The Circle, Dave Eggers imagines a near-future dystopian future in which a software business named the Circle unifies identity verification, social networking, search, and other functions into a single digital ecosystem. Mae Holland, the main character, starts working at the Circle and is progressively sucked into its culture of radical transparency, pervasive surveillance, and the…
Tag: science fiction
The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson is a multi-layered, intellectually daring book that combines post-cyberpunk themes, steampunk flair, Victorian sensibilities, and cyberpunk aesthetics. In a near-future world where nanotechnology rules, this 1995 novel, which explores how technology transforms society, education, class, and identity, continues to be a mainstay of speculative fiction. Image Cover: amazon.com The…
We Are Satellites by Sarah Pinsker
In the near future depicted in Pinsker’s book, brain-connected implants known as “Pilots” are the new standard. These implants divide society into those who have them and those who don’t since they promise improved multitasking. Focussing on the family—teachers Val and Julie, their teenage son David, and their daughter Sophie, who has epilepsy—the narrative examines…