Agency (novel) explained

Agency
Author:William Gibson
Country:United States
Genre:Science fiction
Publisher:Berkley Books
Pub Date:January 21, 2020
Pages:496
Isbn:110198693X
Preceded By:The Peripheral

Agency is a science fiction novel by American-Canadian writer William Gibson, released on January 21, 2020.[1]

It is a 'sequel and a prequel'[2] to his previous novel The Peripheral (2014), reusing the technology from the novel to explore an alternative 2017 where Hillary Clinton won the 2016 Presidential Election. The story line further explores the concept of "the jackpot", a back-story element of The Peripheral.

One plot is set in the alternative 2017, with a young woman named Verity testing a new form of avatar software developed by the military, for a start-up in San Francisco. A second plot line involves people in a post-apocalyptic 22nd century meddling with 2017.[3]

CBC Books listed Agency on its list of Canadian fiction to watch for in spring 2020. It had originally been planned to be published in January 2018.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Agency by William Gibson. Penguin Random House. April 20, 2020.
  2. News: Sci-Fi Writer William Gibson Reimagines the World After the 2016 Election . Alter . Alexandra . April 25, 2017 . . April 28, 2017 . 0362-4331.
  3. News: New William Gibson novel set in a world where Hillary Clinton won . Kean . Danuta . April 26, 2017 . . April 28, 2017 . 0261-3077.