T R Napper
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trnapper.bsky.social
T R Napper
@trnapper.bsky.social
1.2K followers 340 following 320 posts
Doctor of Cyberpunk

Debut collection: Neon Leviathan (2020)
Debut novel: 36 Streets (2022)
Ghost of the Neon God (2024)
The Escher Man (2024)

Repped by Joshua Bilmes

Website: https://nappertime.com/
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trnapper.bsky.social
Up until recently I was in a cyberpunk group on Facebook. On it, someone wrote a very long and very well received post on why AI in art is okay and fucking hell I'm just tired. The AI techbros are the real world manifestation of everything cyberpunk detests and warned against.
November 19, 2025 at 9:52 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
Tim Hickson just uploaded an excellent, thoughtful video on his channel HelloFutureMe, exploring the trope: 'When a Character is a Weapon'. I was immensely gratified to see he'd included Lin Thi Vu from 36 Streets & The Escher Man. Well worth a watch (Link below).
November 17, 2025 at 8:42 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
The Australian Ditmar Award ceremony was last night, and I was honoured to receive the nod for Best Novella. Ghost of the Neon God has now won the Australian double (Aurealis and Ditmar). Congrats to all the winners, and a huge thanks to all my readers.
author with trophy (wearing a 1984 t-short and standing in a cyberpunk hotel lobby) Picture of novella (vivid orange cover), Aurealis trophy (looks kinda like a red glass nautilus), and Ditmar trophy (small gold rocket ship).
October 6, 2025 at 1:00 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
Today (17 September) is the 1st anniversary of the publication of The Escher Man. Ten years in the writing (and trunking, and resurrecting). Big thanks to everyone who's read (and especially talked about, and reviewed). Cheers. @titanbooks.bsky.social
Picture of author holding book in bookstore. He's wearing a Ghost in the Shell t-shirt and looks FINE.
September 17, 2025 at 7:39 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
Now for the winner. To be eligible to vote in this round, you need to have been a member of any of the Natcons (Conflux, Continuum) over the past five years. Link to the form here: form.jotform.com/252351941469...
August 29, 2025 at 7:02 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
Huge milestone for my current manuscript, a dark fantasy epic (Have I made a massive error, switching genres and taking on a story so ambitious? I mean: yeah, maybe. But that's true of every novel, that creative leap of faith, without a net).
Shows the wordcount on my current manuscript (200,000).
August 28, 2025 at 7:12 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
Ah, here it is. 'Aren't AIs are people, too?" I engage with this claim in my Asimov's Novella, 'The Hidden God'. The protagonist (Izzy) is talking to an AGI (Huldo) about a tech baron (Bookman):
(Quote from novella) “Sergey Bookman says that’s speciesist. He’s been telling everyone who’ll listen—which is everyone—that you’re alive.” “Well he would say that, wouldn’t he?” “Hmm. Why?” “Who benefits from insisting that the toaster is sentient, Izzy? Why, the man with the toaster factory.” Huldo gestured at the space around them, the vista. “Even if I were a new form of life, Sergey Bookman would not care for me. Bookman does not care for any form of life, including human. His concerns are all instrumental.” That was Izzy’s thinking exactly. “What he cares about is money,” finished Huldo, “and the power it brings.” Her thinking, sure, but she didn’t want her prejudices to influence the AI. “Perhaps there’s more to it, perhaps—” “No,” he said, with certainty. “Only this. Only the private jet, the gushing media profile, the tailored suits. The single malt whisky, the too-young escort that breathes
August 26, 2025 at 10:22 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
From my Asimov's Novella, 'The Hidden God'. The protagonist (Izzy) is talking to an AGI (Huldo) about a tech baron (Bookman):
(quote from novella) "“Sergey Bookman says that’s speciesist. He’s been telling everyone who’ll listen—which is everyone—that you’re alive.” “Well he would say that, wouldn’t he?” “Hmm. Why?” “Who benefits from insisting that the toaster is sentient, Izzy? Why, the man with the toaster factory.” Huldo gestured at the space around them, the vista. “Even if I were a new form of life, Sergey Bookman would not care for me. Bookman does not care for any form of life, including human. His concerns are all instrumental.” That was Izzy’s thinking exactly. “What he cares about is money,” finished Huldo, “and the power it brings.” Her thinking, sure, but she didn’t want her prejudices to influence the AI. “Perhaps there’s more to it, perhaps—” “No,” he said, with certainty. “Only this. Only the private jet, the gushing media profile, the tailored suits. The single malt whisky, the too-young escort that breathes..."
August 26, 2025 at 10:18 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
A small milestone for my novella, Ghost of the Neon God. 300 ratings on Goodreads and still going strong. Thank you to all who've read, enjoyed, and rated.
August 20, 2025 at 11:07 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
I'm not physically attending @seattlein2025.org, and the FOMO is crushing. My meagre compensation is the virtual panel. Times below are for Australian East Coast. But if you're in Seattle, why attend barcon when at 9pm and 1030pm Wednesday, you could be watching me?
August 13, 2025 at 6:17 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
1/2 Ditmar Award nominations are open and I've two works I'm particularly proud of: The Escher Man (novel), and Ghost of the Neon God, (novella). If you're eligible to vote (and there's a good chance you are - criteria explained in the linked article), have at it.

