Zero Point

[Neal Asher]

Here we go. Here's the finished cover of Zero Point:

The billions of Zero Asset citizens of Earth are free from their sectors, free from the prospect of extermination from orbit, for Alan Saul has all but annihilated the Committee by dropping the Argus satellite laser network on it. The shepherds, spiderguns and razorbirds are somnolent, govnet is down and Inspectorate HQs are smoking craters. But power abhors a vacuum and, scrambling from the ruins, comes Serene Galahad. She must act before the remnants of Committee power are overrun by the masses. And she has the means.

Var Delex knows that Earth will eventually reach out to Antares Base and, because of her position under Chairman Messina, knows that the warship the Alexander is still available. An even more immediate problem is Argus Station hurtling towards the red planet, with whomever, or whatever trashed Earth still aboard. Var must maintain her grip on power and find a way for them all to survive.

As he firmly establishes his rule, Alan Saul delves into the secrets of Argus Station: the results of ghastly experiments in Humanoid Unit Development, a madman who may hold the keys to interstellar flight and research that might unlock eternity. But the agents of Earth are still determined to exact their vengeance, and the killing is not over...

 

[Neal Asher]

Okay, Night Shade Books has made an offer for the US rights for all three titles in the Owner trilogy: The Departure, Zero Point and Jupiter War. The rights are for a trade hardback, trade paperback, mass-market paperback and e-book. They would like to publish the first book in February 2013, following that up with Zero Point in May or June 2013, with the third one coming out simultaneously with the Macmillan edition. They’ll also be taking on the Jon Sullivan covers in some form.

Night Shade Books, incidentally, previously published Prador Moon and Shadow of the Scorpion in America. When I first sent in Prador Moon to them they were a small press publisher (basically just Jason Williams and Jeremy Lassen) but now, after a number of hiccups (due to that being ‘victims of their own success'), they’ve grown substantially. Let’s hope they do a good job of this!

 

[Rodders]

Great covers as usual and Congratulations on the Americal publication Neal.

 

[biodroid]

As usual great artwork!

 

[Neal Asher]

Here’s an update on the news for my American readers. The people at Night Shade Books are looking forward to bringing The Owner Trilogy to print in the US and have scheduled The Departure for publication Feb 5, 2013 with Zero Point following May 7, 2013 and Jupiter War September 3, 2013 (catching up with publication of that last book in Britain). Nicely keying into that my short story The Other Gun will be appearing in Asimov’s April/May issue that year with, of course, mention of these books in attached biog. It should be an interesting year with those three books slamming into the American market in rapid succession. In essence this should work as quite a profile-raising exercise.

 

[steelyglint]

Alan Saul is too big for just 3 volumes. I've read all the short stories, too (unless there's something wonderful in Runcible Tales - can't seem to get hold of that one).

So the middle needs filling out some.

What is he doing whilst those villagers avoid going beyond the posted limits on pain of death?

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