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Idoru Hardcover – September 9, 1996

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,728 ratings

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Twenty-first-century Tokyo, after the millennial quake. Neon rain. Light everywhere, blowing under any door you might try to close. Where the New Buildings, the largest in the world, erect themselves unaided, their slow rippling movements like the contractions of a sea creature.
Colin Laney is here looking for work. He is not, he is careful to point out, a voyeur. He is an intuitive fisher of patterns of information, the "signature" a particular individual creates simply by going about the business of living. But Laney knows how to sift for the interesting (read: dangerous) bits. Which makes him very useful - to certain people.
Chia McKenzie is here on a rescue mission. She's fourteen. Her idol is the singer Rez, of the band Lo/Rez. When the Seattle chapter of the Lo/Rez fan club decided that he might be in trouble, in Tokyo, they sent Chia to check it out.
Rei Toei is the beautiful, entirely virtual media star adored by all Japan. The Idoru. And Rez has declared that he will marry her. This is the rumor that brought Chia to Tokyo. But the things that bother Rez are not the things that bother most people.
Is something different here, in the very nature of reality? Or is it that something violently new is about to happen? It's possible the Idoru is as real as she wants or needs to be - or as real as Rez desires. When Colin Laney looks into her dark eyes, trying hard to think of her as no more than a hologram, he sees things he's never seen before. He sees how she might break a man's heart.
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The author of the ground-breaking science-fiction novels Neuromancer and Virtual Light returns with a fast-paced, high-density, cyber-punk thriller. As prophetic as it is exciting, Idoru takes us to 21st century Tokyo where both the promises of technology and the disasters of cyber-industrialism stand in stark contrast, where the haves and the have-nots find themselves walled apart, and where information and fame are the most valuable and dangerous currencies.

When Rez, the lead singer for the rock band Lo/Rez is rumored to be engaged to an "idoru" or "idol singer"--an artificial celebrity creation of information software agents--14-year-old Chia Pet McKenzie is sent by the band's fan club to Tokyo to uncover the facts. At the same time, Colin Laney, a data specialist for Slitscan television, uncovers and publicizes a network scandal. He flees to Tokyo to escape the network's wrath. As Chia struggles to find the truth, Colin struggles to preserve it, in a futuristic society so media-saturated that only computers hold the hope for imagination, hope and spirituality.

From Publishers Weekly

The founding father of cyberpunk again returns to the techno-decadent 21st century mapped in his other major works (Virtual Light, Neuromancer, etc.). As usual, Gibson offers a richly imagined tale that finds semi-innocents wading hip-deep into trouble. Colin Laney has taken a job in Japan to escape the revenge of his former employer, Slitscan, a kind of corporate gossip-mongerer on the Net that he has crossed out of scruples. Meanwhile, Chia Pet McKenzie is active in the fan clubs for Lo/Rez, a Japanese superstar rock duo; while visiting Japan to investigate some new rumors about the group, she is used to smuggle illegal nanoware to the Russian criminal underground. Both Laney and Chia get caught up in the intrigues swirling about the plans of Rez, one half of the band, to marry Rei Toei, an "idoru" (idol) who exists only in virtual reality. Gibson excels here in creating a warped but comprehensible future saturated with logical yet unexpected technologies. His settings are brilliantly realized, from high-tech hotel rooms and airplanes to the infamous Walled City of Kowloon. The pacing is slower than Virtual Light, but Gibson exhibits his greatest strength: intense speculation, expressed in dramatic form, about the near-term evolution and merging of cultural, social and technological trends, and how they affect character. Dark and disturbing, this novel represents no new departure for Gibson, but a further accretion of the insights that have made him the most precise, and perhaps the most prescient, visionary working in SF today. 100,000 first printing; $100,000 ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Putnam Adult (September 9, 1996)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 292 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0399141308
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0399141300
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.32 x 1.17 x 6.18 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,728 ratings

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William Gibson
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William Gibson is the award-winning author of Neuromancer, Mona Lisa Overdrive, The Difference Engine, with Bruce Sterling, Virtual Light, Idoru, All Tomorrow's Parties and Pattern Recognition. William Gibson lives in Vancouver, Canada. His latest novel, published by Penguin, is Spook Country (2007).

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,728 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book an amazing read with a great trippy tale and well-developed characters. Moreover, the writing is well-executed, with stunning imagery that captivates readers. Additionally, they appreciate its unique ideas and thought-provoking content.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

23 customers mention "Readability"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and entertaining, with one mentioning it's a real pleasure to get lost in.

