From this article, the reader learns about the direction in the genre of scientific fiction, called cyberpunk. This review I tried make it brief and informative at the same time.
Cyberpunk — a new literary fiction flow, whose popularity began in the 80s of the last century. Title derived from the definitions:
- Cyber — connected with computer networks, virtuality.
- Punk is an opponent of popular culture.
According to the laws of this genre most of the events occur in cyberspace, in the era of information wars and total control. Characters — people and computers. Characters are rebels, individualists, often denying laws and regulations. Meaning of their life is to fight organized crime called “Monopolistic corporations”. The action takes place not far away galaxies, not on the planets of the solar system, but on Earth. Time actions are the near future, relatively prosperous, without wars and shocks. Everything around is so computerized that the man himself becomes a product of nanotechnology, it is installed telepathic communication with the computer. The hero exists inside information network that allows you to ignore the limitations of modern Internet, therefore, without thinking, is able to circumvent human principles of morality and ethics.
Below is a small selection of cyberpunk works:
1. Sergey Lukyanenko — “Deeptown” series, another name for the series “Maze of Reflection”,
2. William Gibson — the stories included in the collection of “Neuromant”,
3. Greg Egan — “Diaspora”,
4. Alexey Kalugin — “There (City of Rats)”,
5. Alexander Zorich — “The Last Avatar”.
A small reminder. In my library you can for free and without registering download and read cyberpunk books (at least some). There are books that make up Russian cyberpunk.
Cyberpunk works have the following features:
1. The place of action is our planet, the stone jungles of the modern quarters.
2. The time of action is the near future, the period of the computer-information boom.
3. Characters are differ cyber addicted, pessimistic attitude to what is happening, reflection is not their trait.
4. The plot is based on the struggle of a person against criminal corporations. As a method of struggle chosen hacking.
In the cyberpunk genre, a lot of movies, anime, computer games. The cyberpunk style is present in the visual arts, design, clothes.
So you learned what cyberpunk is. Sometimes I wonder: maybe Cyberpunk — this is not fantasy?