The Recurring Cast
Character guide · 7 books · 1985 to 2004

Bruce Sterling

Science fictionCyberpunk

Bruce Sterling was a founder of cyberpunk and editor of the anthology Mirrorshades. His novels are standalones packed with near-future ideas, from the Shaper and Mechanist factions of Schismatrix to the information-war world of Islands in the Net.

Best estimate, compiled from series guides, publisher descriptions and reviews where available, and from memory otherwise. Book level only, not chapter level. Minor includes cameos and brief references. Each book carries a confidence rating in its tooltip. His novels do not share recurring characters, so each book's lead is charted.

Vote for Bruce Sterling as a favourite author, and for books and characters below. See the favourites

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Who appears in which book

Click a name to follow that character from book to book, or a book title to see its cast.

LLeadMMajor·MinorHas a note
The chart needs JavaScript. The reading order and character list below work without it.

Bruce Sterling books in order

Each series in publication order, with its lead characters. Where the story runs in a different order, switch to Story order. Crossover books are marked and listed under their main series. Use My books to track what you have read.

Novels

7 books · Set in various placesCyberpunk
  1. 1Schismatrix1985With Abelard LindsayBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Islands in the Net1988With Laura WebsterBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Heavy Weather1994With Alex UngerBuy on Amazon
  4. 4Holy Fire1996With Mia ZiemannBuy on Amazon
  5. 5Distraction1998With Oscar ValparaisoBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Zeitgeist2000With Leggy StarlitzBuy on Amazon
  7. 7The Zenith Angle2004With Derek VandeveerBuy on Amazon

Characters

7 recurring and key characters, with the book each one first appears in.

Leads