"...scenes as an unidentified co-conspirator and you're along for a very satisfying ride...." Read more

"...Entertaining and worth the read, and holds up well even 22 years after original publication." Read more

"...Now that I have, an entirely enjoyable adventure into what we now call a meta verse...." Read more

"...Never happened for me with Iduro. The book is generally well acclaimed, but for me, it left me with a sense of "what was the payoff..." Read more

14 customers mention "Plot"12 positive2 negative

Customers enjoy the plot of the book, describing it as a great trippy tale with an exciting storyline.

"...a potential future internet, while at its core remaining a strong action adventure novel featuring deep character development...." Read more

"...With very well developed characters and a good plot. You can read this today in 2015 and it still feels like "the future"...." Read more

"...And it's a clever story, too, with unique ideas. I don't want to give them away, but pick it up...." Read more

"This is an entertaining read! The author's style and narrative is interesting as well because of it's descriptive quality and choice wording...." Read more

12 customers mention "Character development"12 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book, with one customer noting the tight plotting and character development, while another highlights how it explores the perverse nature of celebrity.

"...It's his usual futuristic cyber-type of world, well-written, with good characters. My only complaint is that there's a bit of padding in the book...." Read more

"...its core remaining a strong action adventure novel featuring deep character development...." Read more

"...There is nothing particularly wrong. The characters are well developed in Gibson's usual way, but the storyline just never grabbed me sufficiently..." Read more

"...With very well developed characters and a good plot. You can read this today in 2015 and it still feels like "the future"...." Read more

9 customers mention "Thought provoking"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, appreciating its unique ideas and fascinating approach.

"...But, it's all well-done and interesting, so I'm not complaining too much...." Read more

"...Fascinating yet getting predictable after nearly a dozen novels." Read more

"Typical William Gibson. Talented writer with a great sense imagination that he interleves with tales of human joy and tragedy...." Read more

"...And it's a clever story, too, with unique ideas. I don't want to give them away, but pick it up...." Read more

8 customers mention "Writing quality"8 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one noting how carefully the author crafts each sentence, while another describes it as a giant in sci-fi writing.

"...It's his usual futuristic cyber-type of world, well-written, with good characters. My only complaint is that there's a bit of padding in the book...." Read more

"William Gibson is a giant in sci-fi writing and I have generally enjoyed his books starting with Neuromancer...." Read more

"Typical William Gibson. Talented writer with a great sense imagination that he interleves with tales of human joy and tragedy...." Read more

"...'s style and narrative is interesting as well because of it's descriptive quality and choice wording...." Read more

6 customers mention "Visual quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the visual elements of the book, with stunning imagery and one customer noting the author's skill in creating a background.

"...Gibson paints the tableau, puts you in the scenes as an unidentified co-conspirator and you're along for a very satisfying ride...." Read more

"...The characterization is "just enough," the imagery is stunning, and the story is quickly accessible and not at all frustrating as prior..." Read more

"...His prose evokes amazing visual images. I'd like to see this as a movie." Read more

"Love his work - can't get enough of it. Grand future world images built around the evolution of computer technology, complete with the...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2019
    Many years ago I read Neuromancer. Found out later that is was not the first installment of the trilogy so I bought the other two. My wife could simply NOT get into the futuristic story but I was hooked. I'm still hooked and I buy every book Gibson puts out, even The Difference Engine with Bruce Sterling.
    I'm a die-hard fan and this series is no different. Once you're in and invested in the characters, you're in for the long-haul
    Gibson paints the tableau, puts you in the scenes as an unidentified co-conspirator and you're along for a very satisfying ride. I doubt this is the end of the Idoru journey...at least I hope not.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2013
    William Gibson's "Idoru" is the second book in his Bridge Trilogy. First of all, I have to say that I've read this book out of order: I've not yet read the first book. But, as far as I can tell, except for the previous existence of some tertiary characters, that's not a problem. The book is, essentially, stand-alone. Anyway, Gibson does a fine job here. It's his usual futuristic cyber-type of world, well-written, with good characters. My only complaint is that there's a bit of padding in the book. The first 30% of it is background material from the points of view of the two main characters. Once the actual plot begins, there's also a bit too much description of Gibson's world. But, it's all well-done and interesting, so I'm not complaining too much. I've also got a bit of a problem with the second main character being a 14 year old girl: it's a bit of a stretch having her do the things she does. But, I still rate the book at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5.

