Why is computer crime so rare in crime novels, even though it's so prevalent around the world?
In crime and mystery novels, the themes are often murder, theft, and organized crime. On the other hand, cybercrime, such as hacking and the spread of malware, is not often featured in mystery novels, even though major incidents occur frequently in the world. Suspense writer Stephen Harrison explains that there is an important insight into why cybercrime is not often a theme for stories.
Crime Fiction Must Not Ignore Computer Crime ‹ CrimeReads
There is a genre of story called technothriller . Technothrillers are thrillers, spy novels, action novels, war novels, etc. that are like science fiction, with detailed technical descriptions and a lot of specialized knowledge. Technothrillers appeared around the beginning of the 20th century and have become more popular with technological developments. However, according to Harrison, best-selling mystery stories such as detective novels and crime novels rarely feature cybercrimes that have a deep technical perspective like technothrillers.
One possible reason is that it's simply a matter of timing. Writing a novel often takes years from conception to completion, and it takes time to research and construct theories, especially in specialized genres, so it's possible that trends in the public and the genre of the work are not synchronized. However, more than 30 years have passed since the Internet became widely used, and William Gibson wrote ' Neuromancer ,' a work synonymous with cyberpunk, in 1984. Regarding the Internet, writers and readers have had enough time to adapt to new technology, and Harrison points out that it's strange that only the mystery genre has not adapted.
Another reason may be that cybercrime lacks the dramatic appeal of a mystery, which often reaches its climax when the perpetrator uncovers a criminal trick. Hacking and malware are serious problems in real life, but when a great detective discovers a computer virus in a novel, it doesn't have the same impact as when the trick is uncovered.
The technical complexity of computer crimes can also be a reason for non-experts to hesitate to write fiction. However, Harrison said, 'One of the great advantages of writing fiction is that you can control the amount of detail you reveal to your readers. And some readers certainly enjoy the technical complexity of fiction if it helps them become more engaged in the story.' He suggested that technical crime novels could be written precisely because of their complexity.
Psychotherapist and writer Yael Goldstein says that one of the reasons it's difficult to incorporate technology into a work is that sometimes the problem arises where science doesn't help the author, but instead torments him. Goldstein says that he has had many failures in his stories where technology or science was used, resulting in scenes that should have been scary not being as scary, or scenes that should have been moving being confusing. So, when incorporating technology or science into a story, Goldstein has three rules in mind: 'Don't explain terms or theories in more detail than necessary,' 'Don't repeat explanations that are sufficient in one go,' and 'Don't just talk about science, but involve the characters' realizations and growth.'
What are the points to be aware of and 'elegant ways' to incorporate the latest technology and science into fiction? - GIGAZINE
In conclusion, Harrison points out that the reason computer crime is difficult to feature in fiction is because of what readers want. In an age where we are surrounded by work, messaging, and digital content on PCs and smartphones, reading a book can also be a way to escape the stress of the digital world. 'For such readers, there has long been a desire not to see computer crime in books, so fiction with cybercrime and computer technology as its theme has been difficult to become popular outside of the science fiction genre,' Harrison speculates.
In modern times, not only the spread of the Internet, but also metaverses, AI, robots, and other familiar technologies are intertwined. Harrison points out that reflecting these in novels is not only a more accurate depiction of modern life, but also an attempt to explore the good and evil of modern technology. In mysteries, too, Harrison says that by incorporating technology, he can add realism and increase the moral importance of the work.
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