The Vinestead Anthology

The Vinestead Anthology

Austin, Texas. 1998.

A hacker who calls himself X enrolls at the University of Texas, fifteen hundred miles away from his high school sweetheart C. In your world, their relationship would have relied on Hotmail, ICQ, and prepaid long-distance cards. But somewhere in the Vinestead Universe's past, the technology of their reality took a giant leap forward, allowing X to visit C in a full-sensory virtual reality known simply as the Net. But will it be enough to keep them together? Or will the infinity of the virtual world tear them apart?

Thus begins the first story in the Vinestead Anthology, a series of eight cyberpunk novels that take place in a shared universe but aren't direct sequels. Each book tells a small part of a larger epic: the rise and fall of Vinestead International, the exploits of an artificial intelligence named Lassiter, and a seemingly endless string of hackers who all consider themselves the hero.

From 1997 to the distant future, the Vinestead Anthology covers The Synthetic Revolution, The Great Machine War, and humanity’s inevitable cycle of innovation, collapse, and resurgence—each time rebuilding the same tech that once doomed it.

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Where to Start

Since there are no sequels in the Vinestead Anthology, there is no need to start at the beginning. Choose the story that interests you the most, and then allow the others to fill in the details. Here are some reasons why each book makes (or doesn't make) a great starting point. Generally speaking, the most recently published books are the "better" books. 🫠

  1. Xronixle (2007) - This is where it all began. Throughout the anthology, you'll find references to X, C, G, and Anela Zabora. Start here if you want the best introduction to virtual reality, cipher dens, and how these characters came to know each other.
  2. Veneer (2011) - The most isolated of stories, Veneer takes place in a distant future where augmented reality covers every surface. Characters from other books are dead and gone, but one evil conglomerate remains. Start here if you love augmented reality and wonder what the world would be like if it were so common and embedded in our lives as to appear magical.
  3. Perion Synthetics (2014) - Synthetic humans play a huge part in the anthology, and this is where the indistinguishable from humans era of synthetics began. Not quite at artificial intelligence yet, but this story sets the stage for a future where humans can transfer into synthetic bodies, and thus, achieve immortality. Start here if you like cyborgs, commentary about the media, and just a fun mix of genre-bending.
  4. Por Vida (2017) - Set in 2035/2045, this story takes the synthetic revolution to its natural end: transhumanism. A rising star actress moves into a synthetic body and has to grapple with the psychological and biological consequences. Meanwhile, a decade later, humans are hiding from killing machines in post-war Montana. Start here if you like synthetic humans, twisty storylines, and post-apocalyptic dystopias.
  5. Hybrid Mechanics (2019) - Written in response to a certain president's unexpected election, this story imagines our reality as a simulation that has gone off the rails. Our characters wake up in the Vinestead Universe and must discover how they ended up jacked into a failing simulation. Start here if you think the world is a simulation, dig amnesiac where are we and how do we get out setups, and want to see what's left of the world after the machine war.
  6. Brigham Plaza (2020) - Return to the classic hacker story when Danny "Guns" Montreal and Tanzy discover their friend has been murdered. Explore the tech city of Umbra, geek out with body modifications and augmentations, and learn the fate of one of the most feared hackers on the planet: Kaili Zabora. Start here if you just want a cozy, linear cyber-adventure with plenty of violence and spicy nerdcore language.
  7. Vise Manor (2022) - Take a break from pure cyberpunk and enjoy this dinner party murder mystery homage to Agatha Christie. Gather a bunch of rich people, put them in a mansion, and show them the latest in synthetic human tech. When the killing starts, you won't be sure who to root for. Start here if you love puzzling out a whodunit, are a fan of Agatha Christie or House on Haunted Hill, and want to know more about the lives of Carter Price, Jane Meade, and, of course, some surprise characters.
  8. House of Nepenthe (coming soon) - Journey back to 1997 and spend some time with the inventor of the Guardian Angel biochip before his untimely death. You can't start here... yet.

Chronologically Speaking

I jump back and forth in the universe a lot. If you'd rather read the books in chronological order for maximum no-spoilers, here's how:

  • 1997 - House of Nepenthe
    • The inventor of the Guardian Angel biochip runs his last program.
  •  1998 - Xronixle
    • A hacker copies his girlfriend into the Net; it doesn't go well.
  • 2004 - Guardian Angels
    • The Guardian Angel Bill is passed; Calle Cinco strikes back.
  • 2015 - Perion Synthetics
    • The Synthetic Revolution begins with the death of James Perion.
  • 2019 - Brigham Plaza
    • Someone murdered celebrity hacker Johnny San Vito; now they're going to pay.
  • 2021 - Vise Manor
    • The secrets of Brigham Plaza return for a night of dinner, drinks, and murder.
  • 2035 - Por Vida
    • At the end of the world, synthetic killing machines will be the least of our problems.
  • 2080 - Hybrid Mechanics
    • Your world is a simulation; the truth is much worse.
  • 2149 - Veneer
    • Seeing is believing when augmented reality covers every surface.

Characters

  • Anela Zabora
  • Arthur Sedivy
  • Cynthia Mesquina
  • Danny "Guns" Montreal
  • Gordon "G" King
  • Jake Six
  • James Perion
  • Joseph Perion
  • Kaili Zabora
  • Kenneth Barnes
  • Lucas Cotton
  • Megan "Tanzy" Riley
  • Patrick Quinn
  • Xavier "X" Ramos

Organizations

  • Adelai Associates
  • Banks Media Productions
  • Calle Cinco
  • Dahlstrom Academy
  • Hybrid Mechanics
  • I.C.E-1
  • Lincoln Continental
  • MESH Foundation
  • Nixle Chronos
  • Pattrn
  • Perion Synthetics
  • Vinestead International
  • Vise Robotics
  • Vitra Synth
  • White Line Media
  • ZabSix

Key Technologies

  • augmented reality
  • biochip
  • grow-wire
  • immersion rigs
  • synthetic drugs
  • virtual reality