JOHNNY MNEMONIC [Mass Market Paperback]

Terry Bisson (Author), William Gibson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1995

Based on the short story and screenplay by cyberpunk pioneer William Gibson, Johnny Mnemonic takes readers into a desperate future where information is all that matters and everything else is cheap.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Pocket; 1st edition (June 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671523007
• ISBN-13: 978-0671523008
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #478,230 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Formerly ('75-'02) a Kentuckian living in New York,
currently a New Yorker living in California.

Known mostly for SF short stories (Hugo, Nebula awards),
also writes novels, screenplays, comics and non-fiction.
Biographer of Mumia Abu Jamal. Former automechanic,
wrote CAR TALK with 'Click and Clack'. Produced and
edited NO FRILLS Books back in '80s. Completed ST
LEIBOWITZ AND THE WILD HORSE WOMAN for Walter M Miller
estate. Lives in Oakland. Rides a KLR650.

Hosts monthly author reading series in San Francisco (SFinSF).
Edits 'Outspoken Author' series for PM Books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bad. Really, really bad., April 23, 2002

By 

Michael K. Smith (South Louisiana) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: JOHNNY MNEMONIC (Mass Market Paperback)

I'm generally a fan of Terry Bisson's work, especially his short stories ("Bears Discover Fire" is great), but this novel-based-on-a-movie-based-on-a-short-story is just embarrassing. The film was a mostly incoherent rendering of William Gibson's very good story (even though Gibson himself wrote the screenplay); I suspect Bill's stuff just doesn't translate well to the screen. This novelization (why bother?) has all the film's confusion and none of Gibson's trademark style and atmosphere. Worse, Bisson throws in some minor bits and pieces of his own invention. I couldn't get more than one-third into this before quitting in annoyance.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BRILLIANT ADAPTATION, May 19, 2000

By 

NoelCT (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: JOHNNY MNEMONIC (Mass Market Paperback)

When viewing the film, I always thought that Johnny Mnemonic could have been more. The script laid out a world as amazing and dark as BLADE RUNNER, but the film itself was a cheap piece of trash.

With Terry Bisson's novelization, we can see the world missing from the film. Wonderful characters. Gritty surroundings. Cyberspace.

Bisson's prose is as rich as that of cyber-guru William Gibson (who wrote the screenplay). He even borrows a few frazes and slangs from Gibsons other works.

Don't see the movie, it'll be a waste of your time. But this book just might teach you somthing.

3.0 out of 5 stars pretty good for a movie book, March 16, 2010

By 

R. Bagula "Roger L. Bagula" (Lakeside, Ca United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: JOHNNY MNEMONIC (Mass Market Paperback)

This movie sort of started a cyberpunk trend
and has become an historical document.
The book expands on the short story like many of Philip K. Dick stories became movies
in the past:Blade Runner.
Hacking and the web have since become household words.
The movie and book are both sort of fantastic plastic in the future...