Welcome to Mona Lisa Overpod, the show that asks the question "What is cyberpunk?" On each episode, hosts Ka1iban and author Lyda Morehouse dive into the genre that helped define sci-fi fiction in '80s and they break down its themes which remain relevant to our lives in the 21st century. Pull on your mirrorshades, jack into the matrix, and start your run with us today!

Just in time for Halloween *cough* we're talking about a selection of spooky short stories of the cyberpunk persuasion. As a sub-genre of science fiction, cyberpunk generally lacks the ghouls and ghosts of fantasy and horror storytelling. But does that mean it can't be scary and if it is, what are the unique sorced of fear in dread in cyberpunk fiction?

In this episode, we discuss the short stories 400 Boys by Marc Laidlaw, Talk to Your Children About Two-Tongued Jeremy by Theodore McCombs, Glass Reptile Breakout by Russell Blackford, and Personal Trainer by Meg Ellison. We also talk about Troll vs. Alien vs. Predator, liking that people like things, how writing is like gardening, the creeping dread of technological advancement, being under-read in cyberpunk, the importance of atmosphere to horror, the way Junji Ito juggles horror and the absurd, going after Christopher Nolan and Stephen King, call center Alien, the Duolingo Owl with a chainsaw, kids in cyberpunk, XChange, and being worried about fish music!

The horror is implied!

CW: self-harm, bullying

The new edition of Lyda's book, Ressurection Code, is out now!
https://wizardstowerpress.com/books-2/books-by-lyda-morehouse/resurrection-code/

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