As is usual I haven’t been blogging very much so time to catch up. Early last year I finished the first draft of the third book of the Rise of the Jain trilogy – provisionally titled The Human. Thereafter I thought it time to get down to writing some short stories. I used an extracted plot thread of 20,000 words with the intention of turning it into something short. It actually turned into a novel called Jack Four I completed to first draft on the 21st November. I then really did get down to working on some short stories – as with the books between spells of editing and writing other bits and pieces.
It’s been fun rediscovering my enjoyment of the tight writing and invention of short stories. In December I wrote a completely non-Polity near future story called An Alien on Crete. Shortly after that, in the same month I completed The Host – a Polity story involving weird alien biology and a forensic AI. I felt an idea in The Host could be expanded and did so, completing Moral Biology (a novella) in early January. My science reading has included a great deal about longevity, and I completed another novella called Longevity Averaging near the end of the month, then at the end of the month another Polity story called Skin, set in far future London and involving, well, skin. I’m now venturing off into something deeply biotech and weird, with links to the monsters of Hieronymus Bosch and guess I’ll have that done in a week or so.
But this interlude, enjoyable as it has been, must come to an end when I return to editing The Human ready to be handed in to Macmillan in a few months. One thing I rediscovered while writing these stories was just how good it is to print then damned things out to check them. I’ll do the same with the book going through it a chapter at a time with a pen. I also have in mind a small epilogue I need to add, so there’s that.
In all it has been a productive time and I’m happy to have returned to form. Ciao for now.
I notice that this site and the blogspot one are for all intents and purposes, mirrors of each other. Is there any particular advantage to following one over the other?
Not particularly. I got one with this blog and didn’t want to dispense with the other one.
Hello Mr. Asher,
my is Daniel Chaskel, from Germany, so sorry for my poor english.
I have reading and enjoying your books and stories since 2005, always in german translations.
But since 2014, “The Departure”, “Das Kommitee” in german, was the last title translated.
So I’d began to read the books in english, and I read them all, and now I’m waiting for “The Warship” on 2th. May.
But some day I want to read and have them in my mothers tongue too. So do you know something about future translations? The german publisher “Bastei” didn’t give any informations.
with kdl. rgds
Daniel Chaskel
I didn’t lost the hope someday read about Cormack again 🙂
I guess they’re not selling enough of them.
In the late 70’s I came across Lloyd Biggle Junior’s book Monument. I recently rediscovered it during a clear out. If you have never read this I can recommend it as it’s refreshingly different from most current writing. It’s brighter, lighter and has a touch of humour but tells a tail that is very current.
Cern O’Brian, a loan adventurer who is more often lost than not crash lands on an idyllic lost colony. Unable to leave and beyond the known space he settles down. BUT he knows his adopted paradise is in danger, once it is rediscovered it is likely to be destroyed by commercial development so he devises a plan to protect it.
The book begins with Cern, an old man, realising that he is dying, so he must teach his plan to a people who have no concept of civilisation or it’s dangers. The story is about what happened next.
What I like about this story is that violence is never an option for the conflicting parties, so the outcome depends upon wit, cunning and there is a beautiful sting in the tail. Some bits are a little dated but you have to forgive these. There is also a spooky parallel with a contemporary person.
You work is filled with images of strange worlds, strange creatures and fantastic machines. Many of these are illustrated on the covers of your books, but I would like to see more. Exactly what does a Prador look like, a polity destroyer or a Droon? Have you ever considered commissioning a book of illustrations, not a graphic novel but a pictures depicting scenes taken from your novels? i for one would like to see this.
Regards
Mike
There is fan art out there if you haven’t searched for it as yet.
Hi Mr Asher
I really loved the Owner novels . Are there anymore in the works?
Would you ever consider publishing Quince Guide (compiled by humans) or How It Is (by Gordon)?
It’s not up to date but you can find it here:
https://www.nealasher.co.uk/polity-encyclopedia/
Just read the Warship. Fantastic SF. Having read all your books can you please hurry up with the Human.
Alan.