It starts with Software, where rebel robots bring immortality to their human creator by eating his brain.

1982 Philip K. Dick Award

In Wetware, the robots decide to start building people ­— and people get strung out on an insane new drug called merge.

1988 Philip K. Dick Award

By Freeware, the robots have evolved into soft plastic slugs called moldies­ — and some human “cheeseballs” want to have sex with them. The action redoubles when aliens begin arriving in the form of cosmic rays.

And with Realware, the humans and robots reach a higher plateau.

Includes an introduction by William Gibson.