Have you ever wondered what the future will look like? How will technology, society, and the environment change in the next decades? What if you could witness a glimpse of that future through a virtual world that connects you to another timeline? These are some of the questions that William Gibson explores in his novel The Peripheral, the first book of The Jackpot Trilogy.

The Peripheral is a science fiction mystery-thriller that follows two different plot lines, one set in the near future and one set in the distant future. The near-future story revolves around Flynne Fisher, a young woman who lives in a rural town in America, where the only industries left are 3D printing and drug trafficking. Flynne is an expert gamer who agrees to take over her brothers job of working security in a virtual world for a mysterious company. However, she soon realizes that the virtual world is not a game, but a realistic simulation of London in the distant future, where most of the worlds population has been wiped out by a series of disasters known as the Jackpot. Flynne witnesses a brutal murder in the virtual world and becomes involved in a complex web of intrigue and danger that spans across time and space.

The distant-future story follows Wilf Netherton, a publicist who lives in London after the Jackpot. Wilf works for a wealthy and eccentric client named Ainsley Lowbeer, who has access to a secret technology that allows her to communicate with the past through the virtual world. Ainsley is also the target of a powerful enemy who wants to kill her and erase her timeline. Wilf meets Flynne through the virtual world and tries to help her survive and uncover the truth behind the murder and the Jackpot.

The Peripheral is a gripping novel that blends cyberpunk, noir, and post-apocalyptic elements to create a unique and immersive vision of the future. Gibsons writing is rich with detail and imagination, creating a vivid contrast between the two timelines and their respective cultures, technologies, and challenges. The novel also explores themes such as identity, agency, causality, and morality in a complex and interconnected world. The Peripheral is a must-read for fans of science fiction and mystery who enjoy smart, inventive, and thrilling stories.