Q: Let’s talk about your forthcoming novel “ Hilldiggers”, which will be released July 2007 in the UK. I do keep hearing that UK SF is taking over the world, however, in my ‘would you like to comment on this’ capacity I can say that I’ve read some damned good books from the US. Neal: Well, first off I can’t really comment on the scene in the US because I don’t really know it.

Q: What are your thoughts on the sci-fi/fantasy book scene in the UK compared to the U.S? It seems madness to me, but what do I know? I only write the things.

I’m told by Tor US that “ The Line of Polity”, being my largest book at 175,000 words, apparently falls outside some upper limit that makes it difficult to sell to the book sellers. I sell my books to Macmillan, along with foreign rights, and Macmillan then sells my books on to other publishing companies across the world, so Tor US buying and simultaneously publishing one of my Macmillan books is no more likely than Baste Lubb in Germany or Flueve Noir in France doing the same. Neal: There’s a lag between the publication of my books here in Britain and in the US simply because Macmillan/Tor UK and Tor US are run as different companies (despite the name and despite being owned by the same overall group). releases and why one book (“ The Line Of Polity”) in particular is not even available in the states? Could you explain how the publishing works for your books, like why there’s a noticeable lag with the U.S. Q: In the UK your books are published by Pan Macmillan/Tor UK…in the US by Tor. And the best thing, they’re FUN!!! Naturally, I was eager to know more about Neal Asher, (aside from his biography which you can read HERE ), and I hope that the following Q&A will provide you with a deeper look into his world: England’s Neal Asher writes pulse-pounding science fiction rife with mind-boggling concepts, larger-than-life characters, operatic plots and cyberpunkian attitude. However, one name seemed to keep jumping out at me from the sci-fi world and I eventually had to check out his work.

So, unless it’s fantasy, I don’t normally make it an effort to try out too many new authors. I’ll be honest…the majority of the material that I read is of the fantasy genre, with the occasional foray into horror, suspense or science fiction.

'The Year Of Our War' by Steph Swainston.

'The Myth Hunters' by Christopher Golden.

'Lord Of The Silent Kingdom' by Glen Cook.

Salvatore signs book deal with Tor (Edited)

Neal asher polity