Mona Lisa Overdrive

i'd be hopeless writin a review
i've loved th man an his works since i was five years of age
yehno
i'd just rather
spin you ∑music
or
sit you down an read yeh palms
tell you one of meh long short stories
of love
and places
all th details i'm know fer weavin inta it
yeh that's wot i'd rathers be doin w'yah
a song
a box of found objects
a dance of gestures

would you like a cuppa while ya sit w'me?

The best thing in this book, as I recall, is the hand-held device which produces a induced vision of a young companion named "Colin." He gets to know you and arranges his conversation accordingly. This is not a hologram, but a nerve-induced vision. Gibson is a genius.

I love the whole Neuromancer trilogy and even when this isn't the best one of the three, it's still very very good. Loved rereading it on my Kindle after having read for the first time about 15 years ago.

I loved "Neuromancer" and liked "Count Zero," but "Mona Lisa Overdrive" lacks everything those first two novels had. In the end, I'm left with the conclusion that this was a forced attempt to create a trilogy where none existed before, and certainly where none existed when the first novel was written. Long-time readers of science fiction and fantasy will be familiar with this "non-trilogy trilogy" phenomenon, and Gibson's talents were lost in his attempt to create one in this final Sprawl novel.

Better attempts typically start as a trilogy conceived of as a trilogy, with related arcs that span all 3 novels, or a series of 3 independent novels that stand on their own, perhaps centered around consistent characters. Instead, here we find a novelist searching to create a trilogy in the third novel after the probably unexpected success of the first, and it doesn't work.

We see characters return from the first novel who were not in the second. Characters from the second novel return here in an unsatisfying way, as their placement in this novel has almost nothing to do with how the second ended. Characters in this novel are introduced that did not exist in the first two. Even stylistically, this novel felt flat, as the postmodern experimentation of the second novel (in particular) is gone, replaced by a more overtly prosaic storytelling that is certainly easier to read, but somehow not the edgy, challenging Gibson of the other two novels.

The naive female characters also tended to overlap, and it's not clear what Kumiko's character had to do with the others; nothing is quite possible. Mona is a passive dupe for everything going on around her, and therefore not compelling as a character. While all of Gibson's characters have an element of not being in the driver's seat, Mona and Kumiko may have pushed this character type too far into irrelevance as storytelling devices. At least Molly, Case, and Turner all could respond competently to their situations, even if they didn't have total control.

Some of the higher motifs of the first two novels are also missing here. The boxes in the second novel, with all of the complexity of meaning that they summoned, are absent in a similar element in this novel. The best that can be said is that cyberspace follows its natural evolution in this concluding Sprawl novel, as a bridge to a transhumanist element whereby humans can be fully uploaded into a computer. However, the implications of that are not fully developed in this novel as they are in others from later novelists. Gibson's sense of place is also lost, as who can forget Chiba, Freeside, or the first encounter with the Sprawl? Here, the frequent references to Cleveland and New Jersey have no distinct feeling or color, perhaps the final sign that Gibson was half-heartedly going through the motions.

Overall, I highly recommend "Neuromancer," and I'd suggest reading "Count Zero" if you really liked "Neuromancer." "Mona Lisa Overdrive" is entirely skippable, and a disappointing, limp ending to an otherwise exciting and thought-provoking series.

In Mona Lisa Overdrive, the third and final novel in William Gibson's Sprawl trilogy, it's been seven years since Angie Mitchell (from Count Zero) was taken out of Maas Biolabs and now she's a famous simstim star who's trying to break her designer drug habit. But a jealous Lady 3Jane plans to kidnap Angie and replace her with a cheap prostitute named Mona Lisa who's addicted to stimulants and happens to look like Angie.

In a dilapidated section of New Jersey, Slick Henry makes large animated robotic sculptures out of scrap metal. He owes Kid Afrika a favor, so now he has to hide the comatose body of Bobby Newmark (aka "Count Zero"). Bobby is jacked into an Aleph where he's got some secret project going on. A Cleveland girl named Cherry Chesterfield is Bobby's nurse.

Kumiko is the daughter of a Japanese Yakuza crime boss. Her father has sent her to live in London while the Yakuza war is going on. There she meets Gibson's most iconic character, Molly Millions, who's going by the name Sally Shears. Molly is being blackmailed by Lady 3Jane, so Kumiko inadvertently gets dragged into the kidnapping plot.

Mona Lisa Overdrive contains several exciting action scenes which feature kidnappings, shoot-outs, helicopter escapes, remote-controlled robot warriors, collapsing catwalks, and falling refrigerators. These are loosely connected by the continuation and conclusion of the AI plot which began in Neuromancer. I wasn't completely satisfied with the sketchy ending or the wacky reveal on the last page, but that's okay. I was mainly reading Mona Lisa Overdrive for the style, anyway.