nappertime.com/ditmar-award...
August 8, 2025 at 9:22 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
Prepping for Comic-Con (@ozcomic-con.bsky.social):
August 7, 2025 at 8:56 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
I'm back in the ring. Comic Con (@ozcomic-con.bsky.social), Canberra August 9&10, and Sydney September 20&21. I'll have all my books (including the new Aliens: Bishop paperback), and should be mostly coherent. So drop by the table and say hi. Link in comments.
July 23, 2025 at 6:24 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
Oh and we've just hit 350 on Goodreads. Our batting average is pretty good there, as well.
July 18, 2025 at 8:23 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
Current TBR:
July 15, 2025 at 1:35 PM
trnapper.bsky.social
I wrote about what it meant to me to win the Aurealis (and all the places you can find the novella), linked here: nappertime.com/ghost-of-the... @titanbooks.bsky.social
June 25, 2025 at 7:41 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
Today (the 25th) is the 1st anniversary of the publication of Ghost of the Neon God. It was a very tough sell - novellas always are - so I'm beyond relieved that it has been received so well by readers (and also by award juries). Thank you, to everyone who's given it a chance.
Plaque on Aurealis trophy that reads best Science Fiction Novella / Ghost of the Neon God / T. R. Napper / Titan Books Picture of author copies of Ghost of the Neon God, fresh out of the box, from a year before. The cover is a vivid light and dark orange with a blue-coated figure at the centre.
June 25, 2025 at 7:41 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
I confess I have watched this creep towards the 1000 milestone. It's immensely gratifying to see, 3 years after publication, that readers are still discovering 36 Streets.
June 23, 2025 at 8:09 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
I'll be at Comic-Con Melbourne (@ozcomic-con.bsky.social) next weekend (7-8 June). I'll have all my books (including the newly-arrived paperback of Aliens: Bishop), and most of my wits. If you're around, do drop by the table.

ozcomiccon.com/t-r-napper/
Picture of the author (smiling, wearing a Cowboy Bebop t-shirt) and the cover of his novella, Ghost of the Neon God (2024 winner of Best Science Fiction Novella at the prestigious Australia Aurealis Awards).
May 31, 2025 at 7:29 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
My Aurealis Award trophy arrived today (my precious). Gorgeous. Wrote a short article (linked) about the award, what it means to me, and included an excerpt from my acceptance speech, where I speak to the diabolical issue of AI in our art.

nappertime.com/ghost-of-the...
plaque on bottom of trophy that reads: Aurealis Awards 2024 / Best Science Fiction Novella / Ghost of the Neon God / T R Napper / Titan Books picture of author holding trophy in front of bookshelf. He's wearing a Ghost in the Shell t-shirts and looks fiiiine (and also happy)
May 19, 2025 at 3:38 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
Huge honour to win the prestigious Australian Aurealis Award for my novella, Ghost of the Neon God (it was online this year so no trophy to brandish, yet). Absolutely elated.
May 4, 2025 at 8:09 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
Very gratifying that, 3 years later, people are still discovering my debut, 36 Streets (though, much like the reviewer, I too wish the book were more popular). And I've good news for this reader - Lin Thi Vu reappears in The Escher Man, so look there to get your fix of our dark troubled gangster.
April 29, 2025 at 4:46 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
My long form essay on AI, and why we need human art (linked, below).
The tech industry, they say of themselves, likes to move fast and break things. This includes the law. This includes the tenets of basic human decency. Once their motto was ‘don’t be evil’. But that motto was dropped long ago. Because how can you believe in such a thing, when you want to rule the world?
April 28, 2025 at 3:52 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
Some thoughts on generative AI, the propaganda that supports it, why we need human art, and how we fight back, "It's The People, Stupid (Human Art in a Company World)":
nappertime.com/its-the-peop...
Picture of the Gwion Gwion rock paintings, found in Western Australia, thought to be 12,000 years old. They depict stylised figures (dark on a pale rock), wearing ornate costumes.
April 21, 2025 at 1:16 AM
trnapper.bsky.social
Massive honour to be shortlisted for the prestigious Aurealis Awards, in the Best Science Fiction Novella category, for 'Ghost of the Neon God'. I'm alongside some truly exceptional talent (and check out the Best Series category - it's fucking stacked)
@titanbooks.bsky.social
shorturl.at/NaGui
Cover for Ghost of the Neon God (a striking vivid purple and neon yellow landscape, with a dude in front with sunnies and a blue jacket) Aurealis finalist badge - says 'Aurealis awards finalist' with a related black circular symbol I could never decipher. Is it some sort of creature? It's squashed, whatever it is.
April 15, 2025 at 7:09 AM