2. A cyberpunk book

[Sara]

From steampunk to cyberpunk...another lesser known genre to explore. We will need lots of suggestions here!

[Megan]

Never heard of it lol

Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a future setting that tends to focus on society as "high tech low life" featuring advanced technological and scientific achievements, such as information technology and cybernetics, juxtaposed with a degree of breakdown or radical change in the social order.

https://www.goodreads.com/genres/cybe...

[Michelle]

I guess it's time to read some William Gibson... My boyfriend will be thrilled!

[Riley]

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? probably fits here

[Nadine in NY]

This one's a "gimme" for me, but I think it's one of those "you either love it or hate it" categories, so those of you in the "hate it" camp have my sympathies. Basically, you want to find a book that is like the movie "The Matrix." William Gibson wrote the short story "Johnny Mnemonic," (made into a movie w Keanu Reeves), and it's short, so choose that if you want to just get this over with. I'll probably read something from William Gibson, he's got a few I haven't read yet in the Blue Ant series.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and The Minority Report were written before this genre was named, but I think they both count. Bonus: Minority Report is really really short. You can read it in an hour!

Mona Lisa Overdrive (Gibson) is a classic, possibly the one that started the genre.

Altered Carbon is a cyberpunk hard-boiled mystery (I'm reading the second book in the series right now, Broken Angels, and it's not NEARLY as good! I am having a hard time staying motivated to finish it.)

Ready Player One counts as cyberpunk.

If you like YA, I recommend Marie Lu's new book, Warcross.

A bunch of Goodreads lists for "cyberpunk"

[Brandyn]

I'm still struggling with Steampunk, but even though the genre names are similar I'll have an easier time here. I already own and haven't read Ready Player One so it's time!

[Megan]

The new Marie Lu Warcross looks good or I could finish up the James Dashner Mortality Doctrine series.

[Kenya]

Going for Altered Carbon for this one. Just hope it's better than "Neuromancer" turned out to be...

[Marianne]

I just finished Ready Player One and Loved it.

[Theresa]

I did cyberpunk as my unfamiliar subgenre book in 2017, LOL! Read Snow Crash - gave it 3 stars mostly because Stephenson gives us a heroine who is one amazing, smart, strong 15 year old girl. Not a bad read, one that would have benefited from some good editing of sections that were basically info dumps.

.

[Tricia]

Kristina wrote: "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? probably fits here"

That is my choice for this prompt

[Cheri]

Nadine wrote: "This one's a "gimme" for me, but I think it's one of those "you either love it or hate it" categories, so those of you in the "hate it" camp have my sympathies. Basically, you want to find a book t..."

Nadine, THANK YOU!! This was incredibly helpful.

[Chinook]

I’ll probably read Mona Lisa Overdrive or something else by Gibson. He’s one of those authors I’ve always meant to read but never gotten to.

[Wendy]

I'll probably read Neuromancer for this one. I second Snow Crash and Ready Player One!

[Dani]

This one is gonna be hard, I read Neuromancer earlier this year and it was not exactly enjoyable. Hopefully there will be a suggestion here that piques my interest.

[Kristy]

Little Brother and the sequel Homeland count in this category.

[Eujean2]

For those that aren't sure about this prompt, but like fairy tale retellings, at least the 4 main books of the the Lunar Chronicle series show up on cyberpunk lists: Cinder,Scarlet, Cress, & Winter.

I read & really enjoyed both Little Brother & Ready Player One. Like the above series, they seem like "softer" cyberpunk.

If you read comic books, We3 is fabulous! My comic book reading group read both Tin Stars (which I enjoyed) & Transmetropolitan, Vol. 1: Back on the Street (which I did not enjoy -- but that had to do with the sexism & the white savior complex, not the cyberpunk)

Btw, all the books I've already read that fit this category I read without knowing they were cyberpunk.

[Stina]

Tricia wrote: "Kristina wrote: "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? probably fits here"

That is my choice for this prompt"

I started that one a few weeks ago and probably won't finish it this year, so that will probably be my choice as well.

[poshpenny]

Stina wrote: "Tricia wrote: "Kristina wrote: "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? probably fits here"

That is my choice for this prompt"

I started that one a few weeks ago and probably won't finish it this year, so that will probably be my choice as well."

I will likely also read this. I need to re-watch Blade Runner, then see Blade Runner 2049, then I will read this.

[Nadine in NY]

I read "Do Androids Dream..." last year and I really enjoyed it! it's quite different from the movie, so it was like reading a completely different story. (I love the movie, too - haven't seen the new one.)

[Jo]

I tried to read Neuromancer and couldn't get into it at all D: no idea what to do for this one.

[Wednesday]

Dani wrote: "This one is gonna be hard, I read Neuromancer earlier this year and it was not exactly enjoyable. Hopefully there will be a suggestion here that piques my interest."
Dani, I would go with The Minority Report. Dick is a much easier read than Gibson, and Gibson really is an acquired taste. Minority Report is a fast read too!

[Wednesday]

Jo wrote: "I tried to read Neuromancer and couldn't get into it at all D: no idea what to do for this one."

Jo, also suggesting The Minority Report for you. Its much lighter, less dense and has less jargon. Its a straightforward sci-fi dystopian mystery that involves a lot of tech.

[Sofie]

For a new and fantastic Cyberpunk in a modern format I would strongly recommend Malka Older's Infomocracy.

It's by far the best political SFF book I've ever read, and as such it mirrors our society and highlights questions we should ask ourselves about information and politics.

