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3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 One out of four isn't all bad. Aug 29, 2010
By K. R., Lind
"average boomer"
I really wanted to like this book and in some respects I did. There is a fantastic storyline in an exotic setting. The main character has enough complexity and faces an imposing set of circumstances. Among cyberpunk stories that alone would normally rate at least three stars....normally. It is an interesting fast paced book and I did enjoy it. The problem is, I could have enjoyed it so much more.
First of all, there is no excuse for the numerous misspellings, omitted words, and scrambled phrases in this book. The book is an argument in favor of the Luddite technophobes mentioned in the story. The use of the word trough, for example, in place of the word through indicates an unhealthy reliance on a computer spell check program in lieu of doing the work required for proper proofreading. From my vantage, these errors can be attributed to naught but laziness or a rushed job.
The writing itself seemed a bit uneven. At times the prose was crisp and developed a rhythmic flow. At other times you had to negotiate these ponderous sentences to which were appended one descriptive phrase after another. This was particularly noticeable in the opening pages. It was as if the Author was trying hard to mimic William Gibson, and he was failing miserably. This tale may have benefited at times with a touch of the Zen-like precept that less is more.
One area were more would have been welcome was in the depiction of the encounters and interaction of the characters. In particular, the relationship of the two main characters, Cal and Mei Lin, generally had the emotional impact of menu entries added to the descriptions found in a tour guide pamphlet. It was as if hitherto three dimensional characters from the book were reduced to two dimensional constructs whose primary purpose was as a device for plot advancement.
Finally, there are loose ends. After the grand finale, with dragons slain and maidens rescued, we are treated to a bedside chat between a cartoon version of Cal and the tour guide aspect of Mei Lin which is designed to let us know what happened to all the characters left dangling after the climax. Of This process is quick, trite, and unsatisfying. It tends to reduce these individuals, like our protagonist, to cardboard cutouts, without substance. As to the import of the Slav's poisonous vial, which poor Cal has carried allover the world, there is no mention.
It's easy for me to bash this book. There are a number of glaring issues. However, I really would rather hear that the author was doing a rewrite, that the spell check errors and sentence fragments were corrected, that some of the more cumbersome writing was cleaned up and that there was at least an attempt at developing a more compelling connection between characters. I do believe that a writer that can entertain me with a story this good, in spite of these flaws, is more than capable of polishing it into a real thriller.
Whoops! I just discovered something. It seems that if you happen to flip through several blank pages past the one saying "THE END", there is another page which reads "TO BE CONTINUED"(this is with the Kindle edition). So the question becomes, is perhaps, discovering the significance of the vial worth the price of another book? It might be, and I hope it is, but I'm not sure.
Good, straight-up cyberpunk novel Mar 13, 2011
By G. M. Stover
What's good: Most of the characters, especially Caldwell, are interesting, deep, & sympathetic. The plot is good, reminding me of a 1940s-style thriller (& that's good, in my opinion).
Early in the novel, the language is a little stiff, but later in the book, the author seems to have found his style, & it flows well. There's a plot element that resembles the "I know kung-fu" moment from "The Matrix" & which i wish the author could have done without, but overall, it's a nicely enjoyable, straight cyberpunk read. It was good enough for me to read twice. You're reading my second review; after my first read, I wrote a review that was less favorable. In other words, another point in the book's favor is that it was good enough to re-read.
0 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Cyber-punk Finds a New Capital of Cool Oct 24, 2005
By Brent E. Horner
Wiiliam Gibson obviously loves Tokyo, and Neal Stephenson planted his characters there for a few visits too, if I remember right. But if there's a place on earth right now that's even more futuritsic than Tokyo, it would have to be Shanghai.
Actually, Mr. Johnny follows a variety of characters through a bunch of exciting chases all across the globe in this novel. London. New York. Beijing. Hong Kong. And yes, even Tokyo. But all the action converges on Shanghai - right where it should.
Without giving too much of the story away, let's just say it's filled with nasty mafia bad guys, sexy and mysterious heroines, kidnappings, assasignations, great escapes and close shaves, clones, hoverbikes, and of course, computer hacking, virtual reality, and nanotechnology. It packs a lot in there, and stays fast-paced and a lot of fun to read.
Think some people might get slowed down a bit in the early chapters where Mr. Johnny sets up some of the scientific stuff, but it only gets better and better as you read on.
Definitley recomended for all fans of cyberpunk.
0 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Shanghai Dream is a rollercoaster ride in China's technology future Sep 26, 2005
By Sahr Johnny
Shanghai Dream is a fast-paced read that catapults the reader into a near-future in which China is beginning to call the shots. The first true artificial intelligence has been created in Beijing and everyone from the Yakuza to the British secret service wants to get their hands on it. Yet, it's up to a burnt-out hacker from the Union to unravell the mystery and discover a dastardly masterplan. A
An entertaining read, written in fast-paced short chapters with an intricate yet very plausible plot. I look forward to the next installment to this China Cyberspace Trilogy!
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