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REVIEW: "Pattern Recognition", William Gibson
From: "Rob, grandpa of Ryan, Trevor, Devon & Hannah" <rmslade () shaw ca>
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 15:45:43 -0800
BKPATREC.RVW 20060713 "Pattern Recognition", William Gibson, 2003, 0-399-14986-4, U$25.95/C$39.00 %A William Gibson %C 10 Alcorn Ave, Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario, M4V 3B2 %D 2003 %G 0-399-14986-4 %I Putnam/Penguin/Signet/Roc %O U$25.95/C$39.00 416-925-2249 Fax: 416-925-0068 service () penguin ca %O http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0399149864/robsladesinterne http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0399149864/robsladesinte-21 %O http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0399149864/robsladesin03-20 %O Audience n+ Tech 1 Writing 3 (see revfaq.htm for explanation) %P 356 p. %T "Pattern Recognition" This novel takes place in the corporate present, rather than the dystopian cyberpunk future of Gibson's early works (although he was bringing us closer even with "Virtual Light", cf. BKVRTLIT.RVW). Gibson's "edge" is possibly smoothing, although his writing skill and the humanity that have always marked his work are intact. Central elements in this work are the marketing and building of "brand." The internationalization of brands, the implications for individualization in the face of that pressure, and our discomfort when presented with different brands are all examined in interesting ways in the character of a woman who researches and measures the potential popularity of trademark material, but who is also allergic to certain brands. (There are some really interesting points about social engineering, of various types.) In terms of this series, Gibson has never made real technology central to his books, and this one is no exception. However, he does involve steganography, digital watermarking, and the tracing of electronic messages and files in the plot. While I enjoyed the book (a lot), I found it strangely weak in regard to the actual use of technology in the plot. Gibson has not made any secret of the fact that he doesn't have a technical background, but there are numerous technologies that could have been used and explored in regard to the plot as it exists, so it seems oddly unfinished. Still, while Gibson hasn't devoted a lot of detail to the technologies involved, neither has he made any of the technical howlers that are so annoying in other, similar, works. So, it only barely makes it into the series, but I recommend it as a good read, and some great insight into the human condition. copyright Robert M. Slade, 2006 BKPATREC.RVW 20060713 ====================== (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer) rslade () vcn bc ca slade () victoria tc ca rslade () computercrime org Americans are a broad-minded people. They'll accept the fact that a person can be an alcoholic, a dope fiend, a wife beater, and even a newspaperman, but if a man doesn't drive there's something wrong with him. - Art Buchwald Dictionary of Information Security www.syngress.com/catalog/?pid=4150 http://victoria.tc.ca/techrev/rms.htm _______________________________________________ Fun and Misc security discussion for OT posts. https://linuxbox.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/funsec Note: funsec is a public and open mailing list.
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