Books matching: cyberpunk elements
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- #1
Save:Distress by Greg Egan is a near-future hard science fiction novel that delves into a society where political correctness has taken extreme forms, leading to new religions and cults centered around social issues like gender fluidity, genetic manipulation, and acceptance or rejection of science. The story follows Andrew, a scientific journalist investigating a conference where a new Theory of Everything is to be announced, unraveling a complex web of cults and groups with varying agendas. Egan's writing style weaves together intricate scientific concepts with social issues, creating a thought-provoking narrative that challenges readers to contemplate the implications of advanced biotechnology and philosophical ideas.
The novel expertly balances action with character development, exploring themes of societal norms, human consciousness, and the ethical implications of scientific advancements. Through a mix of suspenseful plot twists and mind-bending ideas, Egan crafts a cohesive and satisfying narrative that offers insights into complex philosophical and scientific concepts, all set against a backdrop of a near-future Australia grappling with technological and societal changes.
The bioethicist was a laconic young asex with blond dreadlocks and a T-shirt which flashed up the slogan SAY NO TO TOE! in between the paid advertising. Ve countersigned the permission form on the for...
(Also, see 100 recommendations for the series Subjective Cosmology ) - #2
Save:'The Melancholy of Mechagirl' by Catherynne M. Valente is a collection of short stories and a novella that are heavily influenced by Japanese myths and culture. The stories are described as more like extended poetry than traditional narratives, challenging readers with their lack of straightforward narrative structure. The writing style is praised for its beauty, flow, and vivid imagery, transporting readers into a world where personal stories are intertwined with elements of science fiction and mythology.
It will be hard for you to believe—being only a reader with employment concerns and a jaded cultural consciousness and having limited patience for this sort of nonsense—that they are happening all at ... - #3
Save:"All the Windwracked Stars" by Elizabeth Bear is a unique blend of Norse mythology and apocalyptic science fiction set in a far future world. The story revolves around Muire, a waelcyrge valkyrie historian, her companion the valraven Kasimir, and Cathoair, a male prostitute and beerhall prizefighter, as they navigate a dying earth under the threat of the villainous Grey Wolf. The plot unfolds in the last city standing, sustained by the Technomancer who combines science and magic to keep it alive, thousands of years after the end of the world. The writing style in the book is described as powerful and evocative, creating a marvelous journey that feels like a tale spun from a murky dream.
There was snow at the end of the world, and Kasimir was dying in it. Broken wings dragged from his shoulders like defeated banners, disordered feathers hauling crimson streaks through the snow that wo... - #4
Save:In Rx: A Tale of Electronegativity by Robert Brockway, readers are taken on a journey through a futuristic mega city housed in a towering structure, where poverty and power struggles dictate the lives of its citizens. The story follows protagonist Red as he navigates through different levels of the city, encountering cyborgs, assassins, and a society addicted to custom drug cocktails. The narrative weaves together elements of nano-technology, mind-altering substances, and corporate exploitation, creating a world both fantastical and depressingly believable. The writing style is described as giddy and poetic, with a mix of dark humor and ambitious storytelling that appeals to both hardcore sci-fi fans and casual readers.
He had to remember not to speak the term aloud: They could call themselves that, of course, but coming from his lips, it would seem a sneering, derogatory term to the inhabitants of the city’s lower l... - #5
Save:'Bang Bang Bodhisattva' by Aubrey Wood is a cyberpunk noir novel that follows Kierra, a transwoman in a polyrelationship, who is navigating a world hostile to those without money or power. Kierra, along with an ex-cop turned private eye named Herrera, gets embroiled in a murder mystery where they are wrongly accused. The story unfolds with risks and twists as they try to find the real killer, showcasing a mix of cyberpunk, noir, and diverse representation in a near-future setting.
The writing style of 'Bang Bang Bodhisattva' is described as fast-paced, engaging, and visually vivid, reminiscent of classic noir and cyberpunk genres. offers a blend of genres that work well together, with well-developed characters, inclusive representation of queer, trans, and non-monogamous individuals, and a plot that keeps readers engaged from beginning to end.
