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Ask the Author: T.R. Napper

“Ask me a question.” T.R. Napper

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I sent friend requests to 15 authors here on goodreads and you were the first to accept...Thank You. I've purchased four of your books: This Machine Kills Billionaires/The Neon Leviathan/Ghost of the Neon God/Aliens: Bishop. I wanted to offer you to suggest which book/story of those you would want someone to read as their first introduction to you work? "Best foot forward" and all that...cheers.-T
T.R. Napper Hey mate. Firstly, thanks for reaching out. This Machine Kills Billionaires, Neon Leviathan, and Ghost of the Neon God are all in the same world, but all stand alone. The first two are collections, each with a novella included, while the last is only a novella. Where to begin? Well, all three novellas won the Aurealis Award for Best Science Fiction Novella (2020, 2024, and 2025), so I don't think you could go wrong with any of them. However, as TMKB is just out today, and the novella in it (The Hidden God) has been getting such good reviews, I'd say start there. If you ever read one of my novels (also set in the same world), I'd say start with 36 Streets.

As for the Aliens novel: that was a blast to write. If you're a fan of that universe, especially the second film, you should have a good time.
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A true pleasure to see antipodean sensibilities take root and blossom in your work, worthy successors to a similar energy in old school PKD's 'Faith of Our Fathers', Cordwainer Smith's 'Norstrilia', and M.K. Joseph's 'The Hole in the Zero'. You mentioned in a previous response that 'Faith' was a 'very probably', just wondering if you've ever read 'Norstrilla' or 'Hole'?
T.R. Napper Thank you David, I certainly value putting those sensibilities at the forefront. Yeah, PKD hit me very hard when I was young (and thank you for the generous comparison). Have not read Norstrilia, though keep hearing about it to the point where I think I probably should. Had never even heard of The Hole in the Zero until you mentioned it just now. Cheers mate.
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When is the next novel? I enjoyed 36 streets more than any cyberpunk novel since, oh, Effinger really. I want some more!
T.R. Napper Well mate, you're in luck. The next novel, The Escher Man, is out September 2024 (and I've a novella, Ghost of the Neon God, out in June 2024). Both are set in the same universe as 36 Streets. In fact, The Escher Man takes place five years after the events of 36 Streets, and some characters do cross over. It is, however, a stand-alone story.

I just finished the copyedits on the new novel a couple of days back - very much looking forward to seeing it out in the world. Cheers, TRN.
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The 1967 Philip K Dick story "Faith of Our Fathers" (Wiki: Tung Chien is a Vietnamese bureaucrat in a world conquered by the Chinese...) was my gateway read to many of the 36 Streets universe's underpinnings. Are you familiar with it? If not, may I recommend it to you and to your readers? Just thought that you and OG PKD being fellow travelers in world building might be good words to share. More! Soon! Please!
T.R. Napper Hi David. Cheers for your question - only just saw it now. I just looked over my bookshelves and saw that yes, I have this story (surprising if I didn't, given I pretty much have everything PKD ever wrote). I will re-read it though, because honestly I cannot remember the story.

Hopefully I will have more soon (and I do have more), but publishing is a fickle beast. Let's see how 36 Streets goes.
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