Owning the Future: Short Stories

by Neal Asher

I have a varied collection of short stories in my files and, of course, the temptation is there to dump them on Kindle, take the money and run. However, though I think some of them are great, some aren’t, and some are profoundly dated. I am aware that there are those out there, who will just buy these without a second thought, so I have to edit, be selective, and I damned well have to show some respect for my readers. Kindle in this respect can be a danger for a known writer, because you can publish any old twaddle and someone will buy it. Time and again, I’ve had fans, upon hearing that I have this and that unpublished in my files, demanding that I publish it at once because surely they’ll love it. No they won’t. A reputation like difficult to build and easy to destroy. I’ve therefore chosen stories other people have published here and there, and filled in with those I really think someone should have published. Here you’ll find some Polity tales, some that could have been set in the Polity (at a stretch) and some from the bleak Owner universe. Enjoy! Neal Asher 04/06/18

Genres: Science Fiction, Collections

277 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 5, 2018

About the author

I’ve been an engineer, barman, skip lorry driver, coalman, boat window manufacturer, contract grass cutter and builder. Now I write science fiction books, and am slowly getting over the feeling that someone is going to find me out, and can call myself a writer without wincing and ducking my head. As professions go, I prefer this one: I don’t have to clock-in, change my clothes after work, nor scrub sensitive parts of my body with detergent. I think I’ll hang around.

Source: http://www.blogger.com/profile/139339...

Reviews

[Karl]

Contents:

001 - "Memories of Earth"
013 - "Shell Game"
052 - "The Rhine's World Incident"
069 - "Owner Space"
133 - "Strood"
151 - "The Other Gun"
217 - "Bioship"
227 - "Scar Tissue"
256 - "The Veteran"

No cover credit.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Master storyteller

I liked catching up with old friends, and new (loved Strood) in this entertaining book of short stories.
I’d recommend it to all Asher fans as well as those interested in reading more of his work.
Most entertaining, every bit as good as The Gabble.

[Joseph Manes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great set of short stories

Had already read one of the stores but they were all great and filled in the holes form other booked and stories that were out there. If you have an opportunity you should read this collection it was a fast and clean and well paced, each story a small window in to some of the riches that exist in his other works.

Thanks sir for the pleasurable pass time

[Nigel Frankcom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of stories

Another fascinating dip into the convoluted depths of Neil Asher’s mind. Probably would have benefited from another pass through the proofreaders, still a very enjoyable distraction.

[Marcel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of Asher's strongest work, but if you like Asher, it's worth reading. As a collection of short stories, it has some I liked, some I didn't, and clearly some that were - I would argue objectively - better than others.

It's an enjoyable read, but certainly not something for new Asher readers, more for the 'collector'.

[kym hough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a bowl of your favorite snack

Like a bowl of my favorite snack.
I couldn't stop reading these Polity and related short stories. Not until the bowl was empty. Thank you Neal! Please keep doing your thing. I appreciate the finger food and eagerly await the next entre!

[Darren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable collection of short stories. Some interesting backstory to some of Neal's longer works.

[david james · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book of 9 short stories based in the Polity and Owner's universes. The stories are stand alone, so don't necessarily require any prior knowledge of Neal Asher's novels, but it certainly helps with understanding the background if you have.

I can honestly say that I enjoyed all of the stories, but then I have a particular liking for Mr Asher's style of writing and his way of going all out on the action scenes.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good stories, mostly Polity. One is a direct link between Transformation and the Soldier.

[Owen Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

excellent journeyman stories