“The sky above the port was the colour of television, tuned to a dead channel.”
Looking for the best cyberpunk books that capture the thrill of high-tech worlds and dystopian futures? Whether you’re new to the genre or a longtime fan, cyberpunk novels offer pulsating stories filled with hackers, AI, megacorporations, and resistance. From classic cyberpunk books like Neuromancer to modern cyberpunk novels redefining the genre, these tales explore the darker sides of technology and human survival. Here at What We Reading, we’ve rounded up the top cyberpunk books you need to read, including iconic works that shaped the genre and underrated cyberpunk books just waiting to be discovered. Whether you love gritty noir aesthetics, thrilling action, or thought-provoking themes, these cyberpunk sci-fi books will whisk you away to new electrifying worlds.
What Is Cyberpunk?
Cyberpunk is a subgenre within science fiction that explores high-tech futures where advanced technologies collide with societal decay. Set in worlds dominated by megacorporations, cybernetic enhancements, artificial intelligence and hackers, cyberpunk books often blend noir aesthetics with dystopian themes. These stories question the impact of technology on humanity, exploring issues such as surveillance, free will and corporate control.
Classic cyberpunk novels established the genre with gritty, neon-lit cityscapes and rebellious antiheroes, whilst more contemporary cyberpunk stories expand on these ideas with fresh perspectives and more timely themes. Cyberpunk is a genre worth exploring if you enjoy fast-paced thrillers, morally complex protagonists and futuristic worlds that feel eerily possible.
Now, let’s dive into some of the best cyberpunk books you should consider adding to your reading list!
Neuromancer (Sprawl #1) – William Gibson
Kicking off our list of the best cyberpunk books is the novel that helped define the genre in the first place, William Gibson’s Neuromancer. Set in a dystopian future where hackers, AI and corporate espionage dominate society, the story follows Case, a washed-up computer hacker who has lost his ability to access cyberspace. Desperate for redemption, he is recruited by a mysterious employer, Armitage, and the deadly street samurai, Molly Millions, for a high-stakes mission involving a powerful AI known as Wintermute.
Blending high-tech and low-life, Neuromancer explores themes of artificial intelligence, virtual reality and the dark side of corporate control. Its neon-drenched cities, cyberspace landscapes and noir-style intrigue helped put cyberpunk sci-fi on the map.
Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? (Blade Runner) – Philip K. Dick
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick is one of the most influential cyberpunk books, inspiring the iconic film Blade Runner. Set in a dystopian future ravaged by nuclear war, the story centres around Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter tasked with ‘retiring’ rogue androids who have escaped to Earth. These androids, almost entirely indistinguishable from humans, challenge the boundaries of identity, morality and artificial intelligence.
As Deckard hunts the androids, he questions what it truly means to be human. Meanwhile, society clings to artificial emotions, robotic pets and the religion of Mercerism to cope with the bleak realities surrounding it With its thought-provoking meditations on AI consciousness, empathy and technological control, Dick’s novel remains a must-read for any cyberpunk sci-fi book fans.
Void Star – Zachary Mason
Zachary Mason’s Void Star is a cerebral literary take on cyberpunk books, weaving together AI, memory and corporate intrigue in a haunting near-future environment. The story charts three interconnected protagonists: Irina, a high-level AI specialist who can communicate with artificial intelligence; Kern, a street-smart thief on the run; and Thales, the son of a powerful politician hounded by mysterious visions. As their paths collide, they discover a hidden force manipulating the world’s most advanced technologies.
With its poetic prose and profound philosophical questions about consciousness and reality, Void Star stands apart from traditional cyberpunk books. It explores themes of AI autonomy, mind augmentation and the ever-expanding divide between the elite and the dispossessed in a tale that goes beyond the typical high-octane action.
The Quantum Thief (Jean le Flambeur #1) – Hannu Rajaniemi
One of the best cyberpunk books for blending high-stakes heists, mind-bending science and advanced technologies, Hannu Rajaniemi introduces readers to the iconic Jean le Flambeur in The Quantum Thief. Le Flambeur is a master thief who has been imprisoned in a quantum prison by his own mind. Freed by a sentient spaceship named Mie and a mysterious warrior, Micha, he sets out on a mission to recover stolen memories whilst navigating a future where information is a commodity and society has been separated by digital currencies and post-human politics.
