this post was submitted on 27 Jan 2024
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Cyberpunk

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What is Cyberpunk?

Cyberpunk is a science-fiction sub-genre dealing with the integration of society and technology in dystopian settings. Often referred to as “low-life and high tech,” Cyberpunk stories deal with outsiders (punks) who fight against the oppressors in society (usually mega corporations that control everything) via technological means (cyber). If the punks aren’t actively fighting against a megacorp, they’re still dealing with living in a world completely dependent on high technology.

Cyberpunk characteristics include:

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Hardwired (1986) by Walter Jon Williams is a classic cyberpunk novel. It hits all the themes of cyberpunk while also taking place in the wasteland, rather than your standard cyberpunk setting of an overgrown city.

I feel like the original cover (left) totally captures what this book is. It's 80s, it's cyberpunk, it's in the wasteland. You might say it's cheesy now, but I bet It's a good visual representation of what the author was thinking.

Now look at the reprint (right) from 2006. That's just awful. I mean, sure, he's in the wasteland, but that just looks like a cheap photoshop job. Look at those sunglasses, is that a robot eye or a lens flare? What's with his puffy jacket? Ugh, I'm just so annoyed by it. Especially because the book is good, and I highly recommend it. But if you saw that cover on the right at a store, you definitely wouldn't think it was a cyberpunk classic from the 80s.

Speaking of which, check out the cover for the audiobook:

I'm not sure which is worse, the 2006 re-print or this audiobook cover. It's such a shame what they're doing to this book with these lazy covers.

Anyway, I recommend Hardwired for any cyberpunk fans who haven't read it. I just wanted to also complain about how lazy the covers are in all the reprints.

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[–] robolemmy 3 points 9 months ago

I still have the paperback with the original cover. I bought it new, and have read it many times. I'm not a collector, so it's pretty tattered at this point.