In my opinion, it perfects what Neuromancer and the Sprawl Trilogy introduced,
with more sociopolitical commentary and things to say, and far better character
work. If you’re looking to scratch the same itch as Edgerunners, this needs to
be your next read. The best part? It’s short.
It's the same as the city, Sarah knows, the same hierarchy of power, beginning with the blocs in the orbits and ending with people who might as well be the fieldmice in front of the blades of the harvester, pointless, countless lives in the path of a structure that can't be stopped. She feels the anger coiling around her like armor. The chance to rest, she thinks, was nice while it lasted. But right now another fragment of time must be survived.
Hardwired was awesome! I really liked how it took place outside of the big cities for the most part. A lot of cyberpunk just stays in the city limits. Mega City 1 basically has anything outside of the (admittedly huge) city completely unlivable.
Yeah, I enjoyed that part of Hardwired a lot as well. As alluring and interesting as sprawling neon megalopolises of the dark future are, contrast and variety is good.