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 young woman holds a weapon during a basic combat training for civilians, organized by the Special Forces Unit Azov, of Ukraine's National Guard, in Mariupol, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Sunday, February 13, 2022. The United States is evacuating almost all of the staff from its embassy in Kyiv as Western intelligence officials warn that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is increasingly imminent. (Photo by Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo)

A man dressed as Darth Vader goes through the turnstile at Lermontovsky Prospekt station on the Moscow metro in Moscow, Russia on May 4, 2017. (Photo by Vyacheslav Prokofyev/TASS)

Ellie Alderson partner of Ollie Watkins (ENG) and Lewis Capaldi the wife of Dean Henderson (ENG) Aine May Kennedy partner of Conor Gallagher (ENG) Megan Davison wife of Jordan Pickford (ENG) at Arena Aufschalke, Gelsenkirchen, Germany on June 16, 2024. (Photo by Moritz Muller/Alamy Live News)

A jockey falls off during a traditional Barapan Kebo or buffalo races, in Taliwang, on the island of Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia November 22, 2015. Around 250 pairs of water buffalo took part in the Barapan Kebo ahead of the planting season, for prizes which included a top prize of a pilgrimage to Mecca. (Photo by Sigit Pamungkas/Reuters)

A woman walks past a giant Pac-Man in Tokyo's Shinjuku area, Wednesday, August 12, 2015. The three-meter (about nine feet and 10 inches)-tall Pac-Man and other video game characters, made of Lego bricks, were on display to promote the upcoming movie “Pixels”. (Photo by Ken Aragaki/AP Photo)

A woman holds her veil as she takes part in Huranga, a game played between men and women a day after Holi, at Dauji temple near Mathura, March 3, 2018. (Photo by Adnan Abidi/Reuters)

Nick Krist makes a funny face as he and his son, Noah, 8, take a selfie before a baseball game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, July 22, 2015, in Anaheim, Calif. (Photo by Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)