Participants play in the mud as they plant rice samplings during National Paddy Day, also called Asar Pandra, that marks the commencement of rice crop planting in paddy fields as monsoon season arrives, in Dhading, Nepal, June 30, 2019. (Photo by Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters)

A Hindu devotee lies on a road as she worships the Sun god during the religious festival of Chhath Puja in Kolkata, India October 26, 2017. (Photo by Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters)

Pro-democracy protesters dressed in traditional Thai costumes take part in an anti-government rally in Bangkok on October 14, 2020. (Photo by Jack Taylor/AFP Photo)

Models present Victoria Secret Fantasy Bras priced at $2 million each during a media preview of the Singapore JewelFest in Singapore October 8, 2015. The festival which is in its 13th year, sees over 42 Asian designers participating and over $300 million worth of jewels for sale. It opens from October 9 to 18. (Photo by Edgar Su/Reuters)

Punjab police's “Shakti Teams” a squad formed for women safety waits before an official flag off ceremony in Amritsar on September 14, 2021. (Photo by Narinder Nanu/AFP Photo)

An aerial drone photo shows a view of the Wujiangzhai scenic spot in Zunyi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 14, 2024. The Wujiangzhai scenic spot, with its natural landscape and local folk customs, offers a blend of sightseeing, leisure activities and exhibitions, making it a popular destination for tourists. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

An elephant tries to eat leaves during a religious procession called Jal Yatra, ahead of the annual Rath Yatra, or chariot procession of Hindu god Lord Jagannath, in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (Photo by Ajit Solanki/AP Photo)

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.