One paragraph in and you know you are reading William Gibson.
Berry Rydell an ex cop (who almost starred in the show Cops in Trouble) and now recently ex security patrolman is hired by Mr Warbaby who himself has been hired to retrieve a pair of very expensive ‘sunglasses’ that have been stolen by a young courier and bridge dweller Chevette Washington.
The virtual light of this story are the ‘glasses’ which stimulate the optic nerve directly without the need for natural light to transmit the data and images stored within them, in this case the secret plans to turn San Francisco into a computer-based dictatorship modeled on Tokyo.
To stop the plans from going ahead Rydell who, realising he has been double crossed by his new employer, goes on the run with Chevette who has been framed for the murder of her victim. They enlist the help of the Republic of Desire (computer hackers) and Sublett (a religious, highly allergic movie buff and ex security colleague of Rydell’s) to break into the Death Star - the police departments riot control Big Brother and turn it against Mr Warbaby and his cronies.
They save the day, spill their story to Cops in Trouble and find themselves optioned for a new episode.
I liked the sub story of J. D. Shapely. The history of this AIDS legend slowly unravels through the story line with off the cuff references via comments, graffiti images, parades and a planned Mardi Gras.
At times quite hilarious, but an ending that was a little contrived (it doesn’t have to be a happy ending ~ Sammy Sal), and I think I missed the point of Mr Yamazaki’s character, though I guess he must have been the Tokyo link?
The idea of a whole society living within the construct of the Golden Gate Bridge was fascinating and was apparently adapted from ‘Skinner’s Room’ a story part of a 1990 art exhibit called Visionary San Francisco.
Whilst not as futuristic as Neuromancer, Virtual Light still captivates you with the language of tomorrow, amusing situations and bizarre characters.
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