[Jacqueline]

I picked up "Ready Player One" yesterday while perusing the bookshelves in my local Big W. for some reason it spoke to me and wanted to come home. I'd forgotten about this prompt. Now I have my book for it :)

[Nicole]

Does Cinder (Lunar Chronicles) count for this?

[Nadine in NY]

Nicole wrote: "Does Cinder (Lunar Chronicles) count for this?"


hmmm that's a grey area. I would not call it cyberpunk. But I looked up a definition (from Wikipedia) ...

Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a futuristic setting that tends to focus on "a combination of low life and high tech" featuring advanced technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and cybernetics, juxtaposed with a degree of breakdown or radical change in the social order.

... so, okay, by that, yes I could find a spot to fit Cinder. Cinder herself is a cyborg, NOT an artificial intelligence, but there are two characters in the series who are AI (Iko, primarily, but also Nansi), and I GUESS you could say that the whole Lunar problem is causing a sort of breakdown in the social order, and yes Cinder is in somewhat low circumstances, with a foot that doesn't fit and all that ...

[Therese]

This category is going to give me nightmares. It just doesn't do anything for me. I don't get it. I need something short and cheap for my Kindle. This will remain blank on my list for quite some time unless someone can pull a rabbit out of a hat.

[Chinook]

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is pretty short.

[Nadine in NY]

Minority Report (Philip Dick) is literally a short story, you can read it in an hour, it fits this category well, it's a classic, and I thought it was really good.

[Therese]

Nadine wrote: "Minority Report (Philip Dick) is literally a short story, you can read it in an hour, it fits this category well, it's a classic, and I thought it was really good."

For some strange reason, it says that there is a Kindle book but Amazon disagrees. Perhaps I can keep my attention focused long enough to listen to the free audio-book I found on YouTube. Love the word free especially for something I don't want to read.

[Nadine in NY]

It might be weird because sometimes you will find it collected with other short stories, but I was able to find a copy at my library that was a stand-alone book.

[Rachel]

I'm definitely going with because I got it as a gift but I think it sounds interesting as well.

[Katy]

Brandyn wrote: "I'm still struggling with Steampunk, but even though the genre names are similar I'll have an easier time here. I already own and haven't read Ready Player One so it's time!"
Ready Player One was fantastic (and I am not usually a fan of that type of novel), especially if you were alive in the 80's. Enjoy!

[JoAnna]

Apparently, The Minority Report, which was made into a movie I loved, is "cyberpunk", so I'm going to read that one. Still totally unsure about this category. :-/

[poshpenny]

What is Cyberpunk?- Neon Dystopia

[Trina]

I read J. D. Robb's (Nora Roberts) Naked in Death early this year, so it's been several month since I touched the book. (I want to continue the series, but October Daye has been a higher priority.) From what I remember of the first book, this series could qualify as cyberpunk.

[Nadine in NY]

I don't really think the In Death series is cyberpunk. It's set in the future, but it seems like a straight up mystery/romance thing, there's nothing subversive, and nothing "cyber" either.. I've only read the first book so maybe it changes?

[Jennifer]

I agree that the In Death series by JD Robb does not qualify as cyberpunk.

[Anna]

[SadieReadsAgain]

I doubt I'll get to this category...but if I do, I'm going to struggle!

[Caitlin]

I’ve heard both good and bad about Neuromancer by William Gibson so I think I’m going to give it a shot for this prompt and see where I am on the scale.

[Floor]

I haven't read The Handmaid's Tale yet and I am wondering if it works for this prompt?

[Lindi]

Floor wrote: "I haven't read The Handmaid's Tale yet and I am wondering if it works for this prompt?"

I have yet to read it as well, but I'm pretty sure it lacks the "high-tech" aspect that is cyberpunk.

I'm going with Ready Player One for this. I just saw the movie trailer and it looks good!

[Nadine in NY]

Neither Watchmen nor Handmaids Tale are cyberpunk if you ask me.

[Eujean2]

I found some resources for cyberpunk comics:

https://www.cbr.com/the-best-cyberpun...
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...

While they didn't make these lists, it seems like Alex + Ada, Vol. 1 & Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars might work. And if the Cinder series counts, so should Wires and Nerve, Volume 1. (Though I am no expert on cyberpunk.)

[Crumb]

This isn't going to be an easy one for me.. I'm not really into this genre.. can anyone recommend something that might appeal to me?

[Nadine in NY]

Read Minority Report. It's good, it's a classic, and it's a short story so you can read it in an hour or less.

[Kim]

Feed, by M. T. Anderson! But definitely find the audio version. I got mine on CDs from the LA Public Library. It's not too long. I listened to it on a long drive, and again, on the way back, with my sister this time. Loved it! Also loved Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson (audiobook on Overdrive).

[Sofie]

Crumb wrote: "This isn't going to be an easy one for me.. I'm not really into this genre.. can anyone recommend something that might appeal to me?"

It depends on what you like but I'll try and recommend some which aren't as typically "hard" and classical to the genre.

I would definitely check out Infomocracy by Malka Older (my favourite pick for this). It feels very current and not as sci-fi if that's not your thing.

Autonomous has also gotten good reviews this year and looks like a proper adventure story.

I got Alif the Unseen recommended to me which looks good for this as well. It looks like it would be up my alley set in a Middle Eastern security state.

I found Moxyland enjoyable and I always like the South African settings in Lauren Buekes books.

Or look through the recommendations tor.com did a while back: Cyberpunk novels from the 1980's to today