Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The 57th Franz Kafka | 1983 | Rudy Rucker | Buy |
| 2 | Transreal! | 1991 | Rudy Rucker | Buy |
| 3 | Gnarl! | 2000 | Rudy Rucker | Buy |
| 4 | Mad Professor | 2006 | Rudy Rucker | Buy |
| 5 | Complete Stories, Volume One | 2012 | Rudy Rucker | Buy |
| 6 | Transreal Cyberpunk | 2015 | Rudy Rucker | Buy |
| 7 | The Hollow Earth & Return to the Hollow Earth | 2018 | Rudy Rucker | Buy |
Rudy Rucker’s collections bring together short fiction from across his career. The 57th Franz Kafka, his earliest collection from 1983, captures the mathematical playfulness of his early work. Later collections like Gnarl! and Mad Professor show how his style evolved as cyberpunk matured and transrealism took shape.
Complete Stories, Volume One and Transreal Cyberpunk (written with Bruce Sterling) are comprehensive looks at his shorter work. These collections are good entry points for readers who want to sample Rucker’s range before committing to his longer novels.