5 must read cyberpunk science fiction
Вставка
- Опубліковано 30 лип 2024
- Hi everyone - in this video I look at five must read science fiction books in the science fiction subgenre of cyberpunk.
#cyberpunk #sciencefiction #booktube
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MY STUFF
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MY SCI-FI NOVELS
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DELPHINE DESCENDS
After her family is killed and her homeworld occupied, young Kathreen Martin is sent to the distant world of Furoris for re-education. She will live the rest of her life as a serf - to be bought and sold as a commodity of the Imperial Network.
When her only chance of escape is ruined, a chance mistaken identity offers her a new life as the orphaned daughter of a First-Citizen Senator and heiress to a vast fortune.
She vows to claw her way into power to sit among the worlds’ elite. Then, with her own hands, she will reap bloody vengeance on them all.
But to beat them, she must play their game. And she must play it better than them all.
BLACK MILK
Prometheus has the chance to bring his wife back from the dead, but doing so will mean the destruction of Earth.
Spanning time, planets and dimensions, Black Milk draws to a climactic point in a post-apocalyptic future, where humanity, stranded with no planet to call home, fights to survive against a post-human digital entity that pursues them through the depths of space.
Five lives separated by aeons are inextricably linked by Prometheus’s actions:
Ystil.3 is an AI unit sent back in time from the distant future to investigate Prometheus’s discovery...
The mysterious Lydia has devoted her life to finding a planet that the last remaining humans can call home…
Tom Jones (he’s a HUGE fan!) is an AI trapped inside a digital subspace, lost and desperate to find his way back to his beloved in real-time…
Dr Norma Stanwyck is a neuroscientist from 24th Century Earth whose personal choices ripple throughout time...
Prometheus must learn the necessity of death or the entire universe will be swallowed by his grief.
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GOODREADS
You can stalk me on Goodreads to see what I'm currently reading. / show. .
____________________________________________________________________ - Розваги
0:30 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, 2:45 Necromancer, 4:35 Snowcrash, 6:55 Altered Carbon, 8:55 Akira
Thanks hero
I know it's a one year old post, but it's Neiromancer, not Necromancer. Even I made the sam mistake remembering it.
@@Bakut990 my man, you misspelled it yourself...
@@robinwhg why, just why. Let's make it right. It's Neuromancer.
@@Bakut990 Nah man you got it wrong, its Noirmaster.
I enjoyed dadoes...the others are on my rather large TBR stack. I never really realized just how hazardous reading can be...a large teetering stack of books, excessive tea drinking and the constant terror of being apprehended sneaking even more books into the house past my wife
This made me lol 😂
@@Sci-FiOdyssey You missed a fundamental issue with the whole Blade Runner concept. They weren't technically androids in that they were NOT machines. The Nexus series were genetically modified clones. If you ever read the novels by Jeter that follow on from the Blade Runner film that were written with the permission of PKD's family its well explained there. BUT it should have been obvious from both the book and films that they were GM clones. The conversations with the eye doctor and Sebastion and Tyrell should have cleared that up. BUT the clincher is the comment by Rachael about her memories of piano lessons and that she didn't know if they were hers or Tyrell's niece. Rachael was a GM clone of Tyrell's niece. As Tyrell says she was an experiment and that the memories were intended to give them better emotional stability.
If you ever get into a debate about the moral issues of cloning, Blade Runner is a great talking point.
I always enjoy your videos. Your Must Reads are valuable guides of what to read next, if I haven't already.
Great list. On board with all of these. Some of my favorite reads. Id have Neuromancer as my number 1 cyperpunk.
I have yet to read Altered Carbon but have read the others on this list. I suppose it's possible to add authors like Pat Cadigan and Bruce Sterling into the mix as they were at the forefront of the sub-genre's inception. Still, I would add the rest of Gibson's Sprawl Trilogy and his following Bridge trilogy, especially Virtual Light as must reads. I really like Gibson's prose style; terse, concise; perhaps too clipped at times, but it fit wells with the worlds he creates.
Totally worth reading if you've liked stories like Neuromancer and Blade Runner.
Love your voice. I could listen to you all day long. Thank you for these kinds of videos - I am just getting started with Sci-fi - and this helps a lot. Not only with regard of your book recommendations, but also because you manage very well to introduce these sub-genres of Sci-fi. Thanks for this overview. 👍🙏💙
Hi Darrel! I've got two more Cyberpunk novel suggestions for you.
The first is HARDWIRED, a 1986 Cyberpunk novel written by Walter Job Williams. Once you get used to the fact that it's written in the present tense, the novel tells a fantastic story about class warfare with themes of dehumanization and drug addiction.
The second is DYSTOPIA'S EDGE, a 2021 novel written by me! Yes, part of this comment is a shameless plug. Sorry for the deception, but I think you might like it. :) It's a Cyberpunk road-trip novel about a mercenary who takes what's supposed to be a simple smuggling job... but everything ends up going wrong when a bioengineered super-soldier and his band of bloodthirsty highwaymen begin chasing him down.
