Here we have a stonking good piece of artwork from Jon Sullivan. The man certainly reads the books because there is no doubt that this is Vrell:
Tag: Science Fiction
Who Reads My Books? Matthew Reece Ford
A while ago I chatted to a guy called Matthew Reece Ford via either Face Book, this blog, or somewhere else. He is fan of my books and noting I live near Chelmsford wondered if I’d be on for a beer the next time he came down to visit his brother. I pointed out that though Chelmsford is in my postal address I don’t actually live there, but in a village some 13 miles away. Turns out that village is precisely where his brother lives. I couldn’t see him last year, when this conversation took place, but since he was down here this Christmas I said why not, and met him in the local for a pint. “So what do you do?” I asked. “I’m a scientist,” he replied.
It’s this meeting, and others like it (many in the virtual world) that’s led me to a little idea for a few posts here. I’m fascinated to know who reads my books, and in this case quite tickled when it turns out that whilst I dream about the future there are those who read my books who are actually making it.
I have been an avid reader for over 3 decades. Favourite newer authors: David Gunn, Tony Ballantyne, Neal Asher, Alastair Reynolds, Peter F Hamilton, Greg Egan, Robert Reed, Richard Morgan, Charles Stross, Robert A Metzger, Chris Moriarty. Favourite classic authors: Clarke, Asimov, Brin, Baxter, Stapleton, Silverburg, Wyndham
BSc Biochemistry (with sandwich year, worked at Celltech in Slough for a full year) at Canterbury 1990-1994. PhD Biochemistry at Canterbury and Leicester (1994-1998).
Employed 1999 to present at Cobra BioManufacturing, as a senior scientist.
Employed 1999 to present at Cobra BioManufacturing, as a senior scientist.
At Cobra I have worked on viruses (adenovirus, lentivirus, reovirius), proteins (for treatment of a variety of disorders, such as anti-transplant rejection proteins and monoclonal antibodies) and plasmid DNA (for vaccines) at large scale. All inside our clean rooms for phase I and II clinical trials.
Now, to continue this, I’d like to hear from other readers. I’d like you to tell me about yourselves for posts like this one. Don’t be intimidated by the qualifications of the guy above, and remember that until 2001 I was still cutting grass and hedges and strimming dogshit!
And here’s Matt’s book collection:
D & E are for Dickson & Eddings
SAMUEL DELANY | BABEL-17 |
GORDON R DICKSON | TIME STORM ANCIENT MY ENEMY MASTERS OF EVERON |
PHILIP K DICK | SOLAR LOTTERY |
THOMAS M DISCH | UNDER COMPULSION |
STEPHEN DONALDSON | LORD FOUL’S BANE THE ILLEARTH WAR THE POWER THAT PRESERVES GILDEN-FIRE THE WOUNDED LAND THE ONE TREE THE WHITE GOLD WIELDER |
DAVE DUNCAN | A ROSE RED CITY SHADOW THE RELUCTANT SWORDSMAN THE COMING OF WISDOM THE DESTINY OF THE SWORD |
DAVID EDDINGS | PAWN OF PROPHECY QUEEN OF SORCERY MAGICIAN’S GAMBIT CASTLE OF WIZARDRY ENCHANTER’S ENDGAME |
Video Clip Questions
Book Shelves
Here are some more book shelves. The first shelf comes from James Devine after a tidy up for which his wife is grateful. The second is from Andreas Stahlbock, who tells me, “It’s now about ten and a half years since I bought that yellow paperback on the left by one more or less unknown author “Neal L. Asher”. I’m glad I did.” I’m glad he did too. Incidentally, there are books here I know some would kill for: The Parasite, Mindgames: Fool’s Mate…
Batman Dark Knight.
When Heath Ledger got an Oscar for his role as the Joker in Batman Dark Knight my reaction was a sneer. Here we go, Hollywood grief-fest and insincerity, and doesn’t everyone now love to take part in a bit of public grieving to demonstrate how sensitive they are? Doubtless if the man had lived his chances of getting that award would have dropped through the floor. Nothing quite like snuffing it young to translate you direct to the halls of fame.
