Review: Ghost of the Neon God by T. R. Napper
Blurb:
A thrilling, propulsive story of escape as a small-time crook goes on the run across Australia with a stolen secret that will change the world, from the award-winning author of 36 Streets, perfect for fans of William Gibson’s All Tomorrow’s Parties, Richard Morgan and Ghost in the Shell.
Jackson Nguyen is a petty crook living slim on the mean streets of Melbourne. When he crosses paths with a desperate, but wealthy, Chinese dissident, begging for his help, Jack responds in the only natural way: he steals her shoes.
And yet, despite every effort to mind his own damn business, a wild spiral into the worst kind of trouble begins – murder, mayhem, fast cars, fast-talking, bent cops, and long straight highways into the terrible beauty of the vast Australian Outback.
In Jack’s world, taking a stand against the ruling class is the shortest path to a shallow grave. But when an Earth-shattering technology falls into his hands, he must do everything he can to stop the wrong people taking it. In a world of pervasive government surveillance and oppressive corporate control, it’s up to a small-time criminal to keep the spark of human rebellion alive.
Review:
In this action-packed, philosophical novella, T. R. Napper explores the future of AI, memory, technology, and human experience.
Readers looking for a fast-paced read that still has vivid characters and deep themes will enjoy Ghost of the Neon God. There’s a generous amount of cyberpunk action, set partially in a vast desert in a future Australia, with car chases, assassination attempts, and all kinds of intricate weaponry you expect to see in such a sci-fi setting.
The flashy action isn’t the core of the story though, as Napper explores his themes deftly in such a short number of pages. The philosophical musings truly shine, and are especially timely given the state of AI usage in the world currently. The profound difference between AI manufactured intelligence and human consciousness is made obvious, especially when Napper explores the intricacies of memory and experience in the human brain and how it is not transferable to AI.
“A person is not just a set of memories, no matter how completely recorded, no matter how perfectly organized by the towering intellect of a godlike AI. Because even that vast consciousness cannot comprehend the way scars feel on the body, or how a heart beats, or the pathways burned into neurons by vivid experience.” (page 110, Napper)
We follow Jack Nguyen, a petty thief in the glittering streets of Melbourne, who happens to steal something far beyond what it appears to be, thrown into a geopolitical conspiracy. Jack is an endearing character, not because he’s extremely likable, but because he is believable. His hardships and traumas can be easily transferred to modern society, making the reader truly root for him to make it out of this dangerous situation. We explore themes of class, poverty, and immigration through Jack. These themes are especially obvious when our secondary character, Sally Redacre, is introduced. Compared to Jack, she is entitled and wholly sheltered from the state of the current world. What Napper shows is that while these two characters come from entirely different backgrounds, the future catches up to everyone, and no one is spared from change.
Conclusion:
Ghost of the Neon God is a shining celebration of science fiction, cyberpunk, and technological philosophy. This novella is perfect for seasoned sci-fi readers as well as newcomers to the genre. Overall, I doubt anyone can come away from this story without gaining insight or at least being entertained. It’s a profound delight.
