Samuel Delaney was a big influence; Gibson wrote the foreword to newer editions of Dhalgren. Gibson has also said John Brunner was also a big influence, and pr

Samuel Delaney was a big influence; Gibson wrote the foreword to newer editions of Dhalgren. Gibson has also said John Brunner was also a big influence, and praised The Sheep Look Up (which is great). I wonder if Gibson read Alfred Bester, whose The Stars My Destination certainly has something cyberpunk in it. His lesser-known novel The Computer Connection (also known as Extro) is also terrific.