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.

A chicken seller carries his chickens on his head in the market in Peshawar, Pakistan, August 20, 2015. (Photo by Khuram Parvez/Reuters)

Samba dancers outside Woolwich station celebrate the opening of the Elizabeth Line in London, England on May 23, 2022. Originally due to open in December 2018, the £18.8bn railway links Reading and Essex via central London. (Photo by Jill Mead/The Guardian)

American actress and singer Bella Thorne attends the GQ Mexico Men of The Year Awards 2017 on October 26, 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Victor Chavez/Getty Images)

Victoria's Secret Angel Martha Hunt celebrates the 2015 What Is s*xy? List in San Diego on September 26, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Victoria's Secret)

People in Mexico wave at U.S. Border Patrol agents on horseback patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border fence near San Diego, California, U.S., November 10, 2016. (Photo by Mike Blake/Reuters)

A fisherman throws his net beside a half-submerged M/V Palawan Pearl after it collided with a Cyprus-flagged BKM 104 dredger in Manila bay, Philippines on Thursday, July 8, 2021. A Philippine cargo vessel and a Cyprus-flagged dredger collided in a Manila Bay anchorage area early Thursday, resulting in no injuries but causing the cargo vessel to list and lie half-submerged in the busy waters. (Photo by Aaron Favila/AP Photo)