- #6
Save:'Catspaw' in the 'Cat' series by Joan D. Vinge follows the story of Cat, a half Psion and half human outcast who gets dragged into a dangerous game of high-level corporate intrigue. Tasked with protecting a powerful member of the taMing clan, Cat finds himself entangled in a web of lies, love, and deceit that transcends corporate control and reaches into the highest levels of government. With elements of political intrigue and cyberpunk, Cat must navigate through plots within plots, all while dealing with his emotional struggles and past experiences. is described as a fast-paced science fiction tale with a compelling plot and a focus on character development.
I CAME TO on board a ship, but it was no ship I’d ever seen before. I was lying on a foam-padded, fold-down bunk, in a room that I couldn’t mistake for my cabin or any other place on the Darwin if I’d... - #7
Save:Evolution's Darling by Scott Westerfeld is a unique science fiction novel that explores themes of artificial intelligence, identity, and memory. The story follows Darling, a 200-year-old artificial intelligence who becomes sentient and meets Mira, a mysterious assassin, on a pleasure ship. Together, they embark on a journey to find a famous sculptor while questioning the nature of sentience and existence. The book delves into the relationship between humans and artificial beings, blurring the lines between what it means to be human and what it means to be sentient. The writing style is described as beautiful, complex, and engaging, with a balance of science and art that is rare and refreshing in the genre.
He accesses all his input ports. They are deeply unassigned. Not really empty, just not… there. A mechanical fault? An override? His questions find no purchase. Internal diagnostics are fric-tionless,... Dr. Leung Orfea, cast out by her band of mercenaries and hunted across the galaxy, seeks refuge in Shenzhen, a Dyson sphere ruled by a group of ascendant AI. Despite that world's hostility to immigrants, Orfea finds a place working in a local clinic. All is well and good, until two ghosts from her past reemerge Krissana Khongtip, her former lover, and Seung Ngo, her former AI companion. Seung Ngo seeks Orfea's and Krissana's help. The AI in Shenzhen can share bodies with humans, forming new creatures called haruspices. But something is causing the haruspices to commit suicide. Orfea and Krissana work together to solve the mystery, and become embroiled in local politics during the process. The book delves into the world of Shenzhen, an elegant yet rotting place with a deep hostility towards immigrants and an internecine conflict between the AIs, all while exploring themes of queer representation and societal dynamics.
Shenzhen Sphere. Even at first glimpse the vastness of it confronts, built like complex ribbons wrapping around the red pearl of its star: scintillant and ophidian. Orfea loses sight of the view befor...- #9
Save:Two centuries from now, after the genocidal reign of the biotech enhanced Guardians and the huge population displacements generated by the mind controlling Army that stopped them, the world outside of Africa is heavily regulated against any deviance. Maya, a camera a reporter who lets her viewers share her consciousness as she reports stumbles into a potentially deadly encounter with a survivor of the Guardians, and her own past, which has been ripped from her by the suppressant chip inside her. The book is about compromise, and being compromised, and people working to stop horrors by accepting other horrors. The Fortunate Fall attempts to write a science fiction book where you are thrown into the deep end and left to figure out the world without anything being spelled out for you. Authors can use this strategy to fantastic effect, just look at Gene Wolfe's body of work. With Wolfe, though, you always feel like there is more than enough information provided to piece everything together if you think about it seriously enough.
I was standing by the River Chu, in Kazakhstan, staring at a little hill from which three naked chimneys rose. I stood alone; but a thousand miles away, in Leningrad, a woman I had never met was testi... - #10
Save:In a rough and seemingly hopeless future, Avery Cates is a hired assassin who uncovers a conspiracy involving a growing religion called the Electric Church, where converts become immortal cyborgs. The novel is described as dark, intense, and suspenseful, with a gritty noir feel and a lot of action. The story follows Cates as he navigates through a world filled with cyborg Monks and suspenseful surprises, guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
The writing style of the book is praised for being witty, biting, and engaging, drawing readers into a cool, future noir setting with a post-war disaster backdrop. The main character, Avery Cates, is well-developed and interesting, adding depth to the fast-moving plot filled with action and suspense. Despite some criticisms, such as repetitive dialog and comparisons to video game-like scenes, readers find the story cinematic and exciting, with a unique blend of cyberpunk and hard-boiled detective elements.
I wasn’t really listening to Nad. I never listened to Nad, actually. We were standing in a shadowy doorway on Bleecker—just a doorway, a rectangle of ancient brick melting away to dusty rubble on eith...
