Software; Wetware; Freeware; Realware
Rudy Rucker
Your Guide to the 21st Century!It starts with Software, where rebel robots bring immortality to their human creator by eating his brain. Software won the first Philip K. Dick Award.In Wetware, the robots decide to start building people­—and people get strung out on an insane new drug called merge. This cyberpunk classic garnered a second Philip K. Dick award.By Freeware, the robots have evolved into soft plastic slugs called moldies­—and some human "cheeseballs" want to have sex with them. The action redoubles when aliens begin arriving in the form of cosmic rays.And with Realware, the humans and robots reach a higher plateau. (Includes an introductory essay by William Gibson.)
Call him Cobb Anderson2. Cobb2 didn't drink. Cobb envied him. He hadn't had a completely sober day since he had the operation and left his wife.
"How did you get here?"
The robot waved a hand palm up. Cobb liked the way the gesture looked on someone else. "I can't tell you," the machine said. "You know how most people feel about us."
Cobb chuckled his agreement. He should know. At first the public had been delighted that Cobb's moon-robots had evolved into intelligent boppers. That had been before Ralph Numbers had led the 2001 revolt. After the revolt, Cobb had been tried for treason. He focused back on the present.
"If you're a bopper, then how can you be... here?" Cobb waved his hand in a vague circle, taking in the hot sand and the setting sun. "It's too hot. All the boppers I know of are based on supercooled circuits. Do you have a refrigeration unit hidden in your stomach?"
Anderson2 made another familiar hand-gesture. "I'm not going to tell you yet, Cobb. Later you'
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Ross Campbell
This is a great compilation of four books that Rudy Rucker wrote over twenty-something years. It's fantastic and should be essential reading for all sci-fi fans. I'm amazed this can be downloaded for free!
bhold
Very entertaining and well written look into a future full of surprises.
tadmad
Pure delight! Highly recommended.
E Being