If you were fascinated by the way Michaelmas explores the boundaries between humanity and artificial intelligence—especially through the relationship between Laurent Michaelmas and his omnipresent AI, Domino—you'll be enthralled by Diaspora. Egan's novel dives even deeper into the implications of post-human existence, as self-aware software beings seek meaning in a universe shaped by physics and code. The rigorously imagined technology and philosophical scope will resonate with your appreciation for Budrys's cerebral vision.

Just as Laurent Michaelmas wields his unique technological prowess to subtly control information and influence global affairs, Nick Haflinger in The Shockwave Rider uses his hacking skills to fight against oppressive systems in a surveillance-heavy society. If you enjoyed the intrigue of covert manipulation and the ethical ambiguities in Michaelmas, you'll appreciate Brunner's prescient vision of networked societies and his morally complex protagonist.

If you were captivated by the nuanced, almost symbiotic bond between Michaelmas and Domino, you'll find Neuromancer equally compelling. Gibson's Case forms a deep psychological connection with AI entities as he navigates a world where human minds and artificial intelligences merge in unpredictable ways. The inner struggles and existential questions echo the introspective, character-driven narrative you enjoyed in Michaelmas.

If Michaelmas's probing of the boundaries between reality, perception, and digital existence intrigued you, Permutation City pushes these questions to their limits. Egan's characters grapple with the nature of consciousness and the meaning of selfhood in a world where minds can be copied and reality may be endlessly simulated. The novel's intellectual ambition and speculative depth offer a thought-provoking experience akin to Budrys's work.

If you appreciated how Michaelmas weaves world events and political currents into the protagonist's journey, The Dispossessed will draw you in with its intricate depiction of two contrasting societies. Le Guin's narrative follows physicist Shevek as he challenges the boundaries of his worlds, mirroring the intellectual and social complexity present in Budrys's vision.