10 Terrific Transhumanist Sci-Fi Books

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The son of a librarian, Chris M. Arnone’s love of books was as inevitable as gravity. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. His novel, The Hermes Protocol, was printed by Castle Bridge Media in 2023 and the subsequent ebook in that sequence is due out in winter 2024. His work can be present in Adelaide Literary Magazine and FEED Lit Mag. You can discover him writing extra books, poetry, and performing in Kansas City. You may also comply with him on social media (Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram, Twitter, web site).

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What is transhumanism? To put it merely, it’s using expertise to enhance or modify the human expertise. In some ways, our very actuality is transhumanist. I’m writing this text on my laptop computer. My smartphone is close by. My good watch is on my wrist. Many individuals put on glasses, which is a expertise. Clothes are a type of expertise, although they might not appear that method anymore.

But after we’re speaking about transhumanist fiction, we’re largely speaking about science fiction. We’re not speaking in regards to the mundane methods through which expertise enhances our lives, however within the far-flung and ingenious ways in which authors think about expertise altering our lives. Bodily autonomy is a core theme. Metaphors for transgender struggles abound. In transhumanist sci-fi books, the physique is simply one other factor that you simply personal, one other factor so that you can change as you see match. Your physique doesn’t outline you.

If this seems like cyberpunk, you’re not unsuitable. I’ve written about the very best cyberpunk novels of all time. There is actually quite a lot of overlap, although cyberpunk requires a “high technology, low life” theme. To be clear, all cyberpunk books are transhumanist, however not all transhumanist books are cyberpunk. As a consequence, I’ll attempt to preserve the cyberpunk to a minimal on this checklist.

Keeping that in thoughts, listed below are 10 terrific transhumanist sci-fi books so as to add to your TBR.

Accelerando by Charles Stross

This ebook is like each transhumanist variation blended into one fascinating novel. AI has surpassed human intelligence. Biotechnological beings imply people are yesterday’s information. This story focuses on three people struggling to outlive on this universe; all of the whereas, one thing is making an attempt to take our photo voltaic system aside.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

That’s proper, the very first science fiction novel can also be a piece of transhumanism, although I’m undecided Mary Shelley would have used the time period. After all, the monster wouldn’t even exist with out expertise. So even the earliest sci-fi novel was making an attempt to warn us in regards to the risks expertise poses to our humanity.

Dawn by Octavia E. Butler

Lilith has been asleep aboard an alien ship for hundreds of years. She didn’t know till she’d woken that the aliens saved humanity, curing illnesses and strengthening us. Now, they’re waking humanity up, however their salvation has a steep value. As at all times, Butler explores race and gender on this unimaginable transhumanist sci-fi ebook.

Memory by Linda Nagata

Jubilee lives on a synthetic world that’s usually swept by floods of “silver.” This silver takes individuals away and takes recollections. Everyone is aware of that no one comes again from the silver. But when a mysterious stranger comes asking after Jubilee’s misplaced brother, she units off to search out him. She simply may uncover her personal recollections alongside the way in which.

Nexus by Ramez Naam

This near-future transhumanist sci-fi ebook focuses on a drug referred to as Nexus that permits people to hyperlink minds. Some individuals need it gone; others wish to exploit it. When one scientist works to enhance it, he abruptly finds himself in over his head with political machinations and worldwide intrigue.

Noor by Nnedi Okorafor

I couldn’t make this checklist with out together with a minimum of somewhat cyberpunk, proper? Noor leans actually laborious into the transhumanist components with the disabled protagonist who makes use of expertise to show disabilities into benefits. This ebook is a extremely enjoyable and high-octane journey, too.

cover of Queen Jazz City by Kathleen Ann Goonan

Queen City Jazz by Kathleen Ann Goonan

Verity lives in a world decimated by nanotech plagues. So she lives out on a farm, removed from the worst of the plague. But when her greatest pal is shot and thrown right into a nanotech cocoon, Verity should enterprise into close by Cincinnati to avoid wasting him. What she finds there may be greater than she’d bargained for, and she or he’ll must rule this metropolis if she needs to outlive it.

cover of Revelation Space by Alistair Reynolds

Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds

Dan is a scientist making an attempt to find why an historic civilization was worn out simply earlier than they found house flight. He varieties an uneasy alliance with a cyborg spaceship crew to search out the reality, however somebody is making an attempt to kill Dan. That historic civilization was destroyed for a cause, and that cause is a secret that some are prepared to kill for.

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang

Ted Chiang usually writes about transhumanist themes, and this assortment of his brief fiction reveals simply how deep Chiang goes. These tales usually give attention to sudden adjustments, normally of the transhumanist selection, that make us query all the pieces we find out about humanity. “Story of Your Life,” the title story, was the idea for the film Arrival.

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

Okay, yet another nice cyberpunk novel for the checklist. And as soon as once more, it’s one which leans closely into the transhumanist themes with bioengineered crops, meals shortages, and androids looking for a greater place in society. This novel is high-stakes and stuffed with fascinating political intrigue alongside deeply private tales.

What are a few of your favourite transhumanist sci-fi books? Anything within the post-cyberpunk or different non-cyberpunk varieties? I’m at all times looking out for extra.