Neuromancer

by

William Gibson

A cluster of space stations founded by a group of Rastafarian workers who defected from their construction jobs. Zion’s inhabitants are called Zionites.

Zion Quotes in Neuromancer

The Neuromancer quotes below are all either spoken by Zion or refer to Zion. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Technology and the Body Theme Icon
).
Chapter 8 Quotes

As they worked, Case gradually became aware of the music that pulsed constantly through the cluster. It was called dub, a sensuous mosaic cooked from vast libraries of digitalized pop; it was worship, Molly said, and a sense of community. Case heaved at one of the yellow sheets; the thing was light but still awkward. Zion smelled of cooked vegetables, humanity, and ganja.

Related Characters: Henry Dorsett Case, Molly
Page Number: 104
Explanation and Analysis:

Case didn’t understand the Zionites.

Aerol, with no particular provocation, related the tale of the baby who had burst from his forehead and scampered into a forest of hydroponic ganja. “Ver’ small baby, mon, no long’ you finga.” He rubbed his palm across an unscarred expanse of brown forehead and smiled.

“It’s the ganja,” Molly said, when Case told her the story. “They don’t make much of a difference between states, you know? Aerol tells you it happened, well, it happened to him. It’s not like bullshit, more like poetry. Get it?”

Case nodded dubiously.

Related Characters: Molly (speaker), Aerol (speaker), Henry Dorsett Case
Page Number: 106
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16 Quotes

He closed his eyes. He saw the sacs of toxin dissolving in his arteries. He saw Molly hauling herself up the endless steel rungs. He opened his eyes.

“I dunno, man,” he said, a strange taste in his mouth. He looked down at his desk, at his hands. “I don’t know.” He looked back up. The brown face was calm now, intent. Maelcum’s chin was hidden by the high helmet ring of his old blue suit. “She’s inside,” he said. “Molly’s inside. In Straylight, it’s called. If there’s any Babylon, man, that’s it. We leave on her, she ain’t comin’ out, Steppin’ Razor or not.”

Maelcum nodded, the dreadbag bobbing behind him like a captive balloon of crocheted cotton. “She you woman, Case?”

“I dunno. Nobody’s woman, maybe.” He shrugged. And found his anger again, real as a shard of hot rock beneath his ribs. “Fuck this,” he said. “Fuck Armitage, fuck Wintermute, and fuck you. I’m stayin’ right here.”

Maelcum’s smile spread across his face like light breaking. “Maelcum a rude boy, Case. Garvey Maelcum boat.” His gloved hand slapped a panel and the bass-heavy rocksteady of Zion dub came pulsing from the tug’s speakers. “Maelcum not runnin’, no. I talk wi’ Aerol, he certain t’ see it in similar light.”

Case stared. “I don’t understand you guys at all,” he said.

“Don’ ’stan’ you, mon,” the Zionite said, nodding to the beat, “but we mus’ move by Jah love, each one.”

Related Characters: Henry Dorsett Case (speaker), Maelcum (speaker), Molly, Armitage / Corto, Wintermute, Riviera, Lady 3Jane Marie-France Tessier-Ashpool, Aerol, Hideo
Page Number: 192
Explanation and Analysis:
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Neuromancer PDF

Zion Term Timeline in Neuromancer

The timeline below shows where the term Zion appears in Neuromancer. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 8
Self-Interest vs. Human Connection Theme Icon
...fall asleep. Case assumes their next transfer is Freeside, but their first stop is the Zion cluster. Zion was founded by workers who decided to create their own colony instead of... (full context)
Self-Interest vs. Human Connection Theme Icon
Case arrives in Zion and struggles with SAS as Molly and a Zionate, Aerol, set up a temporary home... (full context)
Technology and the Body Theme Icon
Reality and Perception Theme Icon
Armitage and his crew stay in Zion for eighty hours, enough time for Case and Molly to acclimate to zero gravity, and... (full context)
Chapter 9
Self-Interest vs. Human Connection Theme Icon
Maelcum transports Case and Molly from Zion to Freeside on his ship, the Marcus Garvey. As they fly, Molly asks Case if... (full context)
Chapter 23
Self-Interest vs. Human Connection Theme Icon
Case returns to Straylight just in time to hear the robotic head promising to pay Zion for their trouble. Case then passes out—into the darkness of his own mind, instead of... (full context)
Chapter 24
Identity and Personhood Theme Icon
...deposited in bank accounts for both Case and Molly, as well as accounts belonging to Zion. Even Case’s toxin sacs were taken care of—the new entity had gotten deep into his... (full context)