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Prador Moon by Neal Asher
01/09/2006 . Source: Bob Lock 
pub: Nightshadebooks. 222 page enlarged paperback. Price: $14.95 (US), $21.95 (CAN). ISBN: 1-59780-052-X. Buy Prador Moon in the USA - or Buy Prador Moon in the UK  check out website: www.nightshadebooks.com and http://theskinner.blogspot.com
If you are looking for a fast-moving SF story to lose yourself in whilst basking in the sunshine, feet being soothed by the calm ripples of incoming tide, then you can't do much better than 'Prador Moon', Neal Asher's newest novel in the Polity series.
This book steps back in time from his usual Polity stories to when humankind makes first contact with the alien life-forms known as Prador. Polity AIs decide it would be a good idea to invite these huge crustaceans to meet eye to eye-palp upon Avalon Station, an outlink station on the periphery of Polity dominion. This proves that AIs don't know everything, for no sooner are the ambassadors for mankind introduced to their crab-like counterparts than they no longer fulfil the role of emissary but become something else, the Prador's lunch.
Still feel safe with your toes dangling in the water?
Asher first introduces us to the Prador in his novels 'The Skinner' and 'The Voyage Of The Sable Keech', but now we get to see how these aliens tick. He takes us into the minds of the Prador and how their hierarchy system works from top of the food-chain, The King, to Captain Immanence, down through First Child Vortex, second children and just children. When I say food-chain, I mean it, for Prador, when not dining on human flesh, are not averse to eating their own kids. One way of keeping the population down I suppose.
The main protagonists on the human side are Jebel Krong - nickname UCAP, up-close-and-personal due to the fact he likes killing crabs hand-to-hand, well almost! Krong was there at Avalon Station and barely escaped with his life. However, his lover was not as lucky and he was forced to leave her. What happens to her turns him into the Prador's nemesis, assisted by a Golem named Urbanus. We do get to meet many other characters, Moira Salem, whose black-market cerebral augmentation makes even the runcibles' AIs a little jealous. Captain Tomolan of the Occam Razor and the Separatist Conlan who is prepared to assist the Prador with their invasion schedule, for Avalon Station is just the beginning.
Weighing in at 222 pages it is slimmer than Asher's usual offerings which run to about 500/600 pages. I asked Neal about this:
SFC: Neal, I wondered why you kept the story to just 222 pages when your others usually flesh out to 500/600? Weren't you tempted to go further than the initial conflicts and get into the main Polity/Prador War and its outcome?
Neal Asher: The 222 pages was what the publisher required. They asked if I could produce something of about 70,000 words and I duly complied. There's good reason behind this, I guess: if they'd asked me for the size book I produce for Macmillan I would have probably refused, since my publishing schedule is tight enough as it is. Also, they could test the market with a smaller book.
SFC: Unless, could it be, you are saving that for another book that continues on from 'Prador Moon'?
Neal Asher: There'll be loads of book so long as I draw breath and publishers will take them. Take a look at that chronology on my blog -- room for hundreds of stories.
SFC: The title had me thinking and I wondered when the Prador planet's moon would make an appearance and then...wham...I finally got the message.
Neal Asher: My original title for the book was 'On The Edge Of The Sand' which I still prefer. The publisher wanted something shorter and more pithy and of a selection I suggested 'Prador Moon' was the one they went for.
SFC: On your blog, you say you were a Science Fiction writer, one time skip driver, coal man, contract grass cutter, toolmaker, builder, barman. I'm beginning to wonder if you were also an oceanographer as well, you seem to thrive on alien flora and fauna that's an extrapolation of things we could possibly find in our ocean's depths, works extremely well.
So... did you once work for Jacques Cousteau? :)
Neal Asher: Just love the sea and the life in it ever since childhood fishing holidays.
SFC: Many thanks Neal.
Neal: best
Bob Lock
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