Covering Covers: Scratch Monkey - Charles Stross

Cover Artist: Gregory Manchess

Hot off the presses, Subterranean Press is offering a previously unpublished Charles Stross novel, Scratch Monkey, for what looks to be an extremely short time. Somehow or other, they acquired a very limited number of copies (the entire print run was 800 books) and Stross is a tremendously popular SF author. If you are interested in scoring yourself a copy, head over to Subterranean Press and order immediately. I wouldn't be posting this if I hadn't already guaranteed a copy of Manchess's fantastic artwork for my own bookshelf.


Regarding the book itself, I understand it to be one of Stross's earlier novels. I'll be interested to see how Stross's writing has evolved over the years although I'm a little apprehensive as to why the book wasn't published in the first place. Hopefully, it's a question of length and not one of quality. There's certainly no denying the Strossian characteristic of the summary:

Scratch Monkey is the 2011 Boskone Book by Boskone’s Guest of Honor Charles Stross. It contains his previously unpublished novel, Scratch Monkey, an essay about writing the novel (Scratching, and a second essay about a writer's view of publishing. The novel is set in the distant future, when humans have spread through the galaxy, physically and virtually. We are not alone; we have created a race of AIs, the Superbrights, to administer and expand the virtual side of our presence in the Milky Way. Oshi Adjani works for a Superbright, traveling to worlds where her Boss cannot go, and solving the problems he has set her. One success reveals a secret of the Superbrights, so the Boss forces her into one last, deadly mission, with her freedom as her reward for doing the impossible. The full-color dust jacket is by Gregory Manchess, the Boskone 48 Official Artist.

The aforementioned essay is comically titled "Scratching The Itch" and as a fully fledged bibliophile, I can tell you that this book promises to do just that. Exclusive content, limited print run, and gorgeous cover art? I'm just glad they didn't stick a three figure price tag on this guy. I've already ordered my copy. If you are legitimately interested, sooner is better than later.