    The books in Gibson's Bridge Trilogy are:

    1. Virtual Light
    2. Idoru
    3. All Tomorrow's Parties
    11 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2018
    Book 2 of Gibson’s Bridge Trilogy has nothing to do with The Bridge, but that’s ok. Berry Rydell reappears peripherally from Virtual Light, as does sociologist Shinya Yamazaki, somewhat more centrally.
    Set in a post-earthquake Tokyo of tomorrow, it is refreshingly not post-apocalyptic or dystopian but is atmospheric as hell and expands upon Gibson’s view of a potential future internet, while at its core remaining a strong action adventure novel featuring deep character development. Entertaining and worth the read, and holds up well even 22 years after original publication.
    6 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2023
    I have read this book several times, first when it came out, and over the years since then (most recently last year). I have to admit i didn't like it as much when I read it the first time, the iphone didn't exist yet, social media was not prevalent yet, AI was always 5 years away... as the years have passed this book seems more and more relevant with the emergence of smartphones, social media, misinformation warfare, etc. Now that we have videos and photos and deepfakes being created with generative AI, it seems prophetic, almost ripped from the headlines.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2012
    This is an interesting look at the marriage of human and AI in the online community of the future. Colin is a man whose brain had been altered by experimental drugs as a teen. His new job is to hunt for the nodal pints that help an amorphous group of people understand the proposed marriage of pop star Rez to the artificial construct Rei Toie. Rei is described as the personification of desire. Most of the action occurs in Japan in the near future, which has always been my favorite punk sci- fi setting. Enmeshed in the story line is an engaging computer star Chia Pet. This is as close as I can come to describing the plot, and I have a very tenuous grasp of the proposed technology. But I enjoyed it nonetheless. It is a poignant view of humankind's possible future as we continue to approach that occurrence when our bodies may no longer be our primary homes. I am intrigues with this story line, and this book addresses it better than most.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2023
    I had the hardcover for years but never completed the read. Now that I have, an entirely enjoyable adventure into what we now call a meta verse. Always an mind challenging changing exploration of tech and society.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2015
    William Gibson is a giant in sci-fi writing and I have generally enjoyed his books starting with Neuromancer. However, there are times when Gibson sort of gets lost in the eloquence of his writing and forgets that there is a story to tell. Iduro in his second book in The Bridge series (starting with Virtual Light), and frankly, the book just sort of weirds me out. Perhaps is has something to do with the setting (post giant quake Tokyo), but the story just does not hang together well for me. Maybe I am just getting too old. There is nothing particularly wrong. The characters are well developed in Gibson's usual way, but the storyline just never grabbed me sufficiently to turn the book into one of those that keep you up too late as you read "just one more chapter". Never happened for me with Iduro.

    The book is generally well acclaimed, but for me, it left me with a sense of "what was the payoff with this story"? I never found it.
    5 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2015
    William Gibson published Idoru in 1996.

    In this book, he describes a web that connects people all around the world. Fans of virtual idols. Social networks. Portable computers with virtual interfaces.

    Besides what this may mean for us today, this is a fascinating book. With very well developed characters and a good plot. You can read this today in 2015 and it still feels like "the future". I guess not as it did back in the 90's, but it can be really fascinating.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • pippi-lotta
    5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly Mesmerising....one of Gibson's best
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 3, 2015
    A brilliantly realised and oddly prophetic tale of love, fandom and the loss of personal privacy in an age obsessed with celebrity status, where not even your shopping lists are for your eyes only.
    Although the middle novel in the Bridge trilogy, this works well as a stand alone book. Whilst it's not quite as significant as, say, Neuromancer it is still wonderfully rich and involving, with characters it's genuinely hard to let go of when the story ends. One of the things that struck me whilst pondering my review is how hard it is to pigeonhole this book. It somehow manages to be a cyberpunk masterpiece, a tale suitable for the YA crowd, for die hard SF fans and for those who love mystery and intrigue filled spy thrillers. There's even some aspects that will appeal to the most ardent of "chick-lit" devotees. I think that you would be hard pushed to find a reader who did not find some point of connection with this story....and for those who connect strongly the works of William Gibson can open up a whole new plush textured and wholly immersive world.
  • iAPX
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another Gibson, in a parallel world
    Reviewed in Canada on October 21, 2018
    22 years ago and still relevant in 2018 with a twist for me, the unique feeling to be back in Tokyo: powerful narrative, incredible descriptions, interesting characters that seems to be lost in their own lives (as usual with Gibson), and as for the Net, there are layers over layers.
  • Becassine6
    5.0 out of 5 stars Flashes of brilliant phraseology.
    Reviewed in Australia on June 14, 2015
    Hard to follow but worth the effort. Flashes of brilliant phraseology.
  • FizzyMoe
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 24, 2024
    An intriguing book with an interesting core concept, even if it is so vague that Gibson himself can't explain it.
  • Corrie
    4.0 out of 5 stars A page turner for sure
    Reviewed in Canada on December 9, 2022
    In retrospect the story for this one is a little disjointed and contrived but I couldn't put it down. The characters and the setting are just so well done. Blackwell is an awesome character, the writing is engaging and it keeps you wondering how the two story lines are going to eventually come together.