So much of Gibson's style and success stems from the mesmerizing world he's built -- a future Earth in which national governments have been replaced by large biotech companies. Japan is modern and glitzy and much of the former United States has fallen into decay. By the time you get to Mona Lisa Overdrive (don't even attempt to read it before reading both Neuromancer and Count Zero), you're feeling rather comfortable (or as comfortable as is possible to feel) in this world, so the setting lacks the force it had in the previous novels. In Mona Lisa Overdrive, you'll visit London, but it seems to be stuck in the 20th century, so it feels instantly (and a little disappointingly) familiar.

But Gibson manages to keep things fresh and highlight his unique style by introducing new characters and delving deep into their psyches. Even minor characters are works of art, such as Eddy, Mona's low-class scheming pimp, and Little Bird, who earned that moniker because of his weird hairdo. Even when the plots don't satisfy, it's entertaining enough just to hang out with Gibson's unforgettable characters. The exception is Kumiko, who has little personality and seems to exist mainly to remind us that Japan has surpassed America, and for an excuse to show us a new bit of cool technology (Colin, the chip-ghost).

In 1989, Mona Lisa Overdrive was nominated for, but did not win, the Nebula Award, the Hugo Award, and the Locus Award. It lacks the impact of its prequels, but it's still a stylish piece of work and not to be missed if you're a fan of William Gibson. I listened to the audio version narrated by Jonathan Davis. He is excellent, as always, and I recommend this version to audio readers. You may have to work at Neuromancer on audio if you're not familiar with this world and its slang, but by the time you get to Mona Lisa Overdrive, that problem is long gone.

[Trust me, this book should only be read after reading the prior two novels! Do not read this book first or else you will be very lost and confused about so much that is too important to both plot and characters.] I read this trilogy and the 3 related short stories contained in Burning Chrome in March-April 2011. Every few years I step back from more regular fiction to read some science fiction, which I loved as a youth in the 1970s. I'd long wanted to read this trilogy. It was well worth the wait. As for the finale, MLO, I consider it the most mature of the novels but also the least rewarding. Neuromancer (N) blows you away with the freshness of both Gibson's style of writing and the ideas expressed. Count Zero (CZ) engages you with a more traditional action/suspense-style plot. MLO has you mainly because you've bought into Gibson's fictional universe and you need to find out how it all ends. MLO is set approximately 7 years after CZ, which was approximately 7 years after N. It's great to encounter the Finn again and even better to again experience events with Molly Millions, now calling herself Sally Shears, and it does bring some closure to Lady 3Jane, Straylight, and the family Tessier-Ashpool. Everything about MLO feels familiar to anyone who has read N and CZ. The setting, characters, and ideas build off of the prior two novels. Gibson's writing stye is comforting. He continues his use of short chapters: MLO has 45; CZ 36; N 24. As with CZ, he creates separate story threads that finally, if too briefly, converge. MLO has four threads: Mona's (in Florida, Baltimore, & the Sprawl), Angela's (continuing from CZ), Kumiko/Sally's (mainly in London but also in the Sprawl), and Slick Henry/Gentry/Cherry Chesterfield's (at the Factory in the wastelands outside the Sprawl). MLO also continues the voodoo-related matrix concepts from CZ. Unfortunately, there just isn't anything so truly new or so immediately interesting here that really raises this book up. Feels like Gibson runs out of ideas or has grown a bit tired of this universe. It is a comfortable read. But it is also a necessary read after N and CZ.

This is the third and final book of Gibson's "Sprawl" trilogy, and the final sequel to "Neuromancer." While the second book "Count Zero" veered away from the moody atmosphere that "Neuromancer" had, "Mona Lisa Overdrive" dives right back into it. The characters here are as well-drawn as they were in "Neuromancer," maybe better. The mood of the setting is just as powerful, though slightly different. The only downside is that the plot is slow moving, and until the climax of the book, there isn't much of the action-violence that the first two books had.

PLOT:

Like "Neuromancer," the plot is interesting, but confusing. Many people seem to have trouble following what's going on in "Mona Lisa Overdirve." So I'll give a basic summary, just to help some people get started on it:
Angie Mitchell is now grown, and a "sim" celebrity. But in private, she's busy trying to solve the mysteries of her missing ex-husband Bobby Newmark, and what the cyber-beings speaking to her through the implants in her brain have planned for her. Angie shares the story with three other protagonists, who all--without realizing it--are getting involved in a plot to kidnap Angie. But one supporting character--Molly, returning from "Neuromancer"--starts to figure things out, and then takes matters into her own hands.

