Re-read it for the short story as part of an ongoing research project into the nature of cyberpunk. I last read the short in Japan in 2001 and I didn't remember feeling that the writing had a sophomoric quality to it. That feeling came with this reading. I think a lot of that has to do with having been exposed to William Gibson's own comments on how he's largely rejected his earlier books as his beginning writings.
All in all not a bad story. There are far better examples of cyberpunk literature out there now, but this one must be recognized as one of the progenitors of the genre.
2013.01.13