He's the cat who basically predicted internet society in the visionary novella True Names.
"True Names" today reads more like a piece of reportage than speculative science fiction. William Gibson may get all the glory for defining the word "cyberspace," but Vinge actually nailed the details. "True Names" includes online gathering places identical to the MUDs (multi-user domains) that became the online rage in the late '80s. Its protagonists guard their real names from the National Security Agency and other hackers with cryptographic safeguards, just like today's cryptopunks. And they live solely to log on -- the pathology of today's Internet addiction is all-too-familiar in "True Names." So maybe we don't yet have marauding artificial intelligences or the ability to upload our consciousness into the Net; given Vinge's track record, it should only be a matter of time.
He's one of the few authors in any genre who's every book I hang on. He doesn't write much, but since he hit his stride with The Peace War back in '84 every novel has been a jewel. I'm not a fan of his extremist Libretarian worldview (which is why so many right wing types rate him), but he wraps it up in such lovely, fast-flowing stories you can ignore it if you like.
Anyway, he's got a new one coming out soon- Rainbow's End. Haven't read anything about it yet, but I know it will kick ass.
I highly recommend it to all fans of speculative fiction.
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