Much of Neal Asher’s fiction is set in the galactic civilization he calls the Polity, an alliance of human-populated worlds.

And in this collection of thirteen marvellously inventive and action-packed short stories, Asher is on top form.

You can expect conflicted humans, fiendishly clever plot twists, extraordinary technologies and so much more.

The discerning reader can also savour tales of alien poisons, the walking dead, the Sea of Death, and the putrefactor symbiont.

No one does weird, wonderful and downright gruesome aliens better than Neal Asher, so prepare to visit his favourites. Sample the lifestyles of creatures such as the gabbleduck and the hooder, as Asher takes you on a wild ride into his vividly-imagined futures.