Books Like...
George Alec Effinger's 'When Gravity Fails' is a cyberpunk detective noir novel set in a future Middle Eastern world where the protagonist, Marid Audran, navigates a dark and gritty society filled with sex, drugs, and murder. The story follows Marid as he becomes entangled in solving a mystery while exploring themes of identity, faith, and societal issues in a world where technology plays a significant role in modifying personalities.
Effinger's writing style combines elements of hard-boiled detective fiction with cyberpunk, creating a unique and immersive world that blends traditional noir storytelling with futuristic technology. The narrative delves into the complexities of the characters and the setting, offering a fast-paced and intriguing read that keeps readers engaged from start to finish.
If you liked When Gravity Fails, here are the top 100 books to read next:
- #1
"Burning Chrome" by William Gibson is a collection of short stories that define the subgenre of cyberpunk science fiction. The stories feature tech-savvy characters engaging in hacking, heists, and questionable behavior in a near-future dystopian setting. The writing style is described as gritty, real, and filled with sensory details that create a vivid and immersive experience for the reader.
Mercifully, the whole thing is starting to fade, to be-come an episode. When I do still catch the odd glimpse, it’s peripheral; mere fragments of mad-doctor chrome, confining themselves to the corner ...
(Also, see 100 recommendations for the series Sprawl ) - #2
'Synners' by Pat Cadigan is a cyberpunk novel set in a future where individuals called synners have surgically augmented their brains to interface with computers. The book explores themes of technology, capitalism, and human-machine interfaces through a complex narrative involving a large cast of characters. Despite some initial confusion and a slow start, the story eventually picks up momentum, leading to a climax involving a rogue AI in the datasphere.
"Who's laughing? Do you see me laughing?" She shifted on her high stool and held her subject's arm closer to the lamp. The lotus job was especially difficult, as it had to merge into a preexisting des... - #3
Hardwired by Walter Jon Williams is a cyberpunk thriller that presents a somewhat dark vision of earth's future. The novel details the attempts of a few individuals to remain free in a world dominated by evil human overlords and new technology. Set in a post-apocalyptic urban cyberpunk landscape with elements of military SF and western, the book follows deeply flawed heroes navigating through inhuman circumstances and engaging in high-octane adventures.
By midnight he knows his discontent will not let him sleep. The panzerboy drives north from Santa Fe, over the Sangre de Cristos on the high road through Truchas, heading for Colorado, wanting to get ... - #4
'A Fire in the Sun' by George Alec Effinger is a cyberpunk noir novel set in a future Middle East city, drawing inspiration from the New Orleans French Quarter. The protagonist, Marid Audran, navigates a world filled with unsolved murders, child slavery, and political power struggles while dealing with personal growth, past traumas, and complex relationships. Effinger weaves a dark and intricate tale of corruption, mystery, and the struggle for dominance in a vividly detailed futuristic setting.
WE'D RIDDEN for many days out the coast highway toward Mauretania, the part of Algeria where I'd been born. In that time, even at its lethargic pace, the broken-down old bus had carried us from the ci... - #5
Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan is a futuristic noir thriller set in a world where human consciousness can be digitized and transferred to different bodies. The story follows Takeshi Kovacs, an ex UN envoy who is hired to investigate a suspicious suicide, leading him into a complex murder mystery. The book explores themes of power, immortality, and societal inequality in a gritty, cyberpunk setting. The writing style is described as fast-paced, engaging, and reminiscent of classic hardboiled detective novels, with a focus on action and intricate world-building.
In the Envoy Corps they teach you to let go before storage. Stick it in neutral and float. It’s the first lesson and the trainers drill it into you from day one. Hard-eyed Virginia Vidaura, dancer’s b... - #6
'Void Star' by Zachary Mason is a futuristic dystopian novel that delves into the complexities of reality, artificial intelligence, memory implants, and interconnected protagonists. The plot is described as geek-oriented, with a focus on the uncertainty of reality due to advanced AIs. Despite being set in a future world with elements like virtual reality, AI, and martial arts, the book's writing style is praised for its spare and beautiful prose, intriguing narrative, and affecting characters. The story follows multiple characters with memory implants as they navigate through a world where the nature of reality is constantly questioned.
Below her are the lights of the valley, like burning jewels on a dark tide. The Bay is a negative space around them, its leaden ripples picked out in the moonlight. There is, Irina realizes, a pattern... - #7
Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson is the final book in the Sprawl series, bringing together various storylines from the previous books. The plot involves intertwined narratives of characters like Angie Mitchell, a cyberspace celebrity, Kumiko, a young Japanese girl with a mobster father, and Slick and Gentry living in the wasteland. The writing style is described as dense, detailed, and high tech, with a focus on character development and a grand climax that ties up loose ends from the series.
For the first two hours of the flight to London it lay forgotten in her purse, a smooth dark oblong, one side impressed with the ubiquitous Maas-Neotek logo, the other gently curved to fit the user’s ...
(Also, see 100 recommendations for the series Sprawl ) - #8
'City of Golden Shadow' by Tad Williams is the first installment in the 'Otherland' series, a sci-fi multi-genre tale that introduces a diverse cast of characters embarking on a quest within a virtual reality world. The plot revolves around a group of individuals from different backgrounds investigating mysterious comas affecting children, while also delving into a cyberpunk mystery in the real world. The writing style is described as ambitious, detailed, and rich in world-building, blending elements of science fiction and fantasy seamlessly through the use of virtual reality.
"Again?" Renie set her pad down on the desk and picked up her bag. Remembering how many things had gone missing during the last scare, she retrieved the pad before walking into the hallway. The man wh... - #9
Virtual Light by William Gibson is a cyberpunk novel set in a near future, dystopian California. The story follows Berry Rydell, an ex-cop turned private security guard, and Chevette, a bike messenger, whose lives intertwine after Chevette steals a pair of high-tech sunglasses with valuable data. The novel explores a divided society, with the Golden Gate Bridge turned into a squatters' paradise, reflecting themes of wealth and poverty, power and powerlessness. Gibson's writing style is described as vivid, with a focus on world-building and character development, set against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic San Francisco.
The courier presses his forehead against layers of glass, argon, high-impact plastic. He watches a gunship traverse the city's middle distance like a hunting wasp, death slung beneath its thorax in a ... - #10
Voice of the Whirlwind by Walter Jon Williams follows the story of Etienne Njagi Steward, a clone seeking to uncover the mystery behind the murder of his original self, known as the alpha. Missing 15 years of memories, Steward navigates a dangerous world, chasing leads through a futuristic solar system while dealing with the arrival of advanced alien species. The plot is full of suspense, ethical dilemmas, and a focus on the philosophical implications of clone reincarnation, all presented in a terse and intense writing style that immerses readers in a world of future politics and technology.
The narrative delves into the complexities of identity, memory loss, and the blurred lines between friend and enemy in a world dominated by powerful political corporations. Steward's journey to uncover the truth about his past and his mission is intertwined with themes of self-discovery, revenge, and the quest for justice, creating a compelling and thought-provoking storyline that keeps readers engaged till the final chapters.
Steward hung suspended beneath a sky the color of wet slate. Below him the ground was dark, indistinct. There was the sensation of movement, of gliding flight. Sometimes Steward’s stomach fluttered as...
(Also, see 100 recommendations for the series Hardwired )