[attrition] review: Book: City Come A-Walkin'

[lyger]

http://attrition.org/~jericho/works/review/book_review.city_come_awalkin.html

City Come A-Walkin'
Author: John Shirley
Jericho

Depending on who you ask, the history of Cyberpunk literature starts 
around 1980, but is heavily influenced by different people. According to 
cyberpunk.ru:

     William Gibson, one of the five writers associated with the cyberpunk 
genre, is credited by critics and peers for typifying the cyberpunk 
writing form in his popular novel Neuromancer. Bruce Sterling, Rudy 
Rucker, John Shirley and Lewis Shiner, the other four writers who helped 
launch the movement, agree that Gibson's Neuromancer influenced the 
categorization of the new science fiction as cyberpunk. Therefore, 
Gibson's novel can be used as a reliable source for defining the cyberpunk 
genre.

This sentiment is prevalent among many people and Gibson's name is 
certainly the most often said as the most influential founder of the 
Cyberpunk genre. As you see above, the four other authors who "helped 
launch the movement" agree that Neuromancer influenced etc etc. Yet others 
say that Sterling "became the movement's chief ideologue [of the Cyberpunk 
genre]."

With that in mind, imagine my surprise when I heard of a book that was 
highly praised by William Gibson and had a foreword written by him as 
well. This was my first introduction to John Shirley and I picked up City 
Come A-Walkin' which sat on my shelf for well over a year before I found 
time to read it. Now, let me see if I can imagine your surprise when you 
read the following quotes, written by William Gibson, about John Shirley 
and his book.

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