Darrel, I don't know your policy on accepting free review copies of books for your channel. But if that's something you'd be into, just let me know.
I'd gladly accept your free review xopy and send you a review email :). I'll pay for the shipping
Stephenson’s Reamde has some cyberpunk elements and I find it far more enjoyable than Snowcrash. One of the villains was such a joy to read, which is odd to say. Overall, a solid list.
I have read everything on the list except Akira (loved the Anime) and enjoyed them all.
I would add Tad Williams’ Otherland novels to the list. They are not as gritty as most cyberpunk, but the way the series explores world building and the genre-crossing potential of a virtual existence is really compelling. It’s almost a cross between Neuromancer and Stephen King’s Dark Tower series.
Loved all the recommendations! You have great taste! ❤
Agree with all of the choices, Neuromancer being my favorite out of the list. Also agree with Altered Carbon being traumatizing -- brilliantly traumatizing!
I think "Shockwave Rider" by John Brunner in 1975 predates all of the ones you listed. The technology was more primitive, but its was the first that I remember introducing the idea of a super-hacker in a dystopian state future.
Snowcrash was very exciting to read! What a ride!
I love small book channels so much man
They are all very cool and Snow Crash was my entryway novel into the genre. As a suggestion, if you want to have some comedy with your cyberpunk, I would like to suggest the Liquid Cool novels where the main protagonist has to solve a mystery while having to maneuver through his social life with his girlfriend, China Girl, and her parents who hate him. The series is authored by Austin Dragon.
Can't wait to read snowcrash. But heard it's very satirical. I mean it has to be with "Hiro protagonist" as the main guy.
Want to finish sprawl before I read snowcrash. So I'm still thick in that Gibson lingo and style
Man I always look forward to this guy videos. I never knew how much I was missing out with these novels
This channel deserves way more subscribers
Great list. 👍 Ive read all of them except for Altered Carbon.
Guess I can put Akira on my watch list.
The other four have entered my tbr.
Cheers
You won’t regret it. Akira changes lives.
I personally thought the Netflix show of Altered Carbon was better than the book. I LOVED the Akira anime as a teenager. Then I watched it again a few years back while high and my mind was blown at the true depth of the themes that I could not comprehend as a teenager.
@CLB Ronin To me the problem with the book was Kovacks was far less interesting than the show. The base concept was great in the book and the show but I felt the changes for the show made the story much more interesting.
You all really need to read Neon Leviathan, a series of short stories set in a cyberpunk future, jumping across different years. Its harrowing but a straight up masterpiece
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll check it out 😁
Looking to add more cyber to my punk. Thanks Sci-Fi Odyssey.
Honestly I’d love to hear you read a book 😅
Nice video, I love Gibson and PKD
John Shirley's Eclipse series is good but has much more politics and revolution-its actually a blend of all of the books you've listed. Daniel Keys Moran's Last Dancer and The Long Run are also worth reading some reviews about to see if you would enjoy reading.
Just ran across this video. So glad you mentioned DADOES. Blade Runner is phenomenal - especially the original version - but as you said, there is so much more in DADOES than what ended up in Blade Runner.
Also, if this hasn't been suggested, try out some Shadowrun novels for some fantasy in the genre.
I just picked up an old copy of Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling. I define cyberpunk as lots of computers no aliens.
For me 'Thin Air' by Richard Morgan was a couple of steps ahead of Altered Carbon. Similar, but I find the writing more mature.
I’ve read Snow Crash and Neuromancer is on my list. After that I might go for D.a.d.o.e.s.
There are tons of cyberpunk books out there that are also total standouts, but if I had to pick something else to round out the collection I'd definitely say Mirrorshades and Burning Chrome, two of the finest collections of cyberpunk short stories to contrast the long form books you have here.
Also like George Alec Effinger’s Budayeen Cycle
I agree with your recommendations and have read them all. Are there any cyberpunk books published within the last 5 years (other than Stephenson) worth reading?
That was pretty good.
me: *writes down all of Darrel's book recs*
also me: *reads other books first* HAHA more power Darrel! I'm never skipping an ad!
Just discovered your channel so I'm way late to this discussion. Nevertheless, Bruce Sterling's Shaper/Mech universe is notably missing from this list. There are other authors worthy of being included - John Shirley, for example - but Bruce Sterling is one of the two titans of cyberpunk (along with Gibson), at least in my opinion. Enjoying your channel immensely and will be looking forward to new content (perhaps someday an exploration of Cordwainer Smith's instrumentality stories?). Cheers.
Agreed
Great list! I've read some of DADOES, Neuromancer, and Akira. Also, people need to read the manga as it's much more comprehensive than the anime.
For more manga Cyberpunk recommendations, definitely read Battle Angle Alita and Ghost in the Shell. Also, check out one called Die Wergelder. I call it a proto-cyberpunk. It has the "low life" aspect, but inklings of the "high tech". The main antagonist is mega pharmaceuticals Corp too.