CHARACTERS:

Gibson doesn't drag all of the main characters from the first book into his sequels and force them into the same roles again. Instead, he writes a story that follows the previous one appropriately, and chooses characters that fit with it. "Mona Lisa Overdrive" features a handful of great characters from "Neuromancer" and "Count Zero," as well as some wonderful new ones.

"Mona Lisa Overdrive" switches off between four different protagonists, from four different social classes in the Sprawl world: Mona, a teenaged prostitute; Slick, a poor computer techie; Kummiko, a Japanese Mafia princess, and superstar Angie Mitchell. All of these characters have unique personalities, back-stories, and dreams, making them far more interesting and real-feeling than the leads in "Count Zero."

The characters from the previous books have changed in the time that's passed between the stories, and now fill different roles than they did before. Angie Mitchell, a timid supporting character from "Count Zero," is now a strong heroine and protagonist. Bobby Newmark has also grown more mature and likeable; though he isn't directly seen for much of the book, he's an important part of the mystery the others are solving. From "Neuromancer" we see Molly--now calling herself Sally Shears--and the Finn. Molly is Kumiko's guard and mentor, and drives the action in the climax. The Finn returns (in a manner of speaking) for one chapter, stealing the scene as usual.

SETTING & MOOD:
While the moody atmosphere of "Neruomancer" was absent in "Count Zero," it is just as powerful again in "Mona Lisa Overdrive." But it's a bit different. While "Neuromancer" had the feeling of a gritty, fast-paced underground world, "Mona Lisa Overdrive" has a more still, oddly serene feel to it. It's certainly dark, both literally and metaphorically, like "Neuromancer." But there seems to be less of the extreme, "in your face" violence, sex, and overall craziness that "Neuromancer" had. "Mona Lisa Overdrive" focuses on loneliness and hopelessness of this dystopian future (while managing to end on an uplifting note). The best way I can describe the tone of "Mona Lisa Overdrive" is that it's a dark, but relaxing read.

OVERALL:

I can't recommend this to people who haven't read "Neruomancer" or "Count Zero." But to those who have, I recommend this to those of you who want the mood and character development you found in "Neuromancer," and don't mind missing the action-fights of "Count Zero."

Much like the Matrix movies it later inspired, Gibson's Sprawl trilogy consists of a seminal science fiction classic, followed by a fairly good but uninspired sequel, followed by a wholly substandard finale that mostly negates everything that preceded it.

Gibson is best here when he sticks to exploring the fascinating details of the cyberpunk world he created. This is what made Neuromancer so good; nothing felt forced or anachronistic. The introduction of "digital spiritualism" in Count Zero was tolerable because, while it diverted from the core themes and abandoned most of Neuromancer's characters, it at least retained a good amount of action.

Mona Lisa Overdrive removed almost all of the action and replaced it with nebulous spirituality and fatalism (with no hacking and minimal gunplay). It really felt like, on a technical level, things had plateaued since Neuromancer and were now just going to coast across the finish line and call it a day. Get transported off to Heaven for the big happy ending.

I even re-read the first two books and compared them to the ending of Mona Lisa Overdrive to see if I was being unfair, and I actually decided I liked it even less than initially.

I have read this masterpiece (together with the other two of the Sprawl series: NEUROMANCER and COUNT ZERO) during my university years, about a decade ago. Since then I have re-read it countless times.

Many a times the third book of a trilogy is published only to fulfill contractual obligations: this is definitely NOT the case here. Every one of those three is a standalone masterpiece.
Sure, the Sprawl trilogy defined cyberspace, wireheads, zaibatsu-controlled society and futuristic discontent. But this is not the reason why one enjoys these novels so much. It is the beautiful poetic language. The syncopated phrases. The direct effect of verbalized brand names. The noir feeling, rare at the time in a SF novel.

Wlliam Gibson had already reaped the fame and fortune from his first two novels. In this one you will find his images more bold, his phrases more relaxed and his writing more tight. Absolutely Beautiful!

Even reading only some pages brings up powerful imagery, unforgettable prose...

Start with NEUROMANCER. Then COUNT ZERO. And finally this one.

A Masterpiece Trilogy!!! All three of them are MUST READS!!!

It had been many years since I read Neuromancer and Count Zero. I am glad I finally finished this trilogy. Probably this book loses a little when read with such a gap, but I fell right back into Gibson’s really amazing world, and enjoyed the book.

