Nexus by Ramez Naam is a near-term science fiction novel about the evolution and implications of neurotechnology (in particular, two-way communication with the brain at cellular resolution). The book is a fun and easy going read, likely to be thought-provoking for any scientist or technologist, and strikes a reasonable balance between extrapolation and speculation in predicting future technologies and capabilities.

Nexus also motivated me to revisit some related classics in the genre; I find it impressive how much the early novels by William Gibson (for example, Neuromancer, published in 1984) remain spiritually in tune with some present day views on what advances in computation and neuroscience may lead towards. It’s unfortunate Gibson’s more recent novels are not nearly as compelling or far-reaching in their ambition.