Finally, do you think Akira is a true Cyberpunk? I tend to think it's not. Again, it has the "low life" but not really the "high tech". Also, with the government firmly in control, especially in the first half, it just doesn't feel like Cyberpunk to me. I realize Japanese Cyberpunk is a bit different from western offerings, so I probably shouldn't be as strict on my definitions.
Interesting thanks
Akira is an Awesome recommendation. Also see BIOMEGA.
Peter Watts’s inimitable "Blindsight".
This book scare the shit out of me)
I have yet to read any cyberpunk, I ordered Neuromancer and Altered Carbon today. Well I guess I have read cyberpunk , I read Dadoes last year.
I created my own finger whip like Molly in Neuromancer had.
One of the best Cyberpunk books is Gibson’s anthology “Burning Chrome” IMHO
Great list but except for Altered Carbon the rest are classics and although they have great themes and concepts not necessarily the best writing.
Would've like to see some of the more modern cyberpunk novels like Accelerando by Charles Stross, Cyber Mage by Hani Christophers or the Wind up girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (arguably biopunk though).
Windup girl is fantastic.
10 Cyberpunk must-sees :
1.Blade Runner [1982]
2. TRON [1982]
3.Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future [1985]
4.Circuitry Man [1990]
5.Plughead Rewired: Circuitry Man II [1994]
6.Johnny Mnemonic [1995]
7.Strange Days [1995]
8.The Thirteenth Floor [1999]
9.Ready Player One [2011]
0.Blade Runner 2049 [2017]
More classics would probably include Hardwired (the template for Cyberpunk 2077) or the Ware books by Rudy Rucker. Personally tho I'm kindda tired of the 1980s mirror-shades slash evil corporations cyberpunk. I favour new ideas and directions and Ian McDonald's River of Gods is probably THE most innovative and interesting redefinitions of cyberpunk.
Thanks for the recommendations. I’ll check them out 😀
How do the Altered Carbon books compare to the TV series?
Season one is pretty much completely the same with only a few minor differences and captures the feel and tone of the book really well. Same with season 2, though in my opinion the second book (and season) isn't as good as the first.
Nice list! I can say that Altered Carbon is on the top of my list too. Unfortunately, the translation to my native language ruined everything that makes this books special. I hope they fix it anytime soon, it is not fair to a great story.
Akira was my first contact with Sci-Fi, I remember when I was around 10 years and my brother show me the animation, since then we never stop to share movies or books about sci-fi with each other.
I have a policy that is, I read books in their original language, if not then it needs to be English. I don't like books translated to my language, except if the original is in my native language ofc
What is the definition/difference of cyberpunk v science fiction?
I'd like to give an honorable mention to an author who has faded into obscurity: Daniel Keyes Moran. His Continuing Time series is really interesting even if a French-led UN defeating the US in the process of creating a world government sounds completely silly. Cyberpunk elements include a pre-internet take on the internet, the "Crystal Wind", DNA modification resulting in humans with telepathic and other abilities, rogue AIs, genetically and cybernetically enhanced cyborgs, and so on. Not to mention a really weird origin story for humanity itself. I think if this author had started out today with self-publishing being a viable option, he would have been far more successful.
Must I?
As you've noticed dropping in great alternatives is my thing, so here's one grossly overrated 🤯 ingenious treasure of a cyberpunk: K.W. Jeter's Dr.ADDER . Just can't wait for the cyberpunk update review😎. As always Barakha 🙌🏾 Shalom 🌾🙏🏾
Neuromancer
uh, I got five out of five. do I win a price?
Cyberpunk is retrofuturism of the 80s and 90s. Where is the current envisioning of the future??? Perhaps we can't properly imagine (formulate images of) the far future because humans will most distinctly evolve in a way images can't portray. Specifically, technologically enhanced cognition. Consciousness technology (enhanced mental capabilities, digital copies of minds, parallel cognition, ect) points to many hard questions about reality. Are we more than our bodies? Are we still our own minds? What's the nature of the evolution of sentience? What roles are we to play? Science fiction demands that we build our desired future by warning against incoming dystopia. Black mirror is doing the trick to a minimal extent, but I want much more. I want way farther out. I want to be taken to the apotheosis of sentience.
Neal Asher anyone?
Daemon and Freedom by Daniel Suarez
Better than Cyberpunk
Snowcrash is a dumpster fire. So many people recommend it, but it's just plain bad. It's basically a thin coating of cyberpunk-esq style poorly obscuring a steaming load of 90s era camp, and bad ideas that aren't even remotely prophetic. It's just silly.
Neuromancer is so badly written tho, i really can't wrap my head around how people can enjoy that pretentious style. i feel like the autjor just throws around random words in hope that they make the sentence sound cool
Not to be a jerk but do you know how many People have did videos on all the books you're talking about I came here looking for 5 less know books and you did repeat Of what everybody else is talking about
Thanks.. ima truck driver and playing first playthrew of cyberpunk 2077 and gunnar listen to these if any are audiobooks.. and gunna chech out the new cyberpunk audio book I'm excited for that too and phantom liberty and the new update on my onexplayer2❤❤❤😮😊
Altered Carbon is great, I'd also rate Richard K. Morgan's Market Forces pretty high though