Against a backdrop where advanced tech like uploadable consciousness, quantum computing and sentient robots are all a part of the every day, The Quantum Thief is a story that explores themes of identity, memory and the impact of technology in a way that pushes the cyberpunk genre to its boundaries.
Snow Crash – Neal Stephenson
Hiro Protagonist is a hacker and pizza delivery driver who happens upon a dangerous computer virus called Snow Crash that has the potential to threaten both the digital and physical worlds. As Hiro teams up with Y.T., a rebellious courier, they are hauled into a dangerous conspiracy that links the virus to ancient Sumerian mythology and the very future of human consciousness.
With its exploration of virtual reality, the internet, corporate control and the collision of culture, Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash is a seminal work in the cyberpunk sci-fi genre. The novel’s witty narrative, world-building and unique take on cyberspace help make it a thrillingly fast-paced satirical story that blends hacking, linguistics and virtual reality.
Altered Carbon (Takeshi Kovacs #1) – Richard K. Morgan
Richard Morgan’s Altered Carbon is a gripping cyberpunk book that combines hardboiled detective noir with high-tech science fiction. Set in a future where human consciousness can be digitally stored and transferred between bodies, the story follows Takeshi Kovacs, a former soldier turned private investigator. Kovacs is hired by a wealthy businessman, Laurens Bancroft, to investigate his apparent suicide, which may, in reality, have been a murder.
As Kovacs is immersed deeper in the case, he discovers a complex web of corruption, power and intrigue within a society where life and death are no longer permanent. With its themes of identity, immortality and the commodification of the human soul, Altered Carbon is a cyberpunk novel that explores the dark potential that comes with futuristic technologies.
Machinehood – S.B. Divya
S.B. Divya introduces a near-future world where artificial intelligence and robots have transformed society in Machinehood. The novel follows Mira, a former soldier turned security contractor, as she uncovers a shocking plot involving the Machinehood, a group of rogue AIs demanding equal rights for machines. As the world wrestles with mass automation and the rise of sentient machines, Mira is forced to navigate a web of political intrigue, corporate greed and a series of impossible ethical decisions to prevent a global crisis.
With its exploration of AI rights, labour in a post-human economy and the complex intersection between humans and robots, Machinehood is a must-read for fans of cyberpunk books. Divya’s unique blending of action, social commentary and futuristic technology helps to make this one of the standout recent additions to the genre.
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The Cybernetic Samurai – Victor Milan
The Cybernetic Samurai by Victor Milan is a fast-paced cyberpunk book that blends martial arts, robotics and futuristic action within a dystopian world. The story centres around Takashi, a skilled samurai with cybernetic enhancements, in a society where the boundaries between man and machine are becoming increasingly blurred.
When Takashi is tasked with protecting a powerful and influential woman from a dangerous criminal syndicate, he is forced to wrestle with his own identity as both a human and a machine in a society that sees him as little more than a weapon to be used. Combining body augmentation and honour in a high-tech world, Cybernetic Samurai offers readers a truly classic cyberpunk experience.
When Gravity Fails (Marid Audran #1) – George Alec Effinger
One of the most groundbreaking and unique cyberpunk books, George Alec Effinger’s When Gravity Fails is set against a backdrop of a future where body modifications and mind-altering technologies redefine identity and morality. Marid Audran is a small-time hustler in the chaotic, crime-ridden streets of Budayeen, a city in the Middle East ruled over by corrupt politicians and powerful gangsters.
Marid soon becomes entangled in a dangerous web of intrigue when he is recruited to investigate a series of bizarre and mysterious murders, all while grappling with his own identity after undergoing illegal mind enhancements. With its gritty atmosphere, complex characters and society on the brink, When Gravity Fails brings elements of detective noir with cyberpunk’s trademark commentaries of technology and societal decay for a darker, more introspective take on the genre.
This Is How You Lose The Time War – Amal El-Mohtar And Max Gladstone
Another one of the best new cyberpunk books that offers a blend of the tried-and-tested formula and speculative fiction, This Is How You Lose the Time War is a story that explores the complex and poetic relationship between two time-travelling agents from rival futures. Red and Blue are each assigned to ensure their timeline’s dominance by altering key historical moments.
Yet, as they cross paths throughout time, they soon start to develop an unexpected and deeply emotional connection that challenges the very fabric of existence itself. With its lyrical prose and ponderings of fate, love and the multiverse, Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone’s story defies traditional cyberpunk sci-fi works, offering a fresh take on the genre that is sure to resonate with both veteran and newer readers alike.
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
