The initial story of Neal Asher's Gridlinked explores several key themes, with the protagonist's addiction to the network connection being central to the narrative.

Key themes in Gridlinked include:

Network Addiction/Technological Dependence The core personal conflict for the protagonist, Ian Cormac, is his addiction to the "grid" or AI net. Having been directly linked for 30 years, he has lost touch with his humanity and normal emotional

responses. The book begins with him intentionally disconnecting (going "cold turkey") to regain his human perspective, which is essential for his mission and a major character arc.

Humanity vs. Post-humanism The novel heavily explores the boundary between being human and the "post-human" state brought about by extensive technological augmentation and direct AI integration. Cormac's struggle with his gridlink connection and

subsequent withdrawal raises questions about where humanity ends and technology begins, and what value "pure" humanity holds in a highly advanced future.

Artificial Intelligence and Societal Control The story is set in the "Polity" universe, a future society run by a powerful and generally benevolent AI government. The AIs manage almost everything, from interstellar travel (via runcibles) to security.

This setup examines the morality and consequences of surrendering control to a superior, non-human intelligence.

Political Conflict and Separatism The plot is driven by an investigation into a disaster caused by "Separatists," groups who resist the AI-controlled Polity. This introduces themes of political differences, terrorism, and the inherent tension between

a homogenous, AI-guided society and human freedom/autonomy.

Action and Gritty Space Opera On a structural level, a main theme is the fast-paced, high-octane action and violence typical of the space opera and cyberpunk genres. The narrative focuses on action sequences, intricate gadgets, and large-scale

conflicts as Cormac pursues the villains.