It was, therefore, with a degree of cynicism that I sat down to watch the Batman film. Again that disjointedness, close shaky camera on the action, but, bloody hell. This was the best Batman film I’d seen and Heath Ledger gave us a superbly lunatic Joker. I guess he deserved his Oscar, in fact more than many other who’ve been presented with it. But does it mean much? The whole award has been devalued by being presented to a certain hypocritical money-grubbing politician.
Star Trek & Terminator Salvation
So, whilst in Crete we sat and watched the new Star Trek movie. I’d heard some bad reports about it and later, when back here, I read the same on the Internet from various people in the SF world. Apparently it was crap, and the film we should all be praising is Moon. I have to say I did dislike the modern tendency in it of getting in close with the shaky camera, and I disliked a certain disjointedness to the story and action, but…
Recently we sat and watched Terminator Salvation. In some parts it didn’t flow very well and, in an attempt to give the action more impact, clarity was sacrificed, but…
I do understand the reaction to these films from some quarters of the SF world. The former film had plenty of exploding spaceships, phaser fights and a planet-busting weapon, whilst the latter had too many lethal robots and too much ball-busting action. Both films didn’t contain sufficient angst, liberal-left didacticism or enough politically-correct homilies. They were, therefore, insufficiently worthy.
I loved them both and will watch them both again.
Book Sale
Here’s a list of the books I have for sale, so it’s the price you see below plus postage and packing. To the USA that’s usually the price of the books again. In Britain postage and packing for a first class packet for one large hardback is about £3.50. I can be contacted at ndotasheratvirgindotnet. And, of course, I’ll sign these and inscribe anything you want in them!
13 Gridlinked MMP 1st American £5.00
5 Gridlinked HB 1st American £17.00
6 Gridlinked HB 1st Book/Club £15.00
3 The Skinner TPB 2nd English
1 The Skinner HB 1st American £17.00
2 The Skinner HB 1st Book/Club £15.00
2 The Line of Polity MMP 1st English £7.99
18 Cowl MMP 1st English £7.99
9 Cowl MMP 1st American £5.00
12 Cowl TPB 1st American £9.50
9 Sable Keech MMP 1st English £7.99
5 Brass Man MMP 1st English £6.99
1 Brass Man TPB 1st English £12.99
17 Brass Man HB 1st Book/Club £15.00
6 Brass Man TPB 1st Tor £9.50
9 Polity Agent MMP 1st English £7.99
3 Hilldiggers MMP 1st English £7.99
12 Hilldiggers MMP 2nd English £7.99
8 Hilldiggers HB 1st English £17.99
11 Line War MMP 1st English £7.99
5 Shadow of the Scorpion TPB 1st English £11.99
12 Prador Moon MMP 1st English £6.99
6 Prador Moon HB 1st English £14.99
24 Prador Moon TPB 1st Nightshade £9.50
ART COMPETITION 2010
Right, I have been procrastinating about this but Robert A. McGregor (whose picture here of a gabbleduck took one of the runners up prizes) has shoved me into motion by providing a forum to which the artwork can be posted, and where it can also be discussed. Quite appropriately, I think, he’s called it Subminds.
So what’s this competition about? I want to see pictures of scenes and characters from my books – characters including all the weird and wonderful life-forms, the drones, AIs, Golem, whatever takes your fancy.
What do you win? Jon Sullivan, who is the excellent artist presently producing my covers for Macmillan, has suggested signed prints of those same covers, and there’ll be signed copies of the latest book pubilshed by Macmillan too. Sorry to be vague about this, but we’ve yet to sort out precisely what will be on offer, and maybe we’ll be able to sort out some more goodies. Also, you get your art out there – you get to advertise your skill. Mr Sullivan will also be the judge of this competition, so take a look at his website to get some idea of who will be judging you.
The duration of the competition will be one year – the winner and runners-up selected by January 2011.
Get drawing and painting!
Orbus Stuff.
Thank you ‘Walker of Worlds’!
Definitely the best space opera released this year and a superb finale to the Spatterjay series. Neal brings all his usual flair and unique aliens to the mix in what can only be described as one of his finest novels to date.
Update:
Also The Gabble is in the top ten on Next Read…
I’ve decided this is my ideal form of a short story collection. Like A Touch of Dead (but in a completely differently league) This collects together stories set in the Polity universe. I found it a wonderful introduction to both Neal Asher and the Polity. I am now a firm fan of Gabbleducks and think that you should be too.