(OT) Have you read "Cyberpunk"?

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Oleg Volk

Staff Alumnus
Just talked to the author of that book. It is similar in concept to RA Heinlein's "juvenile fiction" in that it uses a humorous personal story to point at bigger historical and political features of our world. That book, along with the Unintended Consequences, made me go back and read historic sources and helped get a coherent mental picture of the world I live in.

Now it is finally on the web and, IMO, well-worth the $4 download fee. Warner Brothers won't publish it (or the sequel to Bruce's pervious "excessively irreverent" book, Headcrash). Considering this novel is actually his best book, I am not amused.

http://www1.fatbrain.com/asp/BookInfo/BookInfo.asp?theisbn=EB00002364&mtype=O&urlset=t&oldurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww1%2Efatbrain%2Ecom%2Fasp%2FReviews%2FReviewsPost%2Easp

So, if you like to read it, click on the link. If this is too far off-topic, the moderators of "General" are welcome to delete this post. I do, however, think it is a very important work, on part with writings of RAH and John Ross. If you read it and like it, let me know.

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Oleg "cornered rat" Volk (JPFO,NRA)

http://dd-b.net/RKBA
 
I just read the first of the "cyberpunk" genre for one of my English classes. It's a book called "Neuromancer". I must say that it's one of the worst and most confusing books that I've ever read. I love the genre, but hated that book.
 
Read anything by William Gibson, the original "CyberPunk" author, and the originator of the word.

Tom



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A "Miss" is the ultimate overpenetration!
You can never be too rich, too skinny, or too well armed!
 
Err, Bruce Bethke wrote the short story version on "Cyberpunk" in 1982. Gibson "borrowed" the term. I agree on "Necromancer", that was painfully bad. Bethke's book, IMO, is wonderfully written and is NOT tech-based science fiction any more than "Unintended Consequences" is a reloading manual.
 
Highly recomended is William Gibson's Virtual Light. Lots of guns... fun read.
Neuromancer was hard to read as Gibson writes worse than I do.
Also there is another book by an author who I dont remember - the book is called "The Diamond Age" and is a great look at potential technology... Has an interesting thing there called a "skull gun". Good book - Read it. You'll like it.
 
Neuromancer is one of my favorite books, along with the rest of Gibson's "Cyberspace Trilogy." Confusing? Well, maybe a little, but not any more than most other sci-fi novels. Virtual Light was great too.

Never read anything by Bruce Bethke. Looks like I might have to start...

Later,
Chris
 
Gibson writes much better short stories than novels. Wasn't Mona Lisa Overdrive a collection of short stories by him and other authors or was it one of the trilogy? I disremeber. I'll second Hardwired as being one of the better ones. I always thought having a delta or one of those panzers would be pretty cool...

[This message has been edited by Gopher a 45 (edited March 06, 2000).]
 
Mona Lisa Overdrive was the last installation in the Cyberspace trilogy. Not quite as good as the first two, but still worthy of a read.

Gibson's short story anthology was called Burning Chrome. I must confess that I haven't read this one. But, the first story in BC was the inspiration for that god-awful Keanu Reeves sci-fi flick Johnny Mnemonic.

Get the idea that I'm a Gibson fan?? Nah. ;)

Later,
Chris
 
I haven't read _Cyberpunk_, but I have read Bruce Bethke's _Headcrash_ many, many times. It's a great read, and the author really seems to know his guns.
 
I have three copies of Headcrash (two out on loans to friends) but can't help feeling that the wrong book got printed. CP is much better, IMO. That said, Bruce got a letter form a legal dept. of 3M methinks saying sm-th "there's nothing directly actionable but we do not appreciate your parody of our fine company" after Heaadcrash got published. Bruce Bethke is a technical writer in his other life and, yes, he does know his guns...prefers bolt rifles because they work but has eclectic tastes when it comes to plinkers. His wife is the one to watch out for: her tool of choice is a 12ga pump and she's reputed to be good with it. Nice lady with a great sense of humor; a bit like DC.

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Oleg "cornered rat" Volk (JPFO,NRA)

http://dd-b.net/RKBA
 
I second(third?) a vote for Hardwired. The panzers kicked much butt.

Try SnowCrash by Neal Stephenson. With the main character being called Hiro Protagonist, you can't go wrong. Very cool tech and weapons. As I recall, there was something to do with a chaingun/railgun cutting into a battleship at the water line. No small task I'm sure.
 
Thats the one!
Yeah - gibbson doesnt know much - but his visions of the future are very interesting.
Gibson got a little high tech this time - his back cover photo - he actually has a cell phone! Probably gave him Hives.
 
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