase

John Grisham’s novel “The Judge’s List” isn’t bad, but isn’t one of his better ones. I usually like Grisham, and even when he misses, I still like reading his books. He is a master at pageturners where the characters run from page one till the last page. However, “The Judge’s List” felt too much like a novel which became a big chase scene, and Grisham also made the mistake of revealing who the killer was way too fast. 

The plot is about a woman who suspects a sitting Florida judge of killing her father, and has devoted many years of her life to tracking him down. She turns to Lacy, a woman who runs an origanization which deals with complaints made against crooked judges. Together they try to piece together clues that this judge is the one who is a serial killer, and if that is true, he would be the first judge in American history to be convicted of murder.

Cat and mouse thrillers aren’t new, but I felt like Grisham revealed that the judge is the killer way too fast. I would of been more enthralled if he drawn out the suspicion more and didn’t automatically switch to chapters where the judge is the obvious murderer. I felt like a bit more mystery would have made this a better novel. I know Grisham doesn’t really write mysteries. He writes thrillers, which don’t have to necessarily be mysteries. However, this one could have been so easily a mystery.

Overall, the novel becomes a bit of a long chase, and I got a bit bored by the end. It’s still a fine pageturner, but I wish it was a bit more drawn out without such an instant reveal. I feel that would make the book a better read. Also, the villain was a bit too evil, to the point he felt a little cartoonish. Grisham is a good writer, but this wasn’t one of his better ones.

High School Sure Can Suck: Angsty Teen Novels Not Written By John Green

John Green is the king of the angst ridden YA novel, and he’s quite a good writer. However, he’s not the only one in town who writes about the angst ridden high school experience. It’s been a topic of YA novels for quite some time. Here are some angsty novels written by writers who are not John Green, that encompass the angst of being a young person.

Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini

The late Ned Vizzini wrote some real angsty novels, with highlights including “It’s Kind Of A Funny Story” and a book literally titled “Teen Angst? Naah…” but his most classic is his novel “Be More Chill”. “Be More Chill” follows a teen boy named Jeremy, who is a nerd. He suspects girls give him weird looks everytime there’s a glance at him. Though, he doesn’t have a ton of proof of this. One day, he comes across a supercomputer called a “Squid”, which he can put into his brian, which will give him instructions on how to be cool. Throughout the novel, he has to decide to be “cool” or be himself, and he learns lessons along the way. He also wonders if the “Squid” is really worth keeping in his mind. This book still is popular today, as it was made into a musical and is being developed as a motion picture.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chobsky 

One of the most emo novels ever written, and I mean that in a good way, “The Perks of Being A Wallflower” is full of sayings made to be profound to the teen set like “we get the love we think we deserve” and “I feel infinite”. It’s a well written book, and was the only book by Stephen Chobsky for a very long time, until he came out with “Imaginary Friend” in 2019. “Perks” was written in 1999, so that gives you an idea of how long it took for Chosbky to write a second one. “Perks” however is a very sad and thoughtful book, and a short one at 256 pages. Its narrator is simply named Charlie, and we aren’t even sure that’s his real name, because he is writing letters to the reader through the book, and hints he is protecting his true identity. It’s sure to be a favorite of an angsty teen.

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Two outcasty 10th graders, Eleanor and Park, begin a first relationship with each other. Park is interested in alternative music and comics. Eleanor is abused by her step dad, who is often drunk, and ignored by her mother. She’s also overweight, which plays a role in her being unpopular with the other students at her new school. When they meet, they find each other, and become united in their outcast status. Rainbow Rowell is a very good writer, and uses her trademark humor and romance to tell the story of the two outcasted high school students. It’s worth a read, and will speak to the unpopular everywhere.

Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger

We arrive at the most iconic of outcast YA novels, before YA novels were really a thing. J.D. Salinger’s novel tells the story of Holden Caulfield, a depressed and angry teen, who goes around New York City, bemoaning everything. Some modern critics have dismissed this novel as the story of a spoiled brat, but anyone who does so has forgotten what it’s like being a teenager who is constantly angry at the world. Talking to a therapist, he bemoans his older brother who sold out to Hollywood, talks about his interactions with everyone from an old teacher to a prostitute, and talks of how he wants to save the children from “falling off the rye”, which can mean many things depending how you look at it. It’s a must read right of passage for every angst ridden teenager.

These are some angst ridden teen novels worth giving to your teenager, or your inner teenager if you are feeling angsty yourself. John Green is a great writer, but like a horror reader who only reads Stephen King, genres offer a lot more than one iconic writer. I think Green, who often suggests a ton of other writers on his YouTube channel, would agree.

If You Like Information, Here's Are Some Brainy Thriller Writers To Read

You might be asking yourself, why not just read non-fiction if you like information? While that is true, a story sometimes is the most fun thing to read. However, there is a subgenre of brainy fiction writers, mostly thriller writers, who mix information with stories. These authors are able to teach you something while also giving you a page turning adventure. Here are some brainy thriller writers worth reading.

Dan Brown

Dan Brown is one of the masters of information packed thrillers. His novels, most popularly his Robert Langdon books, which include the massive bestseller “The DiVinci Code”, are packed with fun facts about religion, puzzles and conspiracy theories he leaves the reader to make up their mind about. His books also double as travel porn, as his chase filled novels often take place around parts of Europe. Robert Langdon has been everywhere from Paris (Angels and Demons) to Washington D.C. (The Lost Key), and his chase scenes always take part in these city’s most scenic and iconic parts. However, that too often leads to fun facts, as Brown gives information about these landmarks. He also goes into other subjects as well. I learned a lot about NASA for example by reading his novel “Deception Point”.

Michael Critchon

The late Michael Critchon’s books are jam-packed with factoids about science, engineering, and other various topics. Whether it’s the DNA charts of “Jurassic Park”, the airplane reports in “Airframe”, the facts about micro robot technology in “Prey”, generic engineering in “Next”, Japanese mobsters in “Rising Sun'', or even scientific breakdowns of time travel in “Timeline”, Crichton novels are entertaining as well as very jam packed with information on various topics. Some Crichton novels even have a bibliography at the end, like a nonfiction book would.

Nelson DeMille

Nelson DeMille books will teach you a ton about counter terrorism and detective work, while also providing a thrilling page turner. Terrorism is a big topic in his novels, whether it be bioterrorism (Palm Island), international terrorism (The Panther), or home grown terrorism (Wild Fire). However, while you learn about many topics in his books, he does so with dry humor, and a thrilling mystery to boot. His main recurring character, John Corey, is an old fashioned detective, who is a bit of a gruff guy, which makes his books a throwback and a read which is really delightful.

John Grisham

It’s hard to find someone who hasn’t heard of John Grisham, but if you want information on how the legal system works while also being entertained, his legal thrillers are simply the best. From “The Firm” to “The Client” to many other novels, Grisham is the king of the legal thriller genre. However, Grisham’s brainy thrillers are not just legal thrillers. He has written about baseball (Calico Joe), football (Praying for Pizza and Bleachers), and recently, basketball and immigration (Sooley). He has even written an acclaimed collection of short stories about life in the South (Ford Country). Grisham is worth reading to know about the legal system, but also these other books can teach you even more topics.

So, here are some briany thriller writers to read. Just because it’s fiction doesn’t mean you can’t learn something new. These writers entertain as well as inform. These books are worth an entertaining but also educational read.