What really shines about William Gibson is not only his great vision (We easily forget there was a time before these ideas were mainstream.) but also his prose. Gibson writes with really gorgeous and imaginative sentences, and he is a real pleasure to read. Artful writing is so often jettisoned in speculative fiction. I love to encounter it.

mona lisa overdrive is not quite as action packed as count zero or neuromancer, but that is not to say it is without its share of suspense and cool cyberpunk stuff. the reader gets to resume the exploits of Molly Millions and The Finn, albeit the introduction of The Finn and his subsequent state of being will be a mild shock to readers of the trilogy. Angie Mitchell figures into the mix, and there is some awesome hi-tech corporate espionage going on with her and a young woman that bears a striking resemblance to Angie. the opening passages with Gibson describing the acquisition of a shotgun and the subsequent crafting of shells for the weapon is priceless in the way it contrasts the differences between hi-tech and low-tech. A fitting coda to the sprawl trilogy, just make sure you read Neuromancer and Count Zero also to fill in some of the holes.

BY the time I read this one I had read Neuromancer. By now I was used to the jargon-ridden, erotic, chic and mysterious narrative. The Neuromancer finale had left me asking for more as far as the character of Molly and her relationship with Case were concerned. Molly, being the futuristic, sexy, bionically enhanced, "razor-girl" assassin who was also referred to as a "street samurai". Although there was a resolution to an extent, I was left deeply unsatisfied because she the most fascinating character in the Sprawl series. I was deeply affected by the very last sentence of Neuromancer and this is what made me read Mona Lisa. Excellent cberpunk, very Bladerunner. I could also argue that Molly is the inspiration of many superheroines today. Superheroines of the type Trinity (the Matrix), Nikita (La Femme Nikita) and probably many others. Superb effort...I can only hope for another which follows Molly's charcter development even further. Her reappearance in Mona Lisa was quite a surprise too.

Although Neuromancer is still my favorite Sprawl book, Mona Lisa Overdrive came close. Not only did it tie all 3 books together, but it was a great story on its own as well. Its characters fill in the range between tough and heart-wrenching, cool and despicable. The action was good, too, but what really wow'd me about it was how William Gibson wove poetic descriptions of both environment and emotion in with his prose. If you don't already, you'll understand why William Gibson ranks among the all-time greats of sci-fi after reading this book.

The form of this novel reminded me of a sea urchin, radiating out from a center; dense in the heart, sharp and threatening from numerous points. As spines, the narrator offered a beautiful mix of technology and humanism: at one point exploring the matrices of cyberspace while at another delving into the complexities of drug addiction and celebrity. And in keeping with this eclectic style, no single character or theme dominated the story. Moreover, by narrating clearly and entertainingly the novel ends up as a cohesive whole. It was uncanny, really, how the narrator was able to use language to not only tell a great story, but detail a universe where permanent habitats exist off of Earth, where computers commune with extra terrestrial life, and where mankind slowly continues to merge with technology. My only complaint is that I couldn't stay in that universe just a bit longer.

It took Kindle long enough to get the third book up... no way do I do audiobooks. MLO is a great read, but it is much more satisfying if Neuromancer and Count Zero are read sequentially before it. Angie Mitchell is now a famous simstim star. Her boyfriend has disappeared (Bobby aka Count Zero from the earlier book). She is just out of rehab... and from there the reader is taken to Sprawl Jersey, London, and parts unknown. We meet Mona, a hooker with an abusive boyfriend pimp and an amphetamine addiction. And an older, maybe wiser razorgirl mercenary shows up one more time. A great finish to a mind-bending trilogy.

Mona Lisa Overdrive makes a brilliant job to finish Gibson's Sprawl trilogy, but isn't the easiest accessible scifi around. It starts with the stories of four different characters, taking turns with a few pages at a time, slowly casting more light to their stories and gradually building a larger story, or equally, an environment familiar from previous Gibson books Neuromancer and Count Zero. My feeling during the first half of the book changed from the exhausting start to being overjoyed with a few surprises, then enthralled. Do not put this book down due to the heavy start, you'll regret it. It's best read with proper concentration and no breaks. And if you haven't read Neuromancer and Count Zero, read them first - missing them would be like reading/seeing LotR - Return of the King first.
Gibson's style is rather unique and has little room for compromises, concentrating on the environment and the characters more than building any grand plot, yet the simple plot of the book has an intensity that builds from just that - the reader relates to the story all the more, and eventwise less becomes more. If you had hard time putting Neuromancer down, this will for you be Neuromancer squared. The end is not as climactic in the traditional sense but never fear, there's plenty answers plus bang and boom for your buck.

I could seriously not put this book down. I read Neuromancer, which I thought was an awesome book, and I read Count Zero, which was good but sort of boring. Mona Lisa Overdrive however was a true masterpiece true to Gibson. The environment, so dark and un-organic paints a dark picture in your mind that is so real and tangible in a way. Cyberspace and the computer-driven networked world also played so much of a part in this simply amazing imaginary world. When it matches with the characters so nicely you can't discount the book because it's so enthralling. I loved this book and I know a lot of others that did too (although most of them tell me it's a cult following to like Gibson's work).

