Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow is a famously prolific science-fiction author, book seller, and political activist. Born in Canada in 1971, Doctorow is best known for his novellas and novels exploring themes of science, technology, and cyberpunk. He has also written essays and articles for a variety of publications, with topics ranging from copyright and privacy to file-sharing and digital media.

Doctorow is an accomplished author whose works have earned him numerous awards and important distinctions. His books often feature young adults interacting with new technologies that either empower or endanger them. His first book, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, was a cult classic and won the prestigious Locus Award for Best First Novel in 2003. He has since released a series of science fiction novels and has edited anthologies for other authors.

Doctorow has a penchant for activism and often speaks out against censorship and restrictive copyright laws. As a co-editor of Boing Boing, he wrote numerous columns and articles discussing the complexities of copyright law, with many of his thoughts eventually ending up in his novels and storylines. Additionally, Doctorow was on the advisory board of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit organization, which helped set up and popularize the Creative Commons copyright licenses, which allow for authors to share their works with others under certain conditions.

Doctorow's novels and novellas frequently involve themes of technological innovation, robotics, cyborgs, and an array of issues related to the dangers of government surveillance and control. His works often involve protagonists experiencing exciting adventures while gaining access to forbidden technologies, usually involving scientific advancements of the near future. He has written books dealing with themes such as copyright and censorship, including novels such as Little Brother, Makers, and For the Win.

Doctorow’s most notable novel is Ready Player One. Set in a near future, the novel revisits the world of the iconic video game, Dungeons and Dragons. It follows a teenage boy as he competes in a world tournament with an incredible prize to be won. Doctorow's main themes with this novel include identity, survival within the virtual world, and an exploration of our relationship with technology. The novel was adapted into a film of the same name in 2018, with the screenplay written by Zak Penn and directed by then-aspiring director Steven Spielberg. It was met with generally positive reviews, signing off for Doctorow with a bang.

Doctorow has also had his works adapted into various other mediums. In 2012, his young adult novel, Avatar, was turned into a multi-platform app and game. In addition to writing and speaking out on a variety of issues, Doctorow is also an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California and co-owns a comic book store in Manhattan. As such, he has contributed to the world of literature in many ways, impacting not only readers but entire generations of science-fiction authors.