The science fiction genre has a lot of subgenres and that is important for many readers. Because the genre is vast, there are endless possibilities. One of those subgenres that fans have flocked towards is cyberpunk. Keep reading for our list of the best cyberpunk books of all time!
What is Cyberpunk?
Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction that combines elements with dystopian novels that tend to take place in the future. They often combine high tech with morally questionable characters. Part of the enthrall is the technological and scientific achievements of the world occupied by the characters.
The Best Cyberpunk Books of All Time
- A Song Called Youth Trilogy by John Shirley
- The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
- Neuromancer by William Gibson
- China 2185 by Liu Cixin
- Mirrorshades (Edited) by Bruce Sterling
- Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow
- Nova by Samuel R. Delany
- Synners by Pat Cadigan
- MaddAddam Trilogy by Margaret Atwood
- Schismatrix Plus by Bruce Sterling
- Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
- Trouble and Her Friends by Melissa Scott
- Marid Audran Trilogy by George Alec Effinger
- True Names by Vernor Vinge
- The Girl Who Was Plugged In by James Tiptree, Jr.
- Transmetropolitan Series by Warren Ellis
- Akira Series by Katsuhiro Otomo
- Accelerando by Charles Stross
- Dr. Adder Trilogy by K.W. Jeter
- Hardwired by Walter Jon Williams
- Ware Tetralogy by Rudy Rucker
Classics and Lesser-Known Books
Even if you know little about cyberpunk novels, you will recognize Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. The genre saw an emergence in the 1960’s and the 1970’s. Nova by Samuel R. Delany was also one of the leading novels in this emerging subgenre.
The first time the word cyberpunk was used was by Minnesota writer Bruce Bethke who created the word for his short story “Cyberpunk.” It quickly caught on after that. Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo was a manga series released in 1982 that was labeled as Japanese cyberpunk. The anime movie of the same name was released in 1988 and popularized this new emerging subgenre in Japan.
Conclusion
That is all for our list of the best cyberpunk books of all time. What books should we have included on this list? Let us know in the comments below!
Excellent list! One book not on your list that has been giving me questions is Kazuo Ishiguro’s “Klara and the Sun.” I think that book has most or all of the qualities you ascribe to cyberpunk, but the book just *feels* different to me than “Snow Crash” or “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.” Is there a common tone that cyberpunk books have to have? Or would you include “Klara and the Sun” as a cyberpunk novel?
I’d suggest the Takeshi Kovacs books by Richard Morgan – “Altered Carbon”, “Broken Angels” and “Woken Furies”. It takes the idea of people being able to exchange bodies, or “sleeves” and examines the ramifications of this in detail. Very noir, with some graphic violence, but extremely good reads.
The Samuel Petrovitch trilogy that starts with Equations of Life are cyber punk masterpieces. Simon Morden wrote one of the best characters who is likeably unlikable, super smart unwilling hero in a neon slick London with a nun and an AI sidekick.
The Long Run by Daniel Keys Moran and Rim by Alexander Beshir deserve mention as well.