Ok, here's the thing, I had always meant to read the whole Gibson trilogy in order. Year after year I planned to set aside some time and do it right. I just never got around to it. So, on some recent travels I was out of things to read and saw a weathered copy of Mona Lisa Overdrive in the $2 book bin. I consider it two bucks very well spent.

Keeping in mind that I was laboring through a steep but enjoyable learning curve for the first third of the book, I found Mona Lisa Overdrive difficult to immerse myself in early, but better and better as it went on. By the end, I was cursing myself for not starting at the beginning of the trilogy. Perhaps if I had, the resolutions to some characters' stories would have been even more fulfilling.

Despite that, this was still a great sci-fi book. Four stars for now, and I might upgrade that once I do my homework and read the other two books.

I read this book when it first came out on paperback at the ripe old age of twelve and thought I totally got it. Over the following decades, I've probably read it ten more times, each reading I find deeper and deeper layers of connection. The rendering of future politics seems a little hokey now, but Gibson was projecting the best he could. What's astounding is how believable his rendition of a potential future 'net remains. Gibson's writing is far above par for his genre, and despite being related to previous works, "Mona Lisa Overdrive" stands comfortably on its own.

Its 15 years since the straylight run and since "everything in the matrix changed". Case has given up being a cyber cowboy and last heard raising 4 kids. Molly is still around under numerous identities, involved a Casino in Germany but still with an unquenchable thirst for violence, the Fin is dead but running as a construct in cyber space and of course the slightly mixed up, unfathomably powerful and intelligent 3Jane (heir to the huge Tessier Ashpool corp.) is lurking out there in cyberspace pulling numerous strings for her own mysterious/perverted ends.

The book is linked to but does the follow its predecessors - nonetheless, if you've read the others this one will be easier to follow. All the action takes place on earth and the lingo is the same as the other books. Comparatively easy to follow that is except for the end in which the action goes pretty quickly and described from numerous points of view as the 4 stories converge - but being confused is part of the fun and challenge of reading these books.

Another of the main strengths of these books is the portrayal of earth as we know in the future but as a nightmare. This one takes place mainly in the sprawl and dirty old London (which actually seems the same as early 21st century London !) - and again all the settings are very cool. Sadly he doesn't go to much into the seedy nightlife of the future as he did previously (e.g. Case in Tokyo) but my favourite setting in this one is "Dog Solitude" a desolate, probably contaminated wasteland in the sprawl inhabited by one of the main characters into an exaggerated futuristic version of robot wars.

The other strength is the writing. Short, blunt but right on descriptions and (most) characters straight out of the gutter from modern society. Gibson is someone I would love to interview - What sort of friends does he have ? What jobs has he done ? What provided the inspiration for the drug sequences ?

My recommendation : read it and take your time, but as other reviewers say - after the other 2.

First: read NEUROMANCER, and COUNT ZERO, also by Gibson. Then: read MONA LISA OVERDRIVE. Read the three books in that order, and without reading other books intermittently. Actually, consider them one large novel. This will increase your comprehension and enjoyment of these books, which have come to be called The Sprawl Trilogy.
MLO mainly follows the same pattern as COUNT ZERO. Several different characters are notable: Bobby Newmark, aka Count Zero, who is jacked into cyberspace. Kumiko, daughter of a Yakuza, supposedly protected in London. Sally Shears, aka Molly, who may attempt to kill or kidnap Angie Mitchell, a star of Internet simulation programs, and various other bit players. Of course there is Mona, an illegitimate human, since she exists without an ID number in the digital age. Mona is almost a street person, a nonentity, but she looks much like Angie Mitchell. Sinister persons have plans for Mona and Angie: they plot (apparently) to kidnap one and kill the other. Cyberspace cowboys, Yakuza, Londoner thugs, and weird freakish types populate the plot, with The Finn from COUNT ZERO playing a minor role in this novel as well. Gibson, as always, manages to make the various plots converge at the end.
Gibson's world is futuristic, both fantastic and somewhat scientifically plausible, dystopic and frightening. London is trapped in a time warp. Japan is shiny and ultra-modern. Cleveland is a dump. The Sprawl is forbidding, amazing, huge, and imposing. Cyberspace is where everyone wants to be. In MONA LISA OVERDRIVE, he mainly succeeds at delivering his vision and an entertaining plot. Kudos to Gibson for creating this amazing fictional universe; this is his forte. I found the novel's ending somewhat confusing and unsatisfying. Don't let me dissuade you! MONA LISA OVERDRIVE is a fine novel and a successful conclusion to The Sprawl Trilogy; however, if you're new to Gibson, start with BURNING CHROME (short stories) or NEUROMANCER.
ken32

Artificial intelligence implies there might be machines plugging puzzles into the store Reviews as a method of mapping the path to the Solution, an understated website designed to trigger a cosmic awakening. The goal would be to get people to click on my name, click on my web url, achieve nirvana then learn to teleport.

