The Peripheral

I'd be curious to see statistics from kindles and such for how many readers actually get to the end of any of Gibson's books. He always makes the first half so goddamn confusing. But if you stick with it, the rewards are plenty.

I don't know how Gibson does his research or synthesizes his ideas but I imagine that he takes one long look at the internet and then goes on to assemble a Keyser Soze future out of our current fears – environmental threats, collapsing economies, widening class divisions, loss of agency that affects everyone but the very rich.

My fellow Londoners will find that The Peripheral's future London ruled by a kleptocracy of Russian and Saudi oligarchs hits really close to home.

Also, The Peripheral feels destined to be adapted for the big screen by JJ Abrams — so many of his favourite tropes!