Author guide
Neal Asher Books in Order
Neal Asher (born 1961 in Billericay, Essex) is an English science-fiction writer. He began publishing short fiction in 1989 and became a full-time writer after Pan Macmillan offered him a three-book contract in 2000. Most of his novels and collections are set in the Polity universe, a far-future society governed by artificial intelligences and populated by humans, aliens, androids, and hive minds.
Neal Asher's Newest Book
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Gridlinked
The first published novel and the recommended entry point for the Agent Cormac and wider Polity fiction.
The Departure
A self-contained starting point for the completed Owner trilogy.
Dark Intelligence
The first novel in the Transformation trilogy and a later-entry point into the Polity universe.
Read in order
Books by series
shared-universe · ongoing
Polity universe
Neal Asher's shared far-future setting, encompassing the Agent Cormac, Spatterjay, Transformation, Rise of the Jain, and Time's Shadow sequences, along with related novels and collections.
- 1
Mindgames: Fool's MateAmazon ↗novella · 1992
- 2
The ParasiteAmazon ↗novella · 1996
- 3 The EngineerAmazon ↗
Book 3 · short-story-collection · 1998
- 4
Runcible TalesAmazon ↗Book 4 · short-story-collection · 1999
- 5
Mason's RatsAmazon ↗Book 5 · chapbook · 1999
- 6 GridlinkedAmazon ↗
Book 6 · novel · 2001
- 7
The SkinnerAmazon ↗Book 7 · novel · 2002
- 8
The Line of PolityAmazon ↗Book 8 · novel · 2003
- 9
CowlAmazon ↗Book 9 · novel · 2004
- 10
Brass ManAmazon ↗Book 10 · novel · 2005
- 11
Polity AgentAmazon ↗Book 11 · novel · 2006
- 12
Prador MoonAmazon ↗Book 12 · novel · 2006
- 13
The Voyage of the Sable KeechAmazon ↗Book 13 · novel · 2006
- 14
The Engineer ReconditionedAmazon ↗Book 14 · short-story-collection · 2006
- 15
HilldiggersAmazon ↗Book 15 · novel · 2007
- 16
Line WarAmazon ↗Book 16 · novel · 2008
- 17 The GabbleAmazon ↗
Book 17 · short-story-collection · 2008
- 18
Shadow of the ScorpionAmazon ↗Book 18 · novel · 2008
- 19
OrbusAmazon ↗Book 19 · novel · 2009
- 20
The TechnicianAmazon ↗Book 20 · novel · 2010
- 21 Owning the FutureAmazon ↗
Book 21 · short-story-collection · 2018
- 22 Dark IntelligenceAmazon ↗
Book 22 · novel · 2015
- 23
War FactoryAmazon ↗Book 23 · novel · 2016
- 24
Infinity EngineAmazon ↗Book 24 · novel · 2017
- 25
The SoldierAmazon ↗Book 25 · novel · 2018
- 26
The WarshipAmazon ↗Book 26 · novel · 2019
- 27
The HumanAmazon ↗Book 27 · novel · 2020
- 28 The BoschAmazon ↗
Book 28 · novella · 2022
- 29
Lockdown TalesAmazon ↗Book 29 · novella-and-short-story-collection · 2020
- 30
Jack FourAmazon ↗Book 30 · novel · 2021
- 31
WeaponizedAmazon ↗Book 31 · novel · 2022
- 32
War BodiesAmazon ↗Book 32 · novel · 2023
- 33
Lockdown Tales IIAmazon ↗Book 33 · novella-and-short-story-collection · 2023
- 34
Jenny TrapdoorAmazon ↗Book 34 · novel · 2023
- 35
Dark DiamondAmazon ↗Book 35 · novel · 2025
- 36 Dark AgentAmazon ↗
Book 36 · novel · 2026
- 37 Dark HorizonAmazon ↗
Book 37 · novel · 2027
novel-series · completed
Agent Cormac
The five-novel sequence following Polity agent Ian Cormac, with related prequel and sequel works in the wider Polity universe.
novel-series · completed
Spatterjay
A three-novel sequence set around the dangerous world of Spatterjay and its inhabitants.
novel-series · completed
Transformation
A trilogy concerning Penny Royal, the Transformation, and the escalating conflict within the Polity.
novel-series · completed
Rise of the Jain
A trilogy about the return of the ancient Jain threat and the Polity's struggle to survive it.
novel-series · ongoing
Time's Shadow
A trilogy following Captain Blite and Ian Cormac through threats spanning multiple possible futures.
novel-series · completed
Owner trilogy
The trilogy following Alan Saul, the Owner, and the rebellion against Earth's totalitarian Committee.
collection-series · ongoing
Collections
Neal Asher's separately published collections of novellas, short stories, and novelettes.
- 1 The EngineerAmazon ↗
Book 1 · short-story-collection · 1998
- 2 Runcible TalesAmazon ↗
Book 2 · short-story-collection · 1999
- 3
Africa ZeroAmazon ↗Book 3 · novella-collection · 2001
- 4 The Engineer ReconditionedAmazon ↗
Book 4 · short-story-collection · 2006
- 5 The GabbleAmazon ↗
Book 5 · short-story-collection · 2008
- 6 Owning the FutureAmazon ↗
Book 6 · short-story-collection · 2018
- 7 Lockdown TalesAmazon ↗
Book 7 · novella-and-short-story-collection · 2020
- 8 Lockdown Tales IIAmazon ↗
Book 8 · novella-and-short-story-collection · 2023
- 9 FantasticalAmazon ↗
Book 9 · short-story-collection · 2023
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (1)
-
World WalkersAmazon ↗novel · 2024