When I first read Mona Lisa Overdrive, the Da Vinci Code had yet to be published. Merovengians and bloodlines were the furthest thing from my mind.

William Gibson was my first cyberpunk fascination. The concept of transfering memories into a machine startled me, my ego responded with hostility: that isn't permanency, that is death! Yet having accepted existence itself may be a memory, I have come to experience a sort of inner peace.

Renouncing material reward.

That blue woman on the cover may symbolise more than machine.

This review does not cover the contents of the book. If you've read the first two parts of the trilogy, you should definitely read this last entry.

I am writing this review to point out that the product dimensions as listed by the store are incorrect. This was a concern for me, since I like to purchase related books in like-sized bindings so that they look attractive on my bookshelf. This book's dimensions are actually 9.25 x 6.25 x 1 inches, rather than the 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches, as listed. Please note that there is a UK edition of this book as well with different dimensions, but the same cover art. I do not have the particulars for that edition, but have seen it for sale in the "used" section.

No doubt this review is not of general interest, but hopefully someone will find this info useful.

This starts off promising. The prose doesn't have quite the same manic, jazzy crackle that Neuromancer did, but it's better than count zero, more evocative, and for the first 100 pages or so, the characters actually manage to be pretty engaging. Unfortunately the whole thing is hampered by a meager plot which features far too much dicking around in the sprawl and not nearly enough dicking around in cyberspace, which is really where he lets loose in his writing. Mona Lisa Overdrive really shows Gibson maturing as a novelist, unfortunately it seems that he matured to the point where the delirious, hyper-kinetic world in Neuromancer no longer holds his interest the way it used to. Which is fine, but it also means that the trilogy just ends on a really vague, uninspired note. By the way, DO NOT read this if you haven't read the first two books, because there are a lot of characters and history that will make absolutely no sense without Neuromancer and Count Zero. Good luck figuring out Tessier-Ashpool and Sally Shears without them.

I would have appreciated being told that without reading Neuromancer and/or count zero , I would have struggled my way through this book only to be left feeling a little lost and confused at it's conclusion . So I read the other two books and even though some aspects were confusing , that's a minor fault of an otherwise `cool' book . I enjoyed being caught up in the angst and frustration of Slick Henry in his Factory amongst the desolate Dog Solitude . I kept flicking forward to catch the next mention of Sally or Molly . Among the supposed tuffgirls in the genre , I think that she wins it by a mile . How can you go wrong with someone athletic , intelligent , directed and with a kick ass attitude . Mona Lisa became a tad irritating and tiresome after a while . Does everything in her life need comparison to her mentor's advice ? Does she have to be in awe of everything that's new ( imagine how amazed her expression must have been when she was born -wow , air! ) ? Maybe I liked Molly too much . Colin's a nifty concept which reminded me of the days when I played marathon five-setters with my imaginary tennis opponent hidden in the brick wall . I won't forget including the count , Gentry , Cherry , Petal , Swain , Eddy , Prior and the rest of the future-minded cast . For some reason , I was able to picture this world without Gibson having explaining it to the grain patterns of each oak cabinet ( ala Tollkien ) . If you're expecting personal conflict and in -depth character development , forget about reading this book . It's all about action and the mechanics and politics of the matrix, the sprawl and whatever new-fangled device Gibson dreamed up .

Perhaps it just me, but the combination of the author's writing style and lack of fully baked characters made me spend the majority of the book trying to recall which character was which and who did what. Not very enjoyable, nor a very good ending.

William Gibson has again proved himself an extraordinary writer with Mona Lisa Overdrive. The story takes place in a futuristic world where big corporations run everything and the entertainment business is the world's largest source of income. It is here that we meet Gibson's remarkable cast of characters including Angie, a famous "stim star" that has the ability to jack-in to cyberspace without any equipment, Slick Henry, an ex-con who seems to have an uncontrollable urge to create killing machines, Sally Shears, one of the few returning characters from Neuromancer, and Mona Lisa, a prostitute who bears an amazing resemblance to Angie.
The bulk of the book is the separate stories of these individuals, bringing them together in the end in a brilliant fashion. Through this format, Gibson is able to tell a nearly omniscient view of the story by giving not only the point of view of one character, but of all of the characters. This gives an overall effect that sucks you into the book, and doesn't let go. Gibson is also easily able to use this format to show what the characters themselves aren't able to figure out. He gives you bits of information from each of the characters, and you are able to put this together while the characters are clueless. Gibson does all of this and keeps the action rolling without any confusion that allows for a very quick read.
Mona Lisa Overdrive is the third installation in Gibson's series, preceded by Neuromancer and Count Zero. Although it is not necessary to read the first two before Mona Lisa Overdrive, I would recommend it. You will understand much more, and will be able to enjoy all of the little references to the previous two. Gibson truly is a great writer, and Mona Lisa Overdrive is his masterpiece.

