William Gibson is not one of the authors that spits out novels like a machine – in his long and fruitful career he has only published 11 novels andof short stories and articles in the tens each. Still his impact on modern literature was huge – the “noir prophet” of the cyberpunk subgenre (that he was one of the pioneers of) has predicted the rise of reality television, virtual reality, video games and the internet. He is a Hugo and Nebula award winning science fiction writer, with a special eye for what the future might bring.

In this photo taken on Saturday, May 16, 2015, Snoek fish with salt on them after they were cleaned in Lambert's Bay, South Africa. The boats line up along the jetty, bobbing in the cold south Atlantic waters, bringing in the day's catch in the early afternoon. The long silver snoek fish is one of South Africa's traditional foods, and a main source of income for the town of Lambert's Bay. (Photo by Schalk van Zuydam/AP Photo)

Athletes attend training session at the Ak Bulak Nordic Arena outside Almaty, Kazakhstan, July 16, 2015. Kazakhstan is aspiring to host the 2022 Winter Olympics but many in the Central Asian nation view the bid as yet another vanity project of long-ruling President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Almaty, the financial capital, will go head-to-head with the Chinese metropolis Beijing on Friday when the International Olympic Committee elects the winner at its session in Malaysia. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

Artists perform during the opening show directed by German director Volker Hesse, on the opening day of the Gotthard rail tunnel, at the fairground Rynaecht at the northern portal in Erstfeld, Switzerland, Wednesday, June 1, 2016. The construction of the 57 kilometer long tunnel began in 1999, the breakthrough was in 2010. After the official opening on June 1, the commercial operation will start in December 2016. (Photo by Ruben Sprich\Pool Photo via AP Photo)

People walk on a sightseeing platform in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, China, August 1, 2016. China has opened a 100-metre-long glass skywalk stretching around a cliff on the side of the Tianmen Mountain. The skywalk provides a view of a 300-metre drop and overlooks Tongtian Avenue, a mountain road with 99 turns that snakes up the mountain. When translated in English, it means “Avenue to the Sky”. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)

A swimmer disguised as Superman dives into the lake during the 78th “Coupe de Noel” (Christmas cup) swimming race in the Lake Geneva, on December 18, 2016 in Geneva. More than 1800 participants took part in the event, a 12-meter-long swimming off the Geneva's bank in the 7 degrees Celsius cold water. (Photo by Fabrice Coffrini/AFP Photo)

A fisherman carries a silver carp during a traditional fish haul at the Horusicky pond near the town of Veseli nad Luznici, Czech Republic, Tuesday, October 24, 2017. Each autumn, Czech fishermen get to serious business of a century-long tradition of catching carp for Christmas markets. Southern Bohemia, where the Horusicky pond is located, with its elaborate network of ponds is at the center of the local carp universe. (Photo by Petr David Josek/AP Photo)

A supporter wears a mask of US President Donald Trump on August 17, 2020 in Mankato, Minnesota as the president delivers remarks on jobs and the economy. (Photo by Kerem Yucel/AFP Photo)