I'm coming to realize that part of what I've always liked about William Gibson's writing was not so much his "style" as his choice of locale. I wonder if any of his books would have had significantly less impact on me if I actually lived (or had even visited extensively) some of the places he writes about most often?
His descriptions of place and person seem to vibrate with an energy that just thrills me. His view of Japan, its culture, and some of its unique "features" are as distinctly alien as any scifi ever laid out by Heinlein or Clarke.
Reading this article reminded me of reading Neuromancer and being really struck by the concept of a "coffin hotel" or "pod hotel", and how quintessentially "Japanese" it seemed. We'll just have to see if the UK is ready for something so very different.
I've often pointed people to Gibson's article My Own Private Tokyo as a short example of the "snappiness" and level of description in his writing.
While I'm sure "they way" he writes still has a lot to do with how I enjoy it, perhaps I just find the subject fascinating too. That's not to take away from his work, as a writer he makes the choice of locale just as with everything else, I'm just trying to get a better grip on what exactly I like about it. Maybe I'll find similar traits elsewhere? Lord knows Gibson's not prolific enough for my tastes...
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Monday, September 13, 2004
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