Tag: Science Fiction

Fantasy & Science Fiction

Posted on by Neal Asher

I’m currently reading The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction edited by Gordon Van Gelder and, thinking about this in connection with the books I’ve been sorting through in my loft, it’s a bit of a nostalgia trip, because some of the stories are quite old. All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury is lyrical, enjoyable, but you can’t help but titter a little at a depiction of Venus covered in jungle when we now know the reality. Later I read Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, which has to be somewhere up in the list of the best short stories I’ve ever read. It still chokes me up a little even after all this time.

But short stories. If anyone here wants to read some superb short SF stories, if there is one short story collection I would recommend way above any other, then that has to be Stories of your Life and Others by Ted Chiang. I’ve mentioned it before – brilliant collection.

B is Blish, Banks & Butler.

Posted on by Neal Asher

Here’s the ‘B’ section from my SFF collection. I’m a little bit annoyed upon having gone through this lot. One of my very favourite books is missing: Half-Past Human by T J Bass. Doubtless I loaned it to someone and that someone hasn’t bothered to return it.

IAIN M BANKS CONSIDER PHLEBAS THE PLAYER OF GAMES INVERSIONS LOOK TO THE WINDWARD
CLIVE BARKER WEAVEWORLD THE GREAT & SECRET SHOW
T J BASS THE GODWHALE
BARRINGTON J BAYLEY THE PILLARS OF ETERNITY & THE GARMENTS OF CAEN
GREG BEAR SONGS OF EARTH & POWER QUEEN OF ANGELS THE FORGE OF GOD EON
BENFORD & BRIN HEART OF THE COMET
JAMES BLISH THE QUICUNX OF TIME JACK OF EAGLES THE WARRIORS OF DAY THE CLASH OF CYMBALS A CASE OF CONSCIENCE MIDSUMMER CENTURY FALLEN STAR EARTHMAN COME HOME ANYWHEN THE TESTAMENT OF ANDROS
BEN BOVA COLONY VOYAGERS II VENGEANCE OF ORION KINSMAN AS ON A DARKLING PLAIN
MARION ZIMMER BRADLEY THE SHATTERED CHAIN – DARKOVER LANDFALL THE SPELL SWORD THE WINDS OF DARKOVER STAR OF DANGER THE BLOODY SUN THE SWORD OF ALDONES
JOHN BRUNNER THE CRUCIBLE OF TIME – THE TIDES OF TIME THE DRAMATURGES OF YAN
TOBIAS BUCKELLL CRYSTAL RAIN
MARK BUDZ CLADE
KENNETH BULMER ON THE SYMB-SOCKET CIRCUIT TO OUTRUN DOOMSDAY
OCTAVIA BUTLER MIND OF MY MIND – CLAY’S ARK IMAGO DAWN

Questions Please.

Posted on by Neal Asher

Here’s some carry-over questions for the next video clip

Sparks: Has the Cormac arc definitively ended, or is there the possibility that we’ll get to see what happens to the polity *after* the events of Line War? We know *something* of the polity must survive or Orlandine’s story would have had less promise (and probably more dispersal of bodily fluids and other important bits).

Inchy: Do you have someone that you bounce your ideas off regarding future tech? The reason I ask is that, like most of my favourite sci-fi authors, the tech employed in your works is, to me anyway, extremely plausible, almost as if its on the cusp of what we can currently achieve. Is this deliberate?

Michael: How did you make your first break into publishing? Its one of those questions that every aspiring Neal Asher wannabe has to ask.
JMC: My question is, how do you come up with the new technologies in your books and the unique ecologies of the planets you create? It seems quite daunting, either that or I am of limited imaginative scope.

Sparks: Actually, “where do you start” is an interesting question in itself – do you start with the story by having an actual storyline in mind and building the environment around that; or do you build the environment in your mind first and see what storyline emerges naturally?

Let’s have some more questions in the comments here. And try to make them specific. A vague question will get a vague answer.

A is for Asimov & Aldiss.

Posted on by Neal Asher

Having my SFF book collection up in the loft gives us more space in the bungalow, but it can sometimes be a bit of a pain. I don’t get to reread any of the books and less I make a special effort to get up there. When someone asks me in an interview about the books I’ve read and maybe been influenced by I can’t swing round on my chair and check them out. And if I spot a book in a shop by one of the writers I’ve enjoyed, I’m never sure whether or not I have a copy. So, for my interest and yours, I’m sorting through my entire collection, listing the books and photographing them. Today, inevitably, I’ll start with ‘A’.

BRIAN ALDISS HOTHOUSE – COMIC INFERNO THE DARK LIGHT YEARS SPACE, TIME & NATHANIEL THE CANOPY OF TIME EQUATOR THE INTERPRETER
ROGER MCBRIDE ALLEN ORPHAN OF CREATION
POUL ANDERSON A CIRCUS OF HELLS A KNIGHT OF GHOSTS & SHADOWS ORION SHALL RISE TWILIGHT WORLD THE DANCER FROM ATLANTIS SATAN’S WORLD GUARDIANS OF TIME
PIERS ANTHONY MUTE OF MAN & MANTA
ISAAC ASIMOV THE STARS LIKE DUST THE NAKED SUN THE CAVES OF STEEL BUY JUPITER THE REST OF THE ROBOTS THE CURRENTS OF SPACE FOUNDATION FOUNDATION & EMPIRE SECOND FOUNDATION

More Questions Please.

Posted on by Neal Asher

To continue my video learning curve I’d like more questions from you all. Try to avoid repeating the ones you’ll find here and try to be specific. Any “How do you write a book?” questions will be answered with “A keyboard” and “How do you be a successful writer?” with “I sell books.” I don’t mind answering stuff outside of my SF, but I’m not going to get political … or too political.