I'm looking for a novel that does a good job portraying what a decentralized economy / market could look like in practice in the future when widespread. It doesn't need to be the main plot (that'd be a weird book) but it should get enough focus to paint a clear picture. I'll leave it to you to decide the angle, but the story needs to be told from the perspective of an active participant.
I figured cyberpunk genre would be best since the genre lends itself perfectly to this theme, but really any interesting suggestions are welcome!
Extra points for grey plots and characters, dark, mature writing, etc., similar to how Richard K. Morgan writes 😉
by Gigusx
1 Comment
For a book about a society that is heading towards this, Sheri S Tepper’s “The Fresco” is a good one. Basically, benevolent aliens come to 1990s-USA and choose an ordinary New Mexico woman to be their ambassador. They set about trying to solve all of Earth’s problems with some massive implemented unfightable social changes. But are they actually benevolent? And what factions might oppose these changes, and why?
I guess HG Wells classic, The Time Machine also fits your brief. And might be a fun read.