A soldier reacts after falling off a horse as members of the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, arrive at Green Park for a gun salute celebrating the King's birthday in London on November 14, 2022. King Charles III is celebrating his first birthday as monarch as he turns 74. (Photo by Daniel Leal/AFP Photo)

In this photo provided by Britain's Ministry of Defense, on Monday, March 4, 2024, F-35B Lightning jets are parked at a flight deck of HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy, under the northern lights (Aurora Borealis) near the coast of Norway, Sunday, March 3, 2024. (Photo by UK Ministry of Defence via AP Photo)

Members of Panchayati Akhara Bada Udasin take part in a religious procession as they head towards the Kumbh Mela festival ahead of the royal bath near the Sangam, the confluence of three of the holiest rivers in Hindu mythology – Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati – in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, 12 January 2025. Every 12 years, Hindu pilgrims gather for ritual baths at the river's banks during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival. (Photo by Rajat Gupta/EPA)

Faces adorn crosses placed in the Garden of Remembrance of some of Britain's armed forces members who have died in Afghanistan in the Garden of Remembrance outside Westminster Abbey at the official opening of the Royal British Legion's Field of Remembrance on November 5, 2009 in London, England. (Photo by Alastair Grant-Pool/Getty Images)

LONDON - JUNE 04: A piece entitled “Entrance into wood” by Elke Krystufek goes on show at The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition on June 4, 2008 in London. In it's 240th year, the exhibition displays a wide range of recent work by both established and emerging artists. 10,000 artists submitted work for selection this year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

Darren Julien poses with two of Princess Diana's dresses which will be auctioned through WE tv & Wedding Central at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills on May 7th in celebration of the Royal Wedding, with a portion of the proceeds going to charity are shown at Times Square on April 20, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

Two rare ceramic heads from a series by Japanese ceramicist Takahiro Kondo are displayed at the “Masterpiece London” Auction on June 29, 2011 in London, England. The second “Masterpieces London” sale is currently underway at The Royal Hospital Chelsea, showcasing fine and decorative arts, jewellery, classic cars, fine wines and sculpture from over 30 dealers. The event takes place from June 30 – July 5, 2011. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

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.