Tag: Short Stories

Glister2 – Vaude

Posted on by Neal Asher

Vaudeviewgalor Randisraisins asked me if glisters possessed antennae, my tardiness in replying resulted in the previous picture, but now, after

And I was just about to reply to you with this from The Skinner:

The second male glister flicked clumps of hairlike organs on its head, registering the tail-end of a low-pitched squeal in what served it as ears, but so stupified was it by its current pleasure in gustation that it could not identify the sound. Perhaps this was understandable, since never having heard a brother’s death-squeal before. Waving its antennae, it detected only an overwhelming taste of whelk, but that was perfectly understandable – so many of them having recently been torn apart in the vicinity. It gave a lobsterish shrug, and went to take another bite of the wonderful bounty of flesh strewn before it. The wall of flesh that rolled over it and its meal, as well as uninvited leeches and prill, was as yeilding as old oak – the the great mouth behind just hoovered them all up.

we have antennae!

Art Competition Decision

Posted on by Neal Asher

Caroline, being quite impressed by the entries I’m receiving for this art competition, said she might have a go at drawing an entry. First we discussed Sniper, then she decided against it when I asked which drone shell she would go for. Next we talked about Mr Crane, but she admitted to not being very good at faces. But no problem, since she sees him standing with his face shaded by his hat. Yes, I enthused, he could have his hat casting a shadow across half his face, whilst he stands there in his long coat and lace-up boots, maybe some intestines he’d ripped out dangling from one brass hand, or he could even be holding a human head he’d just ripped off, blood dripping on the floor. Caroline decided she’d draw a bunny rabbit.

Geekplanet Review

Posted on by Neal Asher

Nice review here at Geekplanet of Shadow of the Scorpion…

Beginning with Gridlinked, and continuing most recently with Line War, Neal Asher’s stories of Agent Ian Cormac have garnered some good reviews. Despite this, and despite my weakness for space opera, they’ve nevertheless remained under my radar. Shadow of the Scorpion is a prequel, outlining the origin story of the series’ protagonist. This being my first foray into the world of the Polity, I can’t tell you how it compares to the other books, but from the perspective of a new reader I can assure you I’m hooked.

Glister – Vaude

Posted on by Neal Asher

Vaudeviewgalor Randisraisins‘ glister:


heres the final. no input so the antennae stay off. i cant get them to look menacing enough to be a spatterjay type threat. also wouldnt they just get hacked off every few days. eyes on stalks also which can be a hazard there too. eh. rough call without it being like a pal/doll. it’s of no ultimate consequence as my talents pale to the super comic rpg type lad, Mr. Mendez, an obvious pro. that last gabbleduck was amazing too. was hopin to tackle that one next. jabberwock/Pnume plume competition.

Earth Central Trooper – Peter Nugent

Posted on by Neal Asher

Earth Central Foot Trooper:


Dear Neal Asher

Please find attached my entry for your art competition. I’m a complete amateur when it comes to drawing, very rarely going further than covering my log books in doodles, but I had a go at drawing what I imagine an Earth Central foot trooper might look like in some all purpose armour. I never realise how hard it would really be to design such a piece of kit, having to think how the plates fit together and not to hinder movement too much but I think I came out with something good! Also included is an APW, which was also a bitch to do, so much blank space to fill with details!

Keep up the good work with your books!

Gabbleduck – Robert McGregor

Posted on by Neal Asher

Here’s another one:


Please accept this as a submission for your drawing contest. My father and I are great fans of your books and between us we own just about all of them with the exception of The Gabble, Orbus and Shadow of the Scorpion. I have a hunch that your depiction of AI will influence some young reader, somewhere, to actually set about making such things possible some day! Hurray!

Consider yourself held responsible for our collective fates.

HA HA HA………(only partially joking…….)

KEEP WRITING!

Mr Crane – Carlos Mendez

Posted on by Neal Asher

Here’s another one from Carlos Mendez. Comments please! Incidentally, I’ll put the picture title and artist’s name in the titles of these posts from now on.

Artist’s Comments
This is another piece inspired on Neal Asher’s books. It’s a mad Golem Android called Mr. Crane…

The words “Golem Android” evoke to me something technologically very advanced (an android with an AI) but at the same time something classic-old fashioned (something with a medieval air…a Golem…). That’s why I tried to give it a “mechanic look”…with those clockwork-like wheels and all…

I have to admit it…Jack Kirby was one of my greatest influences…and Jim Steranko (who was clearly inspired by Kirby…) and Mike Mignola (who is also influenced by Kirby) …and Paul Gulacy (who was very influenced by Steranko…ok, ok, ….Steranko was influenced by…Kirby…!)

