Sterling certainly views himself as an expert in the field. He name-drops and cites authors of the past whom I hardly recognize, all of this leading me to think that he knows more than I do about the subject. He probably does. He certainly gives the cyberpunk movement an aura of romanticism, linking it to such sexy archetypes as "the sun-starig visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." I agree that cyberpunk involves invasive integration of man and machine. Sterling seems to think that the future of the Movement is wide open regarding its course and development.
In sad contrast to the eager love of the Movement in the preface, Sterling seems to agree with Shiner that cyberpunk is dead. He seems to be a man who has had to grow up and lose his ideals and perhaps his creativity. He feels that it is the next generation's responsibility to come up with the next exciting genre. I don't know if cyberpunk is actually over, though. There might be nothing truly novel in it anymore, but there is still the possibility of great entertainment and philosophical value. I do feel that cyberpunk is about "the truth. It won't go away because we cover our eyes." Cyberpunk is all about confronting harsh reality and dealing with it the best way we can -- which never suffices.
I wish that we could read the whole book, instead of just these excerpts. However, reading the beginning again has brought back my memories of when I read the book a couple of years ago. It was only the second cyberpunk book I'd read, the first having been Williams's Hard Wired. Both of these books, I think, need to be read a couple of times to be truly appreciated. Sterling is right, in the preface to Mirrorshades, when he says that the genre uses "'crammed' prose". There is indeed too much sensory input, and a lot of the writing gets screened out, especially when one is unfamiliar with that sort of style. Both Neuromancer and Snow Crash start out in dizzying overdrive, sending you crashing straight into the story, where you are either overwhelmed or learn to comprehend. It is interesting to note how Frank Herbert loved to send his readers crashing out of the story, while the newer generation starts out fast, and then slows down. This time, however, upon reading the excerpts, I was able to cope and to comprehend. My familiarity with the genre and the terms has greatly increased in the last couple of years.
This story sucks. I mean it. This is not cyberpunk. It's weird fiction. It's something that would make a really good Twilight Zone episode. It's got drugs. But it's not cyberpunk. The cyberpunk future is a hell of a lot more gothic, more dirty. It is not a future of shining cities and shining people. And it's much more centered on Earth, with as little mention as possible of UFOs. If I had read the story when it was not hiding in a collection of cyberpunk stories, I would have enjoyed it.
This is cyberpunk. It's got implants, AI's, sex, people and computers doing dirty deeds against their better judgement and against their morals. It's also a story of people fighting to retain their humanity, struggling to master the machinery under their skin. There also is the dirty, used feeling of the space-station, that is so often associated with cyberpunk fiction. Reminds me of Alien, now that I think about it.
In what seems to be a story that bridges the gap between classic science fiction and cyberpunk fiction, a present day photographer sees a possible future dream which died. It incorporates many cyberpunk "ideals", such as drugs, the preference of sleaze and individuality over luxury and sameness, and an outsider's point of view.
This is a really neat story. It shows humans reduced to property; humans as machines used by the masses. While I cannot understand the details of exactly how Gina synthesizes the music, it seems that there is some jacking in occuring. Gina is an outsider, a user of drugs - the usual cyberpunk themes. However, there is definitely something significant in the fact that she is sooo old. It may just be a bridge to the past so that readers of the story can identify with her. I think I would understand and get much more out of the full-length book.
As seems common in cyberpunk, Rickenharp is an outsider, with roots that tie him to the past in which the reader reads. This is much like Gina in Rock On. He is on the fringes and a drug abuser and a non-conformist like most main characters in such fiction. Freezone reminds me much of the floating colony in Snow Crash, except for the fact that one is a refugee camp and the other is a posh burbclave. I love the way such a short story has such a detailed history and culture in just a few pages. The different fashion styles are very interesting, as well as the new minimono music. I especially like the shadowrun team.
I agree wholeheartedly with everything that Cadigan says. She writes in a much more friendly, down-to-earth manner than Sterling. I also like the fact that she is claiming that CP is not dead. She also does it in a much less snooty, authoritative manner than does Sterling. I especially like her comments about how SF is about cultural shift. I think it's important to know that the dreams of a society reflect its inner nature and awareness. (I just can't say that as poetically as I would like.)
Shiner seems as burned-out as Sterling. It is true that there is now a formula for cyberpunk, but, in a broader sense, the original cp authors used still older formulas for tale-telling (Snake-Eyes, for example). There might be no novelty left in cp, but the genre can still be used to communicate messages. I doubt that pop culture will let go of cp as easily as Shiner predicts. It seems that the harsh, cold, bleak view of the world is something that appeals more and more to mainstream society as they lose their illusions. It helps to know that the world is just as bad for everyone else. As for Shiner's slam of "Aliens"...that's uncalled for. RIpley may be a Rambo-like character, but at least she's a woman, taking control of situations that men and supermales can't handle. I think "Aliens" has a lot to say about meeting ultimate evil, other species, and facing our most primal fears. I would even wager to say that some might consider "Aliens" cyberpunk. Or maybe I just want everything that I really like to be lumped into one category that can be called cyberpunk.