The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner (book review)
John Brunner’s ‘The Shockwave Rider’ was amongst those noted in Vernor Vinge’s book ‘True Names’ recently. It’s divided into three sections to follow events. Captured Nickie Haflinger has all his body hair removed except for his eyelashes and wired into a machine to record his memories by the Federal Bureau of Data Processing. He’s briefly mentioned by name in the opening chapter but takes another 50 pages before his full name is given. The pace of this opening section made me read faster and we get bits and pieces of the reality and a lady called Sandy Locke who is important in his life. Even so, I’m still not quite sure what was going on.
The second section has a similar fast tempo. For those who don’t know, if you write a story which is dialogue-orientated, you read it at a different speed. When its more text-orientated, your brain resets to new scenes and there is a different control of pace. It’s a useful tool for any writer to understand. Much of what is here seems frame of consciousness over a variety of subjects. There is still the search for Haflinger, which is odd because these are supposed to be his memories but there is also an indication that the people in this town called Tarnover live under a variety of different names. Sandy Locke’s first name is given as ‘Alexander’ which has me wondering what sex he or she is, especially as an associated name is Ina Grierson and who might be a relative. One hopes it’s a spelling mistake but it does show I’m paying attention.
The third section at least has more action and we do see a bit more of Haflinger, although his capture is now ignored. Of particular interest on page 220, there is reference to a ‘mobile phone’ with various connection links. As if that will ever happen. Also a tapeworm, slang for an invasive computer virus to sort something out. I’m still not sure what Brunner’s title is about.
From the looks of things, I think they won but still not sure how or why. I have a feeling Brunner was playing around with the future of computers becoming invasive and how the establishment kept its citizens under control and reeled in dissidents until they fought back. Not quite cyberpunk, but more speculation of a society with computer tech rolling along. No doubt at the time, it probably looked revolutionary. Today, we would question the programs being used as we know they can be a lot more complex and in different computer languages. In those days, unless you played with the early computers, they probably sounded a lot like magic. Then again, who would have thought home computers would be possible in those days, certainly not the RAM monsters we have today.
Something I should point out that I’ve noticed over the books I’ve now read by Brunner is he does put in places from our native Somerset. This time, it’s the town name of Crediton. If you’re interested in how computers were evolving in early SF, then it might be worth you reading.
GF Willmetts
July 2026
(pub: Methuen, 1975 reprint 1988. 288 page paperback. Price: varies. ISBN: 0-413-17960-5)