The Polity Books

Posted on by Neal Asher

v:* { BEHAVIOR: url(#default#VML) } o:* { BEHAVIOR: url(#default#VML) } w:* { BEHAVIOR: url(#default#VML) } .shape { BEHAVIOR: url(#default#VML) } @font-face { font-family: Cambria Math; } @font-face { font-family: Calibri; } @font-face { font-family: Tahoma; } @page Section1 {size: 612.0pt 792.0pt; margin: 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt; } P.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 11pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: “Calibri”,”sans-serif” } LI.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 11pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: “Calibri”,”sans-serif” } DIV.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 11pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: “Calibri”,”sans-serif” } A:link { COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; mso-style-priority: 99 } SPAN.MsoHyperlink { COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; mso-style-priority: 99 } A:visited { COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; mso-style-priority: 99 } SPAN.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; mso-style-priority: 99 } P.MsoAcetate { FONT-SIZE: 8pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: “Tahoma”,”sans-serif”; mso-style-priority: 99; mso-style-link: “Balloon Text Char” } LI.MsoAcetate { FONT-SIZE: 8pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: “Tahoma”,”sans-serif”; mso-style-priority: 99; mso-style-link: “Balloon Text Char” } DIV.MsoAcetate { FONT-SIZE: 8pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: “Tahoma”,”sans-serif”; mso-style-priority: 99; mso-style-link: “Balloon Text Char” } SPAN.EmailStyle17 { COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: “Calibri”,”sans-serif”; mso-style-type: personal-compose } SPAN.BalloonTextChar { FONT-FAMILY: “Tahoma”,”sans-serif”; mso-style-priority: 99; mso-style-link: “Balloon Text”; mso-style-name: “Balloon Text Char” } .MsoChpDefault { mso-style-type: export-only } DIV.Section1 { page: Section1 } I just got an email from someone who was reading Hilldiggers and wanted to know which books precede it. I often get asked about which book fits where so here, so I can copy a link rather than type out the list each time, is the chronology and order of the books in each series:

Prador Moon

The Shadow of the Scorpion (young Cormac)

The Cormac Series:
1) Gridlinked
2) The Line of Polity
3) Brass Man
4) Polity Agent
5) Line War

The Spatterjay Series:
1) The Skinner
2) The Voyage of the Sable Keech
3) Orbus

Hilldiggers

The Gabble — a collection of short stories set throughout the above chronology.

And here’s where they all fit in the dateline:

2050 – 2250 Expansion into the solar system. Corporate wars and many generation ships, or early U-space drive ships sent on their way. Also the AI takeover of human affairs, in the ‘Quiet War’. Colony ship to Cull in this time.2130 – Hoop and crew arrive on Spatterjay (mutiny – stolen ship)
2150 – Establishing of Golem series and Cybercorp.
2151 – Algin Tenkian born on Mars.
2190 – Skaidon interfaces with AI and invents the technology leading to the runcible and more efficient U-space engines. Humanity expands into the galaxy.
2260 – First runcible goes online.
2260 – 2350 Massive human expansion into the galaxy.
2348 – Beginning of the Prador Third Kingdom
2339 – Ian Cormac born
2310 – Prador Moon
2310 – 2350 Prador/Human war (Prador Moon)
2350 – Polity police action on Spatterjay.
2356 – Keech is killed hunting Alphed Rimsc
2407 – Disappearance of Dragon from Aster Colora.
2432 – Destruction of the Samarkand runcible.
2434 – Arrival of Hubris at Samarkand (Gridlinked)
2437 – Destruction of Outlink station Miranda (The Line of Polity)
2441 – Pursuit of Skellor (Brass Man)
2443 – Tracing the cource of Jain nodes (Polity Agent)
2444 – Attack of melded entity Erebus (Line War)
2450 – Gosk Balem (Ambel) thrown into the sea – 100 years after war.
2500 – David McGrooger born
2550 – Keech finds Corbel Frane on Viridian – 500 years before
2803 – Polity arrives at Spatterjay to establish runcible base
2853 – Frisk hands herself in (apparently). – 200 years before
2878 – Bloc murdered by Aesop and Bones
3056 – Keech Janer and Erlin arrive on Spatterjay (The Skinner)
3078 – Taylor Bloc’s ship launches (The Voyage of the Sable Keech)
3079 – Orbus sets out (Orbus)
3230 – McCrooger arrives at Bromal and Sudoria (Hilldiggers)

Hope this helps!