This is a very fine novel, by a master of sci-fi who will in the future be recognized as a litterateur as well. But be sure you read the first two books in the trilogy first, Neuromancer and Count Zero. Neuromancer is one of the finest science fiction novels of all time, and Mona Lisa Overdrive is the second sequel to it.

Third book in the series. Do not read this book if you have not read the first three. This one keeps the reader on the edge of their seat with great characters, technology and an interesting view of drugs in the future. The reader will be left thinking about many of Gibson's concepts after the book is over. It has a better ending then Count Zero also but as usual it leaves the reader hanging. I really enjoyed the return of Molly (who might just be the best female action character of all time).

In such a rapidly evolving world as our own, the future is only just around the corner, and yet for the majority of us, beyond our imagination.
Gibson has a gift; he writes of a time, not far away, in which our current technological progress has succeded and is hungry for more. The world of which you read is protratyed so convincingly that, for the reader, this vision soon becomes the backdrop for the stories Gibson has to tell. A time in which the interaction between man and machine is as easy as breathing. Gibson writes of the future as if it were history.
This novel is the end of a trilogy and yet comfortably stands alone as an individual piece. With this book Gibson gives greater insight into his previous works and tells a sharp, page turning tale of corporate manipulation, zaibatsu war, and plain survival in a world that is hard to escape from. Not unlike Gibson's AI's, this story loops, intertwines and mutates what has gone before.
For a newcomer to Gibson, this book will be an eye-opener - for those who know this writer's work, it's a must.

The third in the Sprawl trilogy, I'd really recommend reading this but preferably if you've read Neuromancer and Count Zero first. It's an awesome book, but without the background knowledge from the two previous books it could be a struggle. The imagery Gibson concocts for us is exquisite, from the neon and chrome plated Sprawl, to the urban junkyard of the Factory, the dilapidated future London stuck in a time warp and of course the wonders of Gibson's Cyberspace, made even more fantastic here by some clever plot twists. It's all so real you're right there with his characters yet he doesn't bore you with over description - that's quite an achievement. His characters are complex and breathe life and aren't just mono dimensional cardboard cutouts - they each have their strengths and frailties. And by the end of the book it all makes sense .... almost .... but leaving you to ponder some aspects of the story. Which is just as it should be :) Well recommended.

Well developed characters and smarter than SF typical writing distinguish this future world of web based hazards and new illicit drugs. A wide range of diverse. and interesting characters lives become intertwined in an occasionally muddled plot.

Compared to almost every other book around, this is a wonderful read. Compared to Neuromancer, however, it's a bit of a letdown.

It's funny. The writing itself is better in this book. The characters are more rounded and Gibson is a lot more assured when it comes to pace and descripions. But as technically brilliant he's become, he wrote a check with the first novel that the next two sequels couldn't cash. Mona Lisa Overdrive lacks a certain amount of passion and though he was something of a cypher, it doesn't have a character as powerful as Case. Even Molly, who makes a reappearance here, came across as a shadow of her previous self.

Still, if you like Neuromancer and Count Zero, this is a pretty good conclusion to the trilogy.

Second girl cyberpunk mystery.

Count Zero, or Bobby Newmark appears in this book, as does Molly, the Street Samurai, and the odd other bit player, as the Neuromancer 'trilogy' continues.

A young girl that doesn't seem to quite belong in this society is of interest to many people, and Molly is a protector. She also happens to look somewhat like a famous actress, who becomes another important character, and has connections to the strange online voodoo world

Some more of the same from Gibson, but another good novel.

Gibson has done it again. Every element that made Neuromancer a hit is present. The hard-nosed Molly, now know as Sally Shears, returns to supply all the action one could ever want. There is the familiar merging of two A.I.s. But the clincher here is that Gibson presents a slough of characters who's stories are intricately woven together. Each character allows us experience aspect of a tainted society. There's Angie, the pop-star of the sim-stim world, Mona, an orphan-turned-stripper, Slick, the mechanic tortured by the past he can't remember, as well as many more. Each character deals with there similiar problems in a unique way that presents their point of view and character. Gibson's writing abilities have definately matured, and he takes us to the next level with Mona Lisa Overdrive.

