Cyberpunk: Johnny Mnemonic by William Gibson

Cyberpunk: Johnny Mnemonic by William Gibson

            Johnny Mnemonic represents a shift in sci-fi literature and media. It doesn’t bog you down with an overly long intro to galactic politics and factions. You don’t get any backstory or history of the galaxy to give the tale context. Like the story itself the writing style is quick and dirty. You either keep pace with the breakneck speed the story progresses or you spend a lot of time back tracking. Set in a future where humanity has begun to enhance itself with cybernetic implants and additions, Johnny acts as a human computer drive, stealing and selling information to the highest bidder. When he gets a code that he cant decrypt and for which he will be hunted and killed, he has to hire the Bodyguard/murderess Molly to protect him. After bumbling through the city he decrypts the data with the help of a military dolphin named Jones. Soon after he hides amongst the Lo Teks, humans who refuse technology. However Molly has a confrontation with the top Yakuza hit man on the killing floor. Molly emerges victorious and the story ends with Johnny, Molly and Jones blackmailing Johnny’s former client base with information he help or sold to them.

            If you can survive and follow a story that immediately assumes you can follow its break neck speed, you get a various interesting look at a world built not through backstory, but through casual reference. When talking to the Army Dolphin “Jones” you get a glimpse into a major conflict that occurred a few years before. You learn that the army got the Dolphins addicted to heroin to win their loyalty and to control them. It’s a lot of showing not telling. He doesn’t tell you the original purpose of the “Killing Floor” but describes what it does and you can try to fill in the holes. Letting you fill in the lore is an excellent way to engage some readers. I personal enjoyed the world and its grim, gritty and destitute feel. It reminds me of Necromunda, an off shoot of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, where gangs battle under cities the size of continents. If has great potential and I’m sure it has inspired several other Cyber Punk writers.

            That said, it does expect you to be able to keep pace with it. It moves very quickly and assumes you can follow exactly what is going on even as it throws new ideas at you.  And the lack of lore and context will be a turn off for some people. I would recommend it for serious readers or anyone who enjoys anything Cyberpunk, but casual readers might struggle to find it entertaining.