It's my understanding the novel was written during 2002. I read it in 2004, and recently, while reading Spook Country, was thinking about it again.

Does anyone else think that, perhaps, Gibson had an overly optimistic view of Russia and what it would become? Seems like in the last few years, since Pattern Recognition was released, Russia has become more autocratic and less free.

I don't know if you'd call Pattern Recognition's view of Russia optimistic per se, but at the time, yes, Russia was definitely becoming a lot cosier than they had been in a long time. I think Gibson decided it was a safe bet that the east and west would get along alright.

It just goes to show how unpredictable the Russian nation and Russian people can be. I think that's why I like 'em so much.

quote:

Originally posted by surlygrad:

Seems like in the last few years, since Pattern Recognition was released, Russia has become more autocratic and less free.

To varying degrees, both the UK and the USA have also become less free in the last few years.

Well, possible outcomes depend on a couple of things. Volkov (the twins' uncle) is already an ex-Party figure who has managed to survive a couple of transitions, arriving in PR as a robber-baron about to try to go legit. Gibson has previously characterized Russia post-Cold War as "capitalism with the brakes off" and, perhaps (though I know next to nothing about the last four years of Russian history), the increasing regulation and repression that Putin's government has instituted was what Volkov was reacting to, in trying to cement his own reputation and resources?

Again, this would be served by someone who knows something about all this. i.e. Not Me.

Swansea museum, Tuesday gone. Small section on WWII memorabilia. As issued by the UK Ministry of Home Security.



Has anything really changed? Has East West everted?