I always forget how much I enjoy Gibson until I actually sit down and read his work. "Mona Lisa Overdrive," a sequal of sorts to "Count Zero," is full of techno junkies, junkies, call girls, and a very imaginative world. This is still one of my favorite Gibson stories.

Like other reviewers, I was happy to see Molly again-- can I be an over-thirty razorgirl? Even though all the books were great reads, somehow _Mona Lisa Overdrive_ managed to flow together with every click perfect. The other two were heartbreakingly close to perfect, but for me this one just did everything right. Excellent.

This novel along with neuromancer allows sally shears aka molly to shine. In this novel she plays a more supporting role than in neuromancer but still manages to grab you every time she appears. This novel adds much needed background to the sprawl. A read well worth any Gibson fans time. Think of that..Gideon's Fall: When You Dont Have a Prayer, Only a Miracle Will Do

As usual, Gibson opens with an intriguing line then proceeds to send the reader on a wild ride in a beautifully imagined world. This is the third in the Neuromancer trilogy and would be confusing to those who haven't read Neuromancer or Count Zero. Of course if you've read either of the first two books you probably can't wait to read this one. Well, it's worth the wait. These stories will be hallmarks of 20th century literature and that's no mere hyperbole.

I could see exactly how Angie Mitchell is today's Britney and Janet Jackson or any other pop star. But the story, action and complete contrast to the other characters, who are just as real and human as Angie (if not more) is what makes this a masterpiece. Just as easily can we imagine the squeamish response from a pop star about smelling fish, can we see the landscape of trash and refuse that is Dog solitude as it's lonely residents feel trouble in a big car rolling towards them.
And remember never to just snort the stuff.

One that definitely demonstrates why Gibson is considered the Father of Cyberpunk and is so well-written and exciting that it rivals the more traditional sci-fi and space operas that most of us love, like: "Stranger in a Strange Land", "Childhood's End", "Rendezvous with Rama", "2001", "I,Robot", "Foundation", "Ringworld", "Advent of the Corps", and many more.

Dark, mysterious and visionary, this work takes you to the extremes of imagination and intrigue.
Pop references merge with sci-fi thrills to produce a riveting joyride of a book.
One must hang on tight to the thoughts of William Gibson, for they are at the truly cutting edge.
Powerful fiction!

And no one can really do it better, but there are other non-Gibson cyberpunk books out there at least worth mentioning such as "Snow Crash", "Cryptonomicon", "Prey", "Metaplanetary", "Cyber Hunter" and so forth. But William Gibson still holds the First Place mention in this category which he invented with his first books such as "Neuromancer".

First I read Neuromancer. Wow. It was by far the coolest Cyberpunk book I have ever read. Then I read Mona Lisa Overdrive... If you never read another book, READ THIS! Gibson brings 4 unrelated sets of characters, mixes in some Neuromancer and swirls them together in the twisted schemes of a madwoman.

Read the other two first. I find this series to be the best of his stuff, but you need to be into it. Gibson, like most of his Sci-Fi contemporaries, is an acquired taste. Iduro is also very good, and more accessible.

Straight Simple, reading this on after Neuromancer and Count Zero is a must. Gibson strings this all together nicely and does an amazing job of predicting future technologies we are a just now realizing today. A TRUE Visionary. From the person that coined the Matrix, Cyberpunk, and "Jacking In".

This is probably my favorite Gibson. I feel it to have his strongest character development, which is something that has never been his strong point. This is was his peak before he did the awful Virtual Light.

I was annoyed by the shortness of each chapter, with very little progress being made in each one. I have lived in Japan for 11 years. Kumiko doesnt seem Japanese (or half Japanese), she seems autistic. All descriptions of anything Japanese were mistaken, over done or just weird.

This is one of Gibson's most complete novels. Almost seamless from start to finish it flows i a almost organic fashion from one plot point to another. The background on the net star is priceless. Best sprawl narrative of the trilogy.

Come on publisher. This novel needs to be available on the Kindle. I don't buy novels any more unless I can get them in Kindle format so I will not be starting this trilogy until I can get them all on the Kindle. How can you have 2 of the 3 available in digital format.

I found this a bit of a disappointment.

Gibson appeals to communist nutjobs who beleive in the man being corps fulla whities not simply geedy government politicians who want unearned money by megaton from taxpayers who get screwed and resulting poor.

unregulated capitalism is best cure

funny how moon is harsh mistress by Heinlein or vernor vinge are greatest liberal writers and rarely mentioned

a liberal is a capitalist

a democat is a commy

